>>snip<
>Is this da belly-pan?  I was looking in my 
>how-to-restore-bug-and-transporter book (great book, BTW), and it had 
>pictures of sheet metal to cover almost the whole underside of the 
>kombi.      ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

>>Real 23 and 21 window deluxes had a belly pan which covered the entire
under belly (between the wheel wells) and was added to strengthen the bus
due to the sunroof and possibly because of the add'l windows. I believe that
15 window vans did not have the belly pans as the usual stock config. Who
knows what might have been done by the factory if one (15) was ordered with
a sunroof. I've been told that checking for this belly pan is a quick way to
check for a "true" 23 window. If the pan is absent then either the pan has
been removed some where down the line or someone has attached a roof section. 
There is one local bus that has had $25,000 sunk into it and has been
cobbled together from several buses. It still has hidden rust and no belly
pan. Top side, the bus looks beautiful. Some folks have more money than
craftsmanship.

A smaller metal pan was common/stock on most type IIs to cover the front end
mechanicals. I'd risk saying all typeIIs but someone would prove me wrong
for that UFO two month time period back in (whatever year) on whatever model.  
.......................................................................
Rusty VanBondo                                 
Phoenix, Arizona USA               \\\         ///\\\              ///  
'57 Single Cab (European)           \\\       ///  \\\            ///   
'63 15 Window (Shell/Project for MUCH later) ///    \\\    //\   ///    
'67 PopTop Westy (Ground up resto-from Hell)///      \\\  //A\\ ///    
'83 Vanagon L Campmobile (White Loaf)  \\\///         \\\/// \\///      
                                        \\//           \\//   \//       
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