1961 Bus (Type 221)
Points of interest
•Sea Gull Grey over Mango Green
•Non-walkthrough
•High hinge
•80 mph clear needle speedometer
•Full length middle seat
•M-codes: 374 (US spec export package?)
•Date of Manufacture: September 14, 1960
History
•10/04 Sold bus.
•11/03 Preparing body for paint
•05/03 Project on hold
•10/02 Still working on body work, window frames, etc.
•06/02 Repainting Bus, including interior, all new rubber, some new glass
•05/02 Replaced wood on westy bed base
•05/02 Made interior panels from .060" vinyl sheet
•05/02 Finished slashed front bumper w/ uprights and over riders
•05/02 Painted roof white
•03/02 Replaced green filter on oil pressure light
•02/02 Body work started on right rear...
•11/01 Installed 6v automatic choke
•08/01 Installed refinished (previously polka-dotted) bulkhead panels
•08/01 Installed Westy camper bed, working on cabinets
•08/01 Replaced exhaust valve on no. 4 at Bandimere show in parking lot
•08/01 Repainted outside of bus, primer for now
•07/01 Added Gene Berg oil temp dipstick sender
•06/01 Repainted polka-dotted interior metal primer grey
•05/01 Replaced transmission with May 1960 unit
•05/01 Broke '59 transmission housing in half, sorry Kent
•05/01 Licensed and on the road
•05/01 All new brakes, still working on electrical, but it drives
•05/01 Installed engine, started, runs, getting closer...
•05/01 POR-15'd the battery tray
•04/01 Added full length roof rack, replaced rear glass, windshield gaskets
•03/01 Removed big-nut trans, Installed correct small-nut transmission
•10/00 40hp turn-key motor started, see pictures here.
•09/00 Yokahama Geolandar 205/75R15 tires
•09/00 Installed transmission
•08/00 Towed from New Mexico to Missouri with my Vanagon
40 hp
On the scales at Bandimere Raceway, 2995 lbs. (1360 kg) loaded with a Westy bed, Westy tables, 40 hp enigne (complete), two 40 hp heads, misc tin, two Vanagon/late bus steel wheels, ~100 lbs of other parts and camping gear.
Replaced exhaust valve on no. 4 at Bandimere show in parking lot
The worlds largest ball of twine, somewhere on Hwy. 24 in Kansas as seen with my '61 and Steve's '93 EuroVan MV
Busses Nowhere Near the Arch 17 with a few of the Missouri Micros
I towed the '61 from Peralta, New Mexico to Columbia, Missouri with the Vanagon. We stayed on rt. 54 almost the whole way, about 1500 miles. 40-60 mph avg. almost 22 mpg. The bus was loaded with interior pieces for two busses, an extra front beam, a 40hp motor in pieces, four extra wheels a middle seat and two rear seats. The trip went well, we lost one tire but had plenty of spares.
