Building models is demanding. One small mistake can cause the whole project to crash and spoil hours of work. That's what happened when I tried to build a fighter plane 25 years ago.
Challenge accepted!
"But I'm not too old to build a model kit", I have said without putting any emphasis on it. This year I received a model set – Volkswagen Samba Bus with 23 windows as a Christmas present. A detailed "kit" officially approved by Volkswagen. My daughter and son-in-law had taken me at my word. When the last Christmas party was over and everyone had gone home, I poured myself a Single Malt and began to study the model set. My wife had already started putting together a puzzle with 1500 pieces and a monotonous pattern. Puzzles and model kits are the same thing, right?
The fun is in the construction
Aware of damage from earlier, I went through the entire build without glue to get an overview so that I didn't have to face any negative surprises towards the end of the project. Then I could also paint some of the parts in advance. Eventually I had laid out all the important parts on the table, ranked according to which part of the building instructions they belonged to - in the same way as when I overhaul proper cars. As the hours pass, I notice how engaging it is to build the beautiful bus with 23 windows and three rows of seats. I don't know what I'm going to do with it when it's finished, but it's great fun putting the pieces together. I think it's more meaningful than putting puzzles. And what do you actually do with a completed puzzle?
Volkswagen T1
I have never worked with a real Volkswagen T1 before, but remember the car well from my childhood. The family of a childhood friend had an early T1 Transporter. As a small boy, he suffered a concussion after falling from the engine compartment while the car was moving. There were no requirements for safeguarding children in the early 60s. Later, the family acquired a newer T1 – this time a 1965 Double Cab with two rows of seats and a wide rear window.
The engines in the T1 were the same as in the Volkwagen Type1 (Bobble/Beetle). In 1962 it was a 1200 engine with 34 hp. A full-fledged Samba had a full sunroof, comfortable benches and windows both along the side and in the roof. The interior was luxurious compared to the Transporter.
Advice and tips for construction
It can be worthwhile to go through all the building steps in advance. Feel free to assemble parts without glue first. Some parts should be painted before they are put together, for example inside the engine compartment and the interior of the cabin. Avoid getting paint on surfaces that will be glued together later. Not only does the paint inhibit the adhesive's ability to stick - but thick layers of paint can also change the dimensions of substructures so that they do not fit when they are to be assembled together later.
Skilled model builders apply varnish with airspray and prime the surfaces first. I chose to use the included brush. The new water-based colours, which are included, have little coverage, so you have to apply several layers. No problem as the paint dries quickly. But quick-drying paint makes the brush strokes visible after the color has dried.
Tools you will need include tweezers, scissors and a knife to loosen the parts from the boards. A toothpick and a needle can be useful for drilling/expanding holes covered in paint. A black marker can be used to "paint" parts in the engine and suspension. Marking around the windows with a black marker makes it look like rubber strips. A red/orange marker can color the taillight and turn signal glass. Office tape can be used for simple masking.
Pictures of the Volkswagen T1
Samba buses with 23 windows are of model year before 1964. The narrow rear windows got extra windows on each side that curved around the corners. After 1964, all T1 variants received a full-covering rear window that left no room for rear corner windows. These buses were therefore equipped with "only" 21 windows as shown in the pictures below.
About the model set
Producer: Revell
Material: Plastic, rubber wheels and decals
Authentic model of 1962 Volkswagen T1 Samba
Scale: 1: XNUM
Length of car: 18,1 cm
Number of parts: 173
Age limit: 13 years
Difficulty: 5 (out of 5)
Equipment: Glue, paints and a brush.
Variants: USA or Euro
Construction time: ~4 days.
A wonderful mix of bubbles and buses from all over Europe met at this year's Volksworld. Not only in the exhibition areas, but also out in the car parks, and on the lawns where people spent the night in their buses. Only public transport buses, of course. Visitors were encouraged to arrive the evening before to avoid the queues on the opening day. 
It is clear that early passenger coaches are worth their weight in gold down in Europe. Several exhibitors at Volksworld had specialized in furnishing solutions. It is possible to spend a lot of thought and money on the interior. I really liked solutions based on wooden veneer sheets. It reinforced the veteran character in a nice way. Others bet on plastic-fantastic. T70 buses from the 2s are well suited for such solutions.
In terms of style, there is a lot going on in the rat look and lowering with extreme wheel angles. They are tough and very nice photo subjects, but I can't imagine them driving very well. Personally, I prefer more original cars, - probably because I experienced these in my own boyhood days in the 60s. My mate had a T1 double cab, the neighbors a 53 model bubble with a split rear window, and it was great when my cousins came to visit in their lemon yellow 59 bubble. 
