Sort of an update

Bus Pictures
It has been a busy time at the old Melmo Bus Barn; Bearings not easily found,  Lack of camper shells, pieces here and there that can be time consuming to find, but that is what we do at Melmo..We build zero mile buses for people to enjoy for decades to come..and when we can't find it, we have them custom made, like the exhaust manifold for a catalytic converter on a square port 2.0L that doesn't seem to exist anymore anywhere..
Order your bus now!

Getting a bit of activity

So, the sage green Riviera I have been playing with is now becoming a Zenith Blue Westy. I have also received a commission to build a '76 Westy with a type IV in a british racing green, and am working on a contract for a '79 in Dove Blue with solar  and possibly a Propex heating system ( very fancy, very nice). If you have ever thought you would like a VW Camper, but not found what you are after in the year, engine, wheels, interior cabinets or colors, why not simply order what you would like, and have a 30-40 year old "new" camper at your doorstep?
Give us a call, we would be happy to chat about all things camper....

Well I have learned in recent weeks that the Riviera, though roomier and better sealed than a Westy is still just not a Westy.  I have two people asking if I would build them a completely restored late seventies Camper, in a configuration of their choosing... to which I say, "when do we start! "I may convert the Riviera to a Westy, and slip the Riv top on to Melmo, Melmo's on to a 1971 that I will have available in the next few months.  So if you have been searching for just the right combination of engine, model year and interior details, combined with the comfort of knowing that the bus you are buying has all new Paint, brakes, drive train, steering, and interior Contact us at Melmo, we would be happy to discuss the myriad of options available for you in a VW Bay Camper....or Splittie...

Snow, limited electrical in the shop and the Holidaze

Melmo Resto is chugging along, like an air cooled with a bad lung. Seriously, does nobody work between Thanksgiving and New Years except the Grateful Dead? Whilst I wait for more than three lights and a single 20 amp circuit in the new shop, I have managed to sand just about everything, weld on the new nose and rear quarters, battery tray, repair the front dog legs and the strange hole the previous owner hacked into the interior rear wall. Holding true to my green practices, ( read as frugal, cheap New Englander) I was able to use the metal from the parts that came off the bus for the smaller patches that I put back in the bus. I also saved the passenger side of the old nose in case I come across a future bus hit on that side.Getting ready to paint here real soon, and I look forward to installing the interior.  I also look forward to getting a bathroom in the shop in the (hopefully) near future.... ah, the John Nance Garner Memorial Cup, where would I be without you....

Going Back together!

The '77 Riviera is moving ahead nicely, most of the slow downs due to the move are over... most.  I may have my donor AWD system for the next project arriving any day from a friend.. Urabus....working title...hmmm, I'll have to give that some thought

Shop move equals slowdown

So, I have been moving my shop from one unit to another in the same industrial park.. I was in the way of some contiguous space, and I agreed to move over... back in January when I wasn't busy... so, now that I have the Riviera in tons of pieces, it happens. On the plus side, it does afford me the opportunity to lighten the load, get some things cleaned out and set up the new shop for a clear division of mechanical and woodworking sides.  I have, however, been able to get set up enough so that I began reassembly of the 2.0L. Parts are going together, not coming apart.

Bus gets a nose job! 1977 VW Riviera Camper For Sale!

So sometime today or tomorrow, a gentleman from Washington will be popping by with my new nose panel. this will complete the body panels I need for the restoration of the exterior, and welding will start in earnest this week. This camper, with corian countertops, Bubinga inlay dash, new motor all mechanicals renewed, new paint, new rubber will be available for around 12-13K.  If someone wanted to put a deposit down, custom paint colors other than the sage green could be chosen. For a cost, the camper could be painted as an art car with themes of the new owners liking.