Somebody please talk me down (VW bus lust)
- Thread starter AlwaysExplr87
- Start date
There are people who frequently swap in Subaru flat fours, and I have even seen a ford Zetec 2.0 Motor in a Bus. Cool cars but the reliablity and the "fix or repair daily" mentality seem like they would be prohibitive for any sort of expo travel.
PS: Funny to hear the story about emerald street, just there this past weekend!
8850
Observer
My friends and I have had several VW Vans/Campers over the years and have been left stranded several times far from home. In 1985 my 1971 dropped the tranny in Kansas on the way from Georgia to Colorado. Years later the van caught on fire on the side of the road and burned to the ground. In 1996 my 1982 broke a throttle cable and required me to sit on top of the engine operating the throttle with a pair of vise grips while my friend drove and we synchronised shifting with throttle movement. Nt a fun 250 miles. Maybe we had issues because they were old and we were cheap, who knows. I now have a Sportsmobile and feel a little more confident about its reliability.
If you want to get really excited about Westys, check out this shop and their recent sales. I'm kinda shocked at how expensive some of the vans are... maybe because I'm still cheap... http://www.gowesty.com/vehicle_sales.php
If you want to get really excited about Westys, check out this shop and their recent sales. I'm kinda shocked at how expensive some of the vans are... maybe because I'm still cheap... http://www.gowesty.com/vehicle_sales.php
Navman
Adventurer
Yeah, VWs are so unrealiable. I mean, my odometer is even broken because their is no way I got 220k on it. And I certainly didn't drive it from south Florida to Vermont and back. And never took it up and down California.
It's so unrealiable that I had to go buy a Land Rover to make myself feel better.
Okay, sure they are old and need a bit of fixin every now and then, but you can get the engine rebuilt for less than a set of tires on the taco. Just make sure you get an AAA membership with the 100 mile free towing. You will use it.
My recommendation is to go for a late '80s or early '90s Vanagon instead of a bus. Find a rust free one out West and drive it back east.
Oh, and when I go surfing I usually take 2-3 boards and pick the best one depending on conditions and spot. I usually only take one when I take the car. The other nice thing is changing in and out of a wetsuit inside the van in the middle of winter. Priceless.
It's so unrealiable that I had to go buy a Land Rover to make myself feel better.
Okay, sure they are old and need a bit of fixin every now and then, but you can get the engine rebuilt for less than a set of tires on the taco. Just make sure you get an AAA membership with the 100 mile free towing. You will use it.
My recommendation is to go for a late '80s or early '90s Vanagon instead of a bus. Find a rust free one out West and drive it back east.
Oh, and when I go surfing I usually take 2-3 boards and pick the best one depending on conditions and spot. I usually only take one when I take the car. The other nice thing is changing in and out of a wetsuit inside the van in the middle of winter. Priceless.
AlwaysExplr87
Member
I think you get what I'm after here. I'm by no means looking for something to drive accross the country or anything near that, just the 3 mile drive to the beach on the weekend when I have more than 2 people along and maybe a trip to the mountains two or three times a year. Oh, and changing the wetsuit in the camper has really become an art haha. The 80's buses are really starting to appeal to me now too.
Oh and thanks for the tip on thesamba.org, unfortunately I have scoped it for years and they are probably at most to blame for this affliction.
REasley
Adventurer
I've owned a number of VW's over the years, but have paired it down to 3 at the moment; a 66 sedan, a 70 vert and a 78 bus. VW's can be very reliable, but do require regular maintenance. As you have heard from the various stories, people tend to drive them until they break and then complain about reliability.
A 74 should be a 1700 cc carbed engine. If you buy the bus, equip it with a cylinder head temperature gauge. The biggest issue with this engine was cylinder head temps over 450 degrees causing the valve seats to drop out of the head. A good digital cht gauge will prevent the problem. Remember this engine was designed in the mid 30's and like all engines of the era they had a short life (compared to today's equipment).
VW buses have the aerodynamics of a brick. You'll fight every side wind just to keep it on the road. The gas mileage will suck. You'll probably get 15 to 16 mpg. But... Little kids will be awed and even the most anti-social teenagers will flash you a peace sign. The bus is just plain fun to drive.
You can still find rust free buses in good condition for $4000 to $6000 here in California. If you want a fully restored bus expect to pay $10,000 on up.
Oh and remember it's a bus not a van!
A 74 should be a 1700 cc carbed engine. If you buy the bus, equip it with a cylinder head temperature gauge. The biggest issue with this engine was cylinder head temps over 450 degrees causing the valve seats to drop out of the head. A good digital cht gauge will prevent the problem. Remember this engine was designed in the mid 30's and like all engines of the era they had a short life (compared to today's equipment).
VW buses have the aerodynamics of a brick. You'll fight every side wind just to keep it on the road. The gas mileage will suck. You'll probably get 15 to 16 mpg. But... Little kids will be awed and even the most anti-social teenagers will flash you a peace sign. The bus is just plain fun to drive.
You can still find rust free buses in good condition for $4000 to $6000 here in California. If you want a fully restored bus expect to pay $10,000 on up.
Oh and remember it's a bus not a van!
Navman
Adventurer
My $800 Bus in my backyard.
Sweet. My favorite picture of mine is in the valley in front of El Cap. I was there Saturday and thought that I need to find that picture. No trip to the valley is complete until we have a picnic in the meadow in front of El Cap.
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