Hi Abdul, as I suspected I think it's pretty conclusive that this is a late bay, I believe the M decoder data I posted earlier is correct and it's had the front end grafted on as well as the rear cab area, I think if you put a magnet around the rear brake lights you will find it's mostly filler. I would rub back the area under the filler cap where there appears to be a horizontal join line and see if you uncover it Sent from my SM-G975F using Tapatalk
If the chassis rails underneath are complete from front to back and the suspension is good, I think you should continue to restore it to looking like a shiny early 1970's bay.. I am sure there are plenty of potential customers who will look no further than the paint .. I would check the legal situation in your location as to registration of vehicles, where you need to modify the paperwork to match the VIN, before abandoning this project. If the top half has been welded on reasonably well, it will last for years in a dry climate. As @davidoft says, and he works on these buses, a vehicle welded together out of parts of other vehicles is not necessarily unsafe. After all how many of us are going round in buses which are maybe only 75% original by now..
Abdul does not want to spend time restoring a bitza, he wants a matching numbers. In the same way I would not consider restoring a converted panel van, but others do and that's fine.
Pictures of the frame looks original , no cutting or welding. The panel where the m plate is riveted is definitely not original to the car . You can see the bad welding. This car used to be used as a taxi. For god knows how many years.
But that panel for the bench seat that had th mplate on it probably was... Sent from my SM-T580 using Tapatalk
just an update , i sold the green 68 , i found out that it has many wrong parts and panels and it will be a waste of money and time to restore it back to original. i bought another t2 . that still has all the original sheet metal and in VGC , running and driving no need to restore. the only problem is the missing m plate is it possible to know some information from vin? 2312029725 thanks
Are you certain there isn't an M plate on it? It seems to change in location from year to year. Mine is left side under the dashboard.
Mine is on the bulkhead behind the passenger seat (left side). As you say, they move around from year to year!
There is another plate on mine which gives various information and is attached to a triangular gusset behind the passenger seat. Mines got a swivelling seat. This isn't the M plate however. Does anybody know what this is called?
That’s the vin plate. The long number should match your stamped number in the engine bay. Here Also it can be a help regarding ID
2312029725 2= type 2 (bay) 3= kombi 1 = 1971 model year 2029725 = rest of chassis number Should be low indicators at front, cresent air vents I think, might be 'wide five' wheels, cannot quite remember
That's a lot nicer vehicle looks like a 71 coss over, take the front wheels off again and check if has discs, also check the engine bay for a removable valance Sent from my SM-G975F using Tapatalk
