You all know my weakness for station wagons, but I also have a strange desire to own a van. Actually a couple of vans, because I want a VW van like this and a Chevrolet with big and littles that is 1970’s cool. But the VW thing just keeps sparking my interest and I can’t help it. I’ve never actually owned a VW before, so wanting to own one has no actual basis in knowing if they are worth a damn or not. But I don’t care. This one grabbed my attention while cruising RacingJunk for something fun to dream about.
Why you might ask? Well if it was just some VW van that would be fine, but this one pulls me in because it is a Westfalia which means it is the camper van. And I have a huge RV love affair so this one is perfect for me. The roof lifts up and is a tent that is awesome. I love it.
If you’re looking at this van, you better be prepared to make some new friends. That’s because the fun of a VW Bus is all about the character and camaraderie of ownership. The Type 2 (the original Beetle was the Type 1) used to be a symbol of the counter culture, and it only gets better when you can get away from society and camp out under the stars. The two-tone minty green and cream is the perfect color combo to represent the 1970s, and the straightness panels tell you that any time on the road has been pretty easy-going.
The driver gets all the right comforts with a recently re-covered high-back bucket seat. Plus, there’s a large steering wheel, a gearshift within easy reach, and new carpeting. But the true luxuries are all behind this. These are terrific camping machines, and this one is an especially nice home away from home with new wood cabinets and trim. It has the right comforts such as a dual burner stove and sink. When it comes time for sleeping, not only do you have a sofa bed in the cabin, but also the iconic pop-up roof for comfortable camping. It’s an amazing setup that we know has you thinking about how to use it for everything from campgrounds to the next car show.
This second-generation Bus comes with plenty of engineering improvements. First of all, the 2000cc motor in this one is more powerful than anything available in the first generation. And the VW flat four motor is one of the most economical and robust powerplants to enjoy. In fact, this one is well maintained with recent investments that include a newer Bosch ignition coil, plugs, wires, and cap. That’s why this well-kept example fires up nicely and runs strong. But one of the easiest ways to get the best engine performance in these vans is to master the powerband of the four-speed manual transmission. Another reason why the 2nd-gen Type 2s are desirable is because the suspension was also greatly improved. The original vans utilized a modified Beetle setup, but this Bus was built to better handle the unique weight and height of the vans.
This is the classic that can do it all – get you there, give you something to show off, and then offer home-like comfort. Don’t miss this deal, call today!
I had a ’68 (I beleive…) VW van in the late ’70’s (just a plain ol’van) and it was a BLAST! Four-on-the-floor and you looked out the windshield onto the street. Used to scare the crap out of passengers when I whipped it into a parking spot between two cars and they’d grab onto anything to brace for the impact that never came! I got frogged more than a few times fer that! fun times, fun vehicle!
Oh, by the way… the throttle cable broke, and I drove it with a length of speaker wire draped over the seats for a throttle! Drove it that way for a month! It was already smokin’ a little, so I drove it to the junk yard, and theygave me $75!. I only paid $50 for it to begin with, so, WIN WIN!
The single worst vehicle I’ve ever experienced. Scary handling, horrible brakes, no power, and the crumple zone is your legs! Chad, you are about 5 years late on this trend. Prices are already nuts. Go for it!
Thinking you must like the bracket Chevy van that pops wheelies and runs the big dollar foot brake races back east-it’s a solid 11 second runner.
I saw lots of these when I would go up into the mountains west of Denver back in the 70’s and 80’s. Most were dead on the side of the road. They had a horrible reputation for breaking down. No thanks
An EJ25 Subaru swap is in the cards. Here’s some help:
https://smallcar.com/conversions/type-2-bus-conversions.html