1959 Double-Door Panel Bus - Bill Bowman, BussesByTheArch18@msn.com
This is my June of 1959 Double-Door Panel Bus.  We bought this Bus from my body shop friend and owner, Dennis Wilson down near Dallas, TX (he's currently doing the body work/paint on my 1959 Double Cab Pick-up).  This Bus had last been driven and registered in 1964 and her odometer reads only 54,000 miles to date! Dennis and the previous two owners had all stored it as a future project, then eventually sold it to the next guy.  After ten years tucked away in a dusty corner of his shop, Dennis realized he might never get to it, and since I needed a official "Busses Nowhere Near The Arch" event truck (that happened to be a Vintage Bus), he made me an offer I couldn't refuse.  We trailered her (she came engine-less) back to St. Louis where I went through all (and I mean ALL) the mechanicals and installed a new VW factory rebuilt era correct 34 bhp/40 hp 1200 cc motor that I had put away in storage.  She now purrs like a kitten and runs great, and made her "debut" at the 2001 BNNTA event (go to www.BNNTA.com  for info).  She still has her original coats of Sealing wax red paint, although worn and tattered in places.  Dennis fixed the only big ding on her nose prior to delivery, so only her nose skin has been repainted.  This Panel Bus is un-modified, still has the radio "block-off plate" in place, a working reserve fuel tap and cable, and an uncut dash.  I'm slowly going down the passenger side and polishing out the original paint for a cool, "patina-look" result.  One key still fits and works all the door locks and the ignition.  After a thorough cleaning, her factory six volt electric system works beautifully, thank you!  She'll haul a ton, literally!  It's a blast to drive, and we use her all the time around town for errands and to cruise to the local ice cream stand.  Come see (and drive) her at the next "BNNTA" camping event!