First topic message reminder :

Latest addition to my pool of Aircooled VWs:

Matching Numbers All Around;
Current Missionary School Van;
November 1968 (Model year: 1969) Early RHD T2 Bay Window Walkthrough Microbus with Sliding Door on Left.
1600cc M-240 (Low Compression) 44BHP Matching Motor

Needs a ground up restoration but worth every penny its bought for.

Bought it for a Polish friend's Tour of Pakistan! The Polish friend named it as "Missionare" (German: means Messenger) for its life long service to humanity.



This is tell tale of Missionare's acquisition, 700KM journey back home and the restoration. Stay tuned as we embark on an exciting ride deep into the Early Bay world to explore what it is like to restore a half living auto-marvel from the past. 

DISCLAIMER: The thread would be creepy slow as I have two other projects running in parallel to this (a 65 Bug & a 79 Safari), so plz be patient but be assured that it would be another restoration cookbook, though this time on the subject of Early Bays.

Update on History of Missionare - July 16, 2013

*04 Documented Previous Owners
*1st Registration Date: March 04, 1969
*2nd Registration Date: January 01, 1975

1st Owner - Unknown as of yet (Owned from: March 04, 1969 To: December 31, 1974)
2nd Owner - Syed Rahat Ali Kirmani (Owned from: January 01, 1975 To: April 13, 2004)
3rd Owner - Syed Mohammad Zakaria (Owned from: April 13, 2004 To: April 13, 2010)
4th Owner - Amjad Yousaf (Owned from: April 13, 2010 To: June 16, 2013)
5th Owner - Yours Truly (Owned Since: June 16, 2013 To: Date)

Funky Green Panels: Gerson does them all, the best in the market and pricey as hell but of near perfect fit to OG panels. Doglegs are one bloody panels in the whole van which are the biggest challenge to source in good used/rot free condition from anywhere in the world. And if such panels are found, they are no less than a $1000 delivered in Pakistan for the pair.

Faced by the challenge of bringing some in as Missionare's doglegs need replacement, I had a tough & pricey choice to make. And when the time came I had to choose Gerson's Funky Green Panels over used/OG cuts. Had to reach out to www.evamclassic.com in Netherlands, the European distributor of funky green panel to order the pair. Cost over $1000 delivered to Pakistan but while others may think it as money thrown away for nothing, I personally believe worth every single penny and buck well spent towards Missionare's quality resto.


The pair arrives in Pakistan in late March 2014 with Windscreen Repair Panel.

Bloody rare bit had me spinning for 6months; Early Bay Front Tin (early bay specific) over the bell housing, sorted eventually.

Missionare was still without the Cab Door Pull Handles so seemed only fitting that it gets to get a couple before everything else on the list is bought, LOL. Also, came along, a spare Air Filter Connecting Hose.

Twist on July 1968-December 1968 Long Neck Bay Window Interior Rear View Mirror, VW Part # 211 857 501B

The mirror is aftermarket, the base is OG, as it came with the bus. Undid it, cleaned it as much as it could be and ready to twist on.

Have compiled a photo album of yet known surviving low light bay window buses of Pakistan which I personally had knowledge of.

Yet Known Surviving Low Light Bay Window Buses of Pakistan

the pictured pair

More Repro Replacement Panels for Missionare.

Crossmember and two outriggers with jacking points:


Battery Tray

picked this complete set, including hardware, a minute back to convert the stock rear bench seat into a bed.




Z-bed hinges at work:

A gift from an English friend Simon. Grubby otherwise perfect.

bid in last 10 secs of the auction to win, wasn't cheap but worth every penny!      

its an absolute rarity - OG VW Bus T2 Accessory windshield/headlight wiper water tank with electrical pump for the driver side. it replaces the original front cab kick panel to be mounted.

know more about these factory options here: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=306431&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

The two BLUE heat levers were missing on the Missionare, so had to hunt and buy them cheap as these are not always easily found in good condition. Bought one Red & two Blue ones



Also found with the same Seller, were these heater pipes & the brake master cylinder (RHD) w/ lower brake reservoir, again OG lower reservoir is hard to find.

Needed some bits urgently so had to order some on rush delivery.

NOS Pair of Brake Hose Holders, go on the Ball Joints to Hold the soft Brake Lines in place.




Front Bumper Step to Blade Seals Pair



OG VW Script for Rear Hatch






NOS Set of Clips for VW Script for Rear Hatch




One NOS Vacuum Line




And the real cause of rush delivery, a 12V 9 Pin Flasher Relay due to which my wiring job is still incomplete and Missionare is parked with all shattered looms. Dont have pic at the moment, will update later.

Red 9 Design Coil Over Conversion / Lowering Kit for Missionare to use with the Adjustable/Lowered Splitty Front Beam that has already arrived in Pakistan. Complete with Spax Coil Over Shocks and mounting hardware.

Slammed is the the new STOCK!

Missionare came with only one front cab door opening quarter light window from previous owner, the driver's side. Passenger Side was a fixed one. I have been hunting for a good one for a period of time only because these are priced really costly in the europe due to rarity as the european models came only with the fixed quaterlights. Anyway, found one in UK. The only bad about it is the missing black knob. Frame is all rust free and in good nick.

Another item off the wanted list.

rustbus wrote:

Needed some bits urgently so had to order some on rush delivery.

NOS Pair of Brake Hose Holders, go on the Ball Joints to Hold the soft Brake Lines in place.




Front Bumper Step to Blade Seals Pair



OG VW Script for Rear Hatch



NOS Set of Clips for VW Script for Rear Hatch




One NOS Vacuum Line




And the real cause of rush delivery, a 12V 9 Pin Flasher Relay due to which my wiring job is still incomplete and Missionare is parked with all shattered looms. Dont have pic at the moment, will update later.

Were in post today.

Ordered some more bits to complete the resto. Now with this order, everything is there to head with the resto except the sheet metal that I want to bring in for the top quality resto on the Missionare. Here is what was ordered today, another 100K goes into all these

2x Sway bar mounting kit Type2 68-79 (1 side)
2x Shift bushing kit Type2 -89
1x Clutch disc 215mm
2x Boot for Accelerator Pedal Rod
2x Rubber sleeve between carburetor and air filter T2
4x Gas cap seal - Type 2 68-71 + Type 181
2x PVC guiding ring for emergency brake bar Type2 08/67 - 07/79
2x Emergency brake bar locking spring Type2 08/67 - 07/79
8x Screws 3-hole Headlight ring
3x Clutch cable Type2 3245mm
3x Gas cable Type2 3116mm
2x HandBrake cable Type2 380/3440mm
2x Heater cable right Type2 08/67-10/68 + -07/71 RHD (Type 1 engine) - 4205mm
2x Grommet sleeve on plastic reservoir tube Type2 08/67-08/79
4x Swing lever kit Type2 8/67-7/79
2x Steering box coupler Type2 68-79 / TQ
2x rubberstop torsion arm Type2 68-79 / lower
2x rubberstop torsion arm Type2 68-79 / upper
4x Clip for rubberstop Type2 68-79
6x Gearbox side seal Type2 08/68-07/75
4x Rubber mount rear suspension arm Type2 68-79
4x C.V. joint Transporter 68-92 + syncro (in board)
16x Dashboard Light bulb holder short 1303, KG, T2 68-92
2x Speedometer cable T2 68- right hand drive
2x Handbrake Lever Return Spring
2x Dowel Pin Handbrake Lock
2x Dowel Pin Handbrake Lock Spring

more in the mail today, by hand this time

Busy Sunday ahead: Full day for putting together the job lot to send away to powder coaters

- Need to strip down three flat 4s of cooling tins / shrouds / flaps
- 3 front beams to be stripped with ancillaries.
- 20 Wide5 stock steelies
- 2 Early Bay Bumpers with ancillaries
- 3 Shifters
- 3 E-Brakes
- Full Disassembled Essen Trailer
- 2 Essen Trailer Wheels
- 25 Bay Window Passenger Cabin Foot Rests
- 20 Essen Spare Wheel Brackets
- 1 Bug Roof Rack

I have to admit, I have never undertaken a project of this magnitude as that of Missionare. From one small OG bolt to whole interior and sliding door and every single available repro panel that's on the parts dealer website was to be collected before the resto could eventually line up for a begining. I am still 2 dozen panels short of the resto to kick off, which still are in transit.
Today landed the 2nd biggest shipment in my VW resto histroy. Except couple of bits for Patina and Elk, everything else in the shipment belonged to Missionare. Full trailer load of cut up panels, brand new replacement panels, suspension parts and drums and interior bits and all.



This bus is soon going to become PACVWR's Logo bearing Official Ride!

New Addition to my pool of VW Tools, VW Pulley Wrench

Had an early morning start with Missionare after break of months...
I only intended to put on the headlights as I want Missionare to be driveable as soon as possible since its been sitting too long in the porch and my patience with it sitting there has run out, but I ended up doing quite a bit and as a result now I am feeling like I have been to Hell's Kitchen and Back!

what started to be OG Hella eBay auction Headlight fitment ended up in a series of tasks. The moment I dived into my toolbox to fish out a screw driver early morning (7 AMish), I realized I have been away of my tools for too long and that wasn't without a price.
Somehow the tool box had its lower 1" drenched in water thus all my tools were either wet or had serious surface rust on them!!!
I am a kind of person who keeps tools pretty dear and repeatedly & habitually clean the tools once done using the lot. Seeing tools in such a neglected state was nothing short of a shock. But there was no going back from there. Had to take the lot out and clean every piece of tool kit and then lubricated (wherever applicable) tools and then cleaned them all yet again before I could take that screw driver in my hands for installation of headlights.

Well two hours were spent cleaning this mess and with background score of constant cursing for not visiting the tools any time sooner.

Once done with tools, I installed the headlights and despite the fact that Missionare has one of the patchiest nose among all the early bays out there, the outcome was satisfying. Great overall fitment on these RHD Hella units with all the correct screws/adjustments/rubber seals in tact. Fitted like a sleeve!




Once done with the headlights, I thought I should put in the front kick panels and the front cab floor mat. Kick Panels were made in a DIY not long ago from a template sent by Carl Perkins/UK.



The floor cab mat is an OG used mat that again was won in an eBay auction and only arrived with this shipment, the other day. Sorry didn't have the camera or the phone near me so no pics but I will post some later.

Next up was this bad boy here, which was hunted for, far & wide before it could be found, the RHD Sliding door rear striker/catch.



Used the NOS bug door hinge screws that I bought from Mouqeem Autos a while ago, to mount this catch. For the first ever time in my ownership, now the slider is now fully restored replacing the Splitty type cut up doors and works like a dream. :)Again, pics later tonight.

Next up was replacement of the rear bump stops which were totally worn out and were shattered into piece and heater hoses (from heat exchangers to body) which were absent altogether. Pics to follow.

Once I was done with the stuff, I went on to replacing Missionare Speedwells with Stock wide 5 steelies and moved the Speedwells to Patina. This exchange was waiting for all this time because these bad boys were awaited: the tapered wheel bolts with locking bolts!



Now the speedwells are going to stay on Patina as it would be slammed and speedwells should compliment Patina's new stance

Pics to follow, stay tuned.

Also unpacked this OG Inner Front Screen Panel clip and was delighted to find out it was as solid as they come. Totally rust free and unbent during transit!



This panel goes behind the dash to provide structural support to windscreen at the bottom and the front nose panel.

10 months and lot of hunting later...

From this



to this



Trust me this pic doesn't tell much but lots has changed since the first pic to this 2nd pic. Engine has been changed, All four Shocks have changed, slider has been restored, Complete interior has changed to stock, front cab has a year correct stock mat and kick panels, all the bastard wirelooms have been eliminated, all four wheels have changed to Speedwells, all four turn signals have been changed and returned to correct european specs with excellent OG hella RHD headlight units, new EMPI short throw shifter, new wheel bearings on all four corners, rear drive axles are refurbished with new axle boots, new Bosch ignition coil, starter serviced, NOS turn signal switch, all new dash switches, new year correct fuse box, serviced and refurbished dash panel and lots more.

Will get better pics later in the morning.

The List seems to be a never ending one...there is so much more to source still...the tiny bits