mnwildpunk Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 I'm not sure if this is the correct place for this but here goes. Does anybody make a 21 window vw bus? I should rephrase that I found one at my LHS made by a company I'd never heard of and they wanted $85 bucks for it. I just can't afford that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig Irwin Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 Yes, look for a Revell boxed one, still not cheap but no where near $85. Very quickly found one on ebay for $26.99 just now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VW Dave Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 Unfortunately, nobody currently produces a kit of the 21-window; the Revell and Hasegawa kits are 23-window Buses. Revell made one back in the 1960s, based on their original 1950s-issue 23-window, and it was later modified and reissued as the 'Rubber Duck' and then 'California Roller' custom panel Buses. To show the difference between the 21 and 23, I did a little Googling. 21-window(model years 1964-67): 23 window (model years 1950-1963): The 23w shown is actually a pre-'55 'Barndoor" Bus, but the narrower rear hatch and corner windows are pretty much the same all the way through 1963. To properly count the windows on a deluxe Microbus, the front doors(which contain 3 pieces of glass) are considered 1 each; there were 13, 15, 21 and 23-window varieties. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martinfan5 Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 Learn something new everyday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edsel-Dan Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 Looks like you can convert the Revell 'Flat-Pack" new tool Samba into a 21 Window version by filling those rear corner windows. Hasegawa did the Smabi & Combi Cargo version with 1 piece bodies, butt hose kits are Curbside. No engine. And Yes, They do get Expensive!! I think new they started at almost $30.oo and now are double to triple that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxer Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 (edited) The newer Revell kit is far better (it has interior panels and details) and should be easy to find as it's only a few years old. It has a mufti-piece body but builds up easily with the seams at the 1:1 panel seams. Thee detail far out weighs the Hasegawa kit. The Hasegawa kit is older but still a good one. The problem as I see it is they are charging outrageous prices for what is an old, reissued kit and no longer worth the money. Here's a link to a build I'm still on of the Hasegawa 23 window. Edited March 10, 2013 by Foxer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnwildpunk Posted March 10, 2013 Author Share Posted March 10, 2013 Thanks guys I'll start looking for the Revell kit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VW Dave Posted March 11, 2013 Share Posted March 11, 2013 Looks like you can convert the Revell 'Flat-Pack" new tool Samba into a 21 Window version by filling those rear corner windows. Not exactly, as the pre-'64 had a much narrower rear window & hatch than the later models.....I would graft the rear corners and hatch section from the Hasegawa '67 panel into a 23-window body to do it 'right.' I agree the Hasegawa kits have gone through the roof, but the other Revell Microbus(not the 'flat pack' one) is the same kit in their box; I'll also assume their soon-to-be-released panel is also a repackaged Hasegawa as well. Here's the Revell kit that is all Hasegawa inside - for about half the price: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VW Dave Posted March 11, 2013 Share Posted March 11, 2013 I Googled a couple more pics to help illustrate the rear hatch differences....using a Barndoor in my first reply was a bad choice, as an opening rear hatch was a dealer-installed option. Here's a pre-64 rear hatch, which is the same width as the engine lid: And a '64-up version; the engine lid width did not change: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Hall Posted March 11, 2013 Share Posted March 11, 2013 Not exactly, as the pre-'64 had a much narrower rear window & hatch than the later models.....I would graft the rear corners and hatch section from the Hasegawa '67 panel into a 23-window body to do it 'right.' I agree the Hasegawa kits have gone through the roof, but the other Revell Microbus(not the 'flat pack' one) is the same kit in their box; I'll also assume their soon-to-be-released panel is also a repackaged Hasegawa as well. Here's the Revell kit that is all Hasegawa inside - for about half the price: From what I've read, the upcoming panel is based on the recent RoG Samba kit, not the Hasegawa tooling... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chevyfever2009 Posted March 11, 2013 Share Posted March 11, 2013 (edited) Theres a cool one on ebay someone made a limo out of on ebay heres a pic of it Edited March 11, 2013 by chevyfever2009 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beeRS Posted March 11, 2013 Share Posted March 11, 2013 I have both the new Revell kit and the Hasagawa one in my collection of 'yet-to-be built' models. They're both good kits, but the Revell has more detail + engine & opening doors, so this is the one that I will probably end up building (... someday). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxer Posted March 11, 2013 Share Posted March 11, 2013 or ... I did this making the rear window smaller for a '56. I just did it by eye from photos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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