Daydream Flower Truck
Daydream Flower Truck
1961 Bullet Nose / Split Window / Type 2 Transporter
I was imported to the United States in 1961. My original delivery job is unknown. I was found in the trees of Maine in early 2020. Some humans rescued me, and I ended up in South Carolina. After a year of TLC, I was transformed from a rusty carcass into the DDFT. I now live in GA. This is my story.
As Fall 2020 was wrapping its weird grimy grip on the world. Somehow, two humans came up with the grand idea of having a flower truck. Not just any flower truck, nope... a vintage VW flower truck. Mind you, neither one of them had ever owned a VW before - let alone a vintage one. For most people, engaging in a vintage resto project in the middle of a pandemic may seem like bad idea jeans - and they would probably not be wrong.
Lucky for me, I was found early 2021 in Maine, pulled from a tree line and hauled down to South Carolina. My humans spent a few months looking for a good VW buy that was a daily driver. Unfortunately, a vintage VW single cab transporter is rare. After frustrated searching reach its peak, the plan to build me became a reality in the summer of 2021 when I was bought, rolled into the shop (where I would live for the next 18 months) and the beginning of my journey began.
Folks when I tell you I got the greatest bath ever, I mean it. I was sand blasted, had all my rust cut and replaced with green metal. I had my underbelly cleaned and primed, tranny rebuilt, running gear and suspension rebuilt, and put back together with all sorts of new pieces and parts. All I needed was a new engine, some headlamps, a steering wheel - and the coolest rat-rod Daydream Flower Machine was ready to roll. Nope ... just when I thought I was going to be free - they sucked me back in.
About that rat-rod thing, I guess in the flower world rat-rods are not really a thing. It was at this juncture my rebuild really began and I realized I would be in this shop for a while. So, I settled in, got to know my VW shop mates and prepared myself for shop life. As the weeks went by some of my mates were picked up and taken to their homes, while new friends arrived for their baths and pieces and parts.
Just as I was getting comfortable in my spot, all of a sudden, I was taken to the body and paint booth, where mud and metal massages were an everyday occurrence. Each day, little by little my lumps & bumps were gone, and my new metal began to look like it did in the 60's. My nose was back to normal, my sides felt and looked right, my doors matched again and it felt great to be like my old self.
The next thing I know the inside of the cab was getting jazzed up. Once all the mud, hammers, massages and spa work were done I finally got my first primer bath matching my underbelly. I kept hearing the shop humans talking about the wheels I was getting, the speedometer getting ordered, wire harnesses and something about pine stripes. While this attention was much appreciated, I really wanted to hit the road. My humans were ready too.
The humans told me as soon as primer was done, the crux of build was over. Not even sure what that means, and I'm not sure they think it means what they think it means. Anyway, next up were some finishing touches in the paint booth. Using lead foot grey as my final coat, the humans decided to give me a little character with some hand patina on all 4 sides and saucy pink lemonade sparkle on my chrome! I took this as a sign I would soon be headed back up to the spot where to build teams puts pieces and parts together. The faster I get up there, the faster I am on the road with a cool breeze in my air ducts. Finally, I saw the clear coat come up and I was all shined up and felt like a whole new 61' Single Cab.
