TheSamba.com :: View topic - should i or not? and how much should i offer?

Thu Mar 29, 2012 10:36 pm

found the bus again and it is for sale! i have been chasing this bus around my town for about 15 years. the people who had it would move every couple of years and they would never sale it. well one day last month i was riding my bicycle past their house and they was cleaning it out so i stopped to talk to them and they told me they sold it to the scraper. i was hart broken! and offered them more then the scraper if they would wait 24 hours and they wouldnt. well i found it again and it is for sale at the yard that bought it. the question is should i or not. i want it for the trans if i cant get a title for it.

when i called the yard it is at and asked what year it is he said white, asked if it had a title he said its white, oh and it has no keys. i take it as the PO sold it without a title but according to the PO they had a title for the bus but i am not 100% on that and not sure if they would sale it to me or give it to me or not. so here i sit wondering if it is worth picking up this bus for the trans then part the rest out if i cant get a title for it and if so how much should i offer the scrape yard for it. i know they only paid $300 for it and he told me he wants $600 for it. i believe it to be a 74 or maybe 75.

Thu Mar 29, 2012 11:46 pm

just buy it, I paid 600 for one in a little better shape (bondo on both front corners, rusted out under the socket behind driver's door and floor needing work) with no title, trans, motor, or anything that goes to those two items

I paid that again for a 72 complete westy thats a rust bucket, with title, just for the drive train, and the parts

Fri Mar 30, 2012 12:26 am

well my question should of been more of what year is it for sure? will it have the right trans for an irs swap into my baja. also is there enough other parts on that bus worth parting out to justify buying it? i dont want to shell the cash out if it dosnt have what i need.

Fri Mar 30, 2012 6:11 am

the VIN will tell you what year it is for sure

for sure it's a 73 or later ( poptop hinged in back )

if the lock is in the sliding door handle it's a 73 for sure
if the lock is below the sliding door handle it's a 74 or later for sure
if the hinges on the engine compartment lid are flat tabs it's <'76 for sure
if the hinges are round bars it's a 77 or later for sure

Fri Mar 30, 2012 9:07 am

^ Damn you always seem to just know it
if your looking at doing the swap here's the parts you need in the bus
I would suggest buying the trailing arm mounts and good jigs or being spot on with home made jigs
Doing my swap now to type1 IRS and I was convinced to use the mounts from the old pan.
Pain in the a$$ :x

Fri Mar 30, 2012 1:09 pm

thanks mal! i am going to go take a 2nd look at it in the daylight this time.

i did stop by the PO's house and it is a no go on the title. their thoughts on it come off as if i (as in the PO) cant have it then no one is going to.

so parts it be if i get it.

btw where would i look for the vin on a bus? i have never dealt with any of them before.

Fri Mar 30, 2012 2:12 pm

If it has an engine and trans $600 is a bargain.

vin is on the dash, facing front, about where the windshield wiper is.

if it has the table thats worth $100 or so. but if you live near enough for me to buy it they're $20 anywhere.

jalousie windows are $$

Fri Mar 30, 2012 4:33 pm

it is a 75 according to the vin. so that means it should have a 002 5 rib trans? would this be a good trans to put in my baja bug or not?

Fri Mar 30, 2012 4:40 pm

it has a 4.86 final drive. one notch higher than the 4.56 I want. slight gas mileage loss but spectacular off road behavior compared to the 76 - 79 091.

way the heck and gone better than the 4.125s in IRS cars and the 4.375 in swing arm cars

I think it's a good match, but I live in NM where you can off road to WalMart.

you might be able to pull 33-12.50-15s with this.

Fri Mar 30, 2012 5:11 pm

thanks again mal! where would the m plate me at.

here is a few more photos of the bus. my plans are to keep the engine and trans. so let me know if you see anything that would help recoup my money back out of this bus. would be a nice thought with parting it out in the end it only cost me a couple hundred hard end dollars.

Fri Mar 30, 2012 5:46 pm

so you did buy it, can I get some better pictures of the sink and fridge cabinets?

also if your looking to sell some stuff how about the heater controls from the dash?

Fri Mar 30, 2012 6:18 pm

i havnt got it yet. i am still weighing my options on it.

Fri Mar 30, 2012 6:50 pm

M plate on that truck is in a major league sucky spot. on a curved support under the dash, near the steering wheel. the trick is to hold a digital camera in there upside down and take a picture of it.

Quote: i havnt got it yet. i am still weighing my options on it.

you have been chasing it for 15 years and you are weighing your options? there is enough good stuff in there to cover the purchase price and you get a 5 rib for free.