The Volkswagen bus…the vehicle of a generation, the shape that reminds many of good times, good music, and if you don’t have rose-colored glasses on, acceleration that can be measured in glacier movement rather than seconds. The Volkswagen bus is many things to many people, but the iconic people-mover is the antithesis of the word “fast”. There are plenty of methods out there that can make a love bus fast: a wicked-up Volkswagen mill, a Subaru boxer engine, or, if you are so inclined, a Porsche engine works just as well. And that’s what is powering this “Race-Taxi”: the running gear from a 993-era (1993-98) Porsche 911. Using the 3.6L engine, owner Fred Bernhard started by boosting the 3.6L to 530 horsepower, then worked over the chassis and suspension to handle the additional power level that VW never anticipated the bus having. 19Bozzy92 captured this monster running at 6 Ruote di Speranza, an event at Monza that was raising money for disabled persons by giving passengers rides around the track. There’s nothing quite like several screaming passengers riding along as you’re having fun, is there?
Side by side – the sublime and the ridiculous!
I leave it to you to say which VW bus is which…..
WOW – didn’t know one could go that good …..
1971 – hitching back to the east coast from San Fran @ 17 yrs old
Got a ride from Winnemucca NV to Buffalo NY in late 50’s VW bus
w/ a’ newer ‘ motor .. 50-55 mph was the standard
We got to Ohio and some hills – I was driving + drafting 18 wheelers
up the hills to pass them on the other side –
she was a hummin and a smoking at 70 + ….the owners didn’t know
it could go that fast !
Herbie the love Bus? Seriously that thing is awesome!!!
I wonder how the driver gets out after parking it in the trailer
He doesn’t. He has to stay in there and think about what a dumb car he brought to the races.
Actually it ain’t bad and appears to be somewhat safe.