1959 23 Window Microbus For Sale
"The Legendary Chicken Bus"
Back a few years ago we located this 1959 Deluxe Microbus For Sale in Northern California
and hauled it down to our shop with plans on restoring it. Despite the bad brakes (and resulting body damage)
the Bus was really solid and quite original. It ran pretty good too.
One of my close friends kinda took a liking to it and we horse traded for another Bus he had been working on
and he turned the Bus into a driver just the way it sat. As the VW Classic approached in Summer 2006
we decided that it would be hilarious to turn it into a chicken coop complete with live chickens for the "Freak Show"
display that we do every year. It was a phenomenal jit with everyone who saw it and the siren call of the Rooster every now and then
really was a riot. Photos of it made it into all the magazines and it ranks well near the top of one of the most successful publicity stunts we have done yet.
The drivers side of the Bus was very straight, the damage was really just the nose and passenger side rear quarter.
This has all been professionally repaired now, but I wanted to show the Bus "before" so the next owner can
really know what is under the current shiny paint.
The faded logs were applied to the Bus...it didnt have them originally but the effect was quite convincing.|
Here's a photo of me applying them. A vinyl mask was made and then a little spray paint misted on, then the mask removed.
Now here is a more recent photo of the Bus with a quickie driveway applied paintjob.
This shot was taken shortly after the paint application...a little more quickie clean up has been done
which you will see below.
Here's the Bus one year after the Chicken Coop stunt, in the line up at the 2007 VW Classic.
Pretty big difference eh?
After the 2006 show the Bus was brought to the metal fabricating wizards
at Jer-Fab in Orange, where owner Jerry took on the taks of erasing the damage done to the Bus.
Here's a pretty shot of the front nose...the "bullet" turn signal sections cut out to re-use on another Bus.
Really sweet eh? Nothing a little bondo wont fix...just kidding.
The damaged nose and front floor were removed.
Here's the new front end in place, excellent workmanship.
Here's the rear quarter damage before...
Here's Jerry with the old section off and the new part ready to go on.
New section installed.
And ready for the road...almost.
Here's the Bus back on its wheels with the rough bodywork done and driving again.
With the 2007 VW Classic coming up...the owner decided it would be cool to seal all the fresh bodywork up and get a
little color on it in time for the show. This was a serious "quickie" paint job here, no finishwork done, just
the application of the paint. This is the paint job that is on it today...it looks good from far...but far from good.
Oh...and nothing goes to waste when it comes to old Bus parts...the damaged nose was turned into an art piece
that was exhibited at a local gallery. (not sold with the Bus though...sorry)
The Bus was assembled and then driven like this all over the place
lots of family fun.
Not so nice that you have to worry about a door ding yet far less embarassing than before.
