So, we all have seed the infamous picture of the bus being pulled out of the water, but here is a short story and some hi-res pics to go along with it! Found at retrorides.pinboards.com.

This 1957 Deluxe bus was found underwater in a Norweigen Fjord in 2003 following a tip off from the guys who put it there in 1973 after it being used as a hotel bus.

Apparantly it was common to push old vehicles into the drink when they were no longer needed. This Samba merely had a gearbox problem, so off it went, filled with crap and bottles to help it sink quicker! Most of the junk inside had to be removed by divers because the bus couldn't be lifted weighing what it did!

Anyway,in 2003 the guy on the quest to own this, Morten Lunt sent divers down and a mini ROV Sub with camera. The Samba was parked face down at a depth of 15 meters. Luckily the owner was still alive so Morten was able to get the bus signed ovwer to him so all was legal and above board. He ended up getting the bus for free, only having to pay for recovery.

So out of the drink it came in 2009 and apart from frontal damage caused by the initial plunge and from some old stoves being dumped after it(To the rear), it's fared well considering. 
The bus was filled with some 300 full bottles of water to enable it to sink easier hence the messy looking interior!The owner is now going to try and get it back on the road as soon as he can!

Check out the way the gearbox and engine crankcase dissolved!

Some will say why bother, but with prices so high(anywhere from £20K-£50 on the road) for one of these early buses perhaps it's worth the effort? And what a story! aparently, therer are other old cars down there including a late 50's VW pick-up, a 1954 Beetle and an old Ford of some description. 

Weather you agree or think it's worth doing with this old bus or not, you gotta take your hat off to him for his determination and hardcore enthusiasm alone!



The Samba is rescued from the fjord. It had been down there 36 years!












Looking quite fragile there!


Bottles and other crap were used to make it sink!






Once away from the scene and cleaned up, the true extent of the work to do can be seen.








The bus suffered significant damge in the drink, but it should be repairable. Main chassis, floor and other structural parts are still strong!






Inside has cleaned up a treat! I've seen/worked on much worse and that hadn't been underwater for 36 years!











Original Radio


Damage to the gearbox(Magnesium Alloy Corrosion-Probably saved a lot of the steel on this bus!




The Samba a couple of years before it's big swim! 


Now back on wheels and rolling!

Re: 1957 VW 23 window Samba, Underwater since '197
Post by soopahfly on Sept 20, 2009, 10:33am

Bastards 

That's my holy grail.

Re: 1957 VW 23 window Samba, Underwater since '197
Post by wafers on Sept 20, 2009, 10:51am

That's cleaner than some of the Mot'd uk ones!!

Re: 1957 VW 23 window Samba, Underwater since '197
Post by station on Sept 20, 2009, 11:26am

The lengths some people go to - I am not a fan of these!

Re: 1957 VW 23 window Samba, Underwater since '197
Post by al67 on Sept 20, 2009, 11:34am


The gearbox could do with a coat of looking at!

This needs to go in the same shower dohdah they have the Mary Rose in, to stop it getting any worse. 

Re: 1957 VW 23 window Samba, Underwater since '197
Post by station on Sept 20, 2009, 11:50am

I'd like to see what it looks like when it comes out of an acid bath and how much actually needs replacing.

Re: 1957 VW 23 window Samba, Underwater since '197
Post by montythemole on Sept 20, 2009, 12:00pm

As with the Porsche thread "I'd roll it like that"!

Re: 1957 VW 23 window Samba, Underwater since '197
Post by rodit on Sept 20, 2009, 12:04pm

I can't nock this as it's an amazing story and truly a feat of persiverance.
However that shot of back on wheels looks a touch doctored when you look at the rear wheel, could just be the cammera angle though.

Re: 1957 VW 23 window Samba, Underwater since '197
Post by benzboy on Sept 20, 2009, 12:06pm

That's in surprisingly good condition! At least compared wwith that 356 in t'other thread. With the values of these being as they are, I'm sure it's worth fishing it out! 

Re: 1957 VW 23 window Samba, Underwater since '197
Post by bazzateer on Sept 20, 2009, 12:08pm

Does the radio still work?

Re: 1957 VW 23 window Samba, Underwater since '197
Post by veedubman on Sept 20, 2009, 12:14pm


Sept 20, 2009, 12:04pm, rodit wrote:

Morten explains that the rear wheel looks like this as the transaxle isn't fully bolted in place and due to the rear damage it is alittle bent anyway. I agree it does look photoshopped but it's not!

Re: 1957 VW 23 window Samba, Underwater since '197
Post by rodit on Sept 20, 2009, 12:23pm

I thought there would be a logical reason.
Lets be honest there is no need to potatoe chop something that has been throughthat in it's life. 

Re: 1957 VW 23 window Samba, Underwater since '197
Post by veedubman on Sept 20, 2009, 12:23pm

A FEW BONUS PICS!

Apparantly the steering works almost perfectly, all doors/hinges open and close nicely. The conditions for the last 36 years have caused the paint to bubble all over but having popped a lot of them, Morten found that there was water inside but it had not gone beyond the primer, there was shiny metal beneath!

Crustations and growths on the front bumper!


Anyone Hungry?!


As Morten, the owner calls it, the VW Seamba!


Unfortunately, lift damage to all 4 wheelcharches was unavoidable but I don't think it's gonna make too much difference!


Roof ventilation box, probably home to a family of crabs now!


Horn push still in good order!


gearbox housing. Will need lots of metalwork but again not too bad considering. 


Hubs before removing the crusty bits...



And after, shoe's have life left!