TheSamba.com :: View topic - 1971 In Vermont, good project for the price?

Sun Feb 28, 2010 8:00 am

Hello, Going to check out this bus.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=921348
Is $1150 a good starting price for a bus that will need body,brakes, tires and other work? Does the original paper work really add value?
Thanks for your time.

Sun Feb 28, 2010 8:19 am

Seems like a decent deal. Try and talk em down a little bit. OG paperwork does not add any value....Its just nice to have.

Sun Feb 28, 2010 8:23 am

It's the last of the [big motors] :-k

Sun Feb 28, 2010 8:28 am

I think big=bug.. I'd roll it... Not a bad deal really, you'll double that probably by the time its roadworthy, but you'll know whats been done to it since you'll be doing it :)

Sun Feb 28, 2010 8:39 am

Thanks guys. That is the plan. Rolling project for summer fun.
Cheers.

Sun Feb 28, 2010 9:03 am

Could someone tell my 71 that it has the " last of the big motors"?

Sun Feb 28, 2010 9:14 am

to: Brexcavator's 1971 bus.
You have a Big motor :D
I did ask the seller about this. Thought it was a typo as well but he was told by someone it was a bigger engine. Probably thinking of the step up from single port?

Sun Feb 28, 2010 9:15 am

I'd offer him 500. And see what he says. This Bus needs a lot of work. New tires alone are gonna cost you with shipping and mounting over 400. And it certainly needs new tires.

Sun Feb 28, 2010 9:15 am

Thanks Jody71

Sun Feb 28, 2010 9:19 am

Show up with $1,000 in cash and see what happens. The "documentation is worth more than the bus" and "This is the last of the big motors" comments makes me think this is a text book PO and will have a few surprises for you if you do buy it so make sure you give it a REAL good once over if you go see it.

Springs coming soon so their should be a small boom of busses for sale once the snow melts and Spring Cleaning starts so if this is too much of a project... pass!

Sun Feb 28, 2010 9:21 am

be sure to look for frame rot toward the rear. roads are salted so heavily in the northwoods.

Sun Feb 28, 2010 9:52 am

If this Bus has spent it's entire life in Vermont and has been driven through years worth of winter's (road salt and sand) you better take a real good look at it. Body repair work (done properly)can be a lot more costly that mechanical stuff.

Sun Feb 28, 2010 9:57 am

$1150 for a rotten bus with a mystery motor? that's not even a deal on the east coast. Although the paperwork is cool it's not going to make that bus run any better or magically cure it's cancer, I'm with Jody, $500 max and even then I'd spend some quality time crawling around under it poking things first.

Sun Feb 28, 2010 10:08 am

If you're near by, might be worth looking at. Crawl underneath and look. The nose looks very good for where it lives. Tires, engine work, rust work and interior work. All adds up to a lot of money. It may be good for the North east, but here in CA, you could do much better.

Sun Feb 28, 2010 10:11 am

I'd pass on this one unless you like headaches. :bay_red:

Sun Feb 28, 2010 10:33 am

funny how the guy says the documentation is worth more than the bus itself. while the documents arent worth much, he might not be untrue in saying the bus is worth less than the documents.

Sun Feb 28, 2010 10:47 am

Well, I guess you could sit in a lawn chair and look at the documents while you're looking at the bus that doesn't run sitting in the driveway rusting. :roll: :bay_red:

Sun Feb 28, 2010 11:05 am

On a more positive note, since it IS a'71, you could buy it for real cheap and part it out, depending if it still has most of the '71 one year only components, e.g. front engine tin, clear intake manifold for power brakes, turn signal switch, original '71 oil bath air filter, rear mustache bar(getting hard to find good ones)...etc. Not to mention whatever glass is still good, vent wing windows, the bumpers, and on and on....

Sun Feb 28, 2010 11:36 am

I was thinking the same thing about parting it, a person could make money.$$$$ It gets to the point where I would have to ask myself if it is worth all the time and money to fix a bus like that. I wouldn't attempt it but I am sure there are others who would feel differently, some people start with much worse. :bay_red:

Sun Feb 28, 2010 5:57 pm

Well I'm going for a two hour ride on Tuesday to get a better look. Thanks for all the feedback. I tend to be overly optimistic so reality checks from folks who own buses helps.