TheSamba.com :: View topic - It's time to part with my beloved Great White Buffalo

Thu Jul 24, 2014 11:28 am

Hi all. New here. Need all you vanhead's advice.

In 1969 my dad brought home a 1970 tin top camper van. We went everywhere in it. At 17, she became mine. I drove it for 15 years. For the past 10 years it's been stored. It's in decent shape. A little surface rust, but other than that the body is perfect. All original. Even have the original sales slip in the owners manual.

My question is:
What's the best route to sell it? Should I clean it up or sell as is? Try to restore it myself or let a collector do that?

I know once I get it running and cleaned up I won't want to part with it, but I have too. No space and I really need the $.

Any input would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Thu Jul 24, 2014 11:40 am

1, remove anything not stock (hanging speakers, paper towel holders, anything attached to the dash, etc)
2, give it a thorough cleaning, inside and out
3, get it running and stopping (if possible without much expense)
4, if it's truly in that nice original condition don't do any "restoration"
5, find some way to keep this part of your families history :)

Posting pictures will give us a better idea of what you have and we can give you much better advise.

Thu Jul 24, 2014 12:06 pm

Thanks bala!

I would LOVE to keep it. But I just can't.

I'm going to get it running, cleaned up and registered. I will post pics as soon as I can.

Thu Jul 24, 2014 12:19 pm

What Bala said.

Thu Jul 24, 2014 1:35 pm

babysnakes wrote: What Bala said.

^ X2!

However, just about every time I see one of the posts, the person starts to "clean it up" and in doing so, starts to learn a lot about the vehicle through the great people on TheSamba. Inevitably, they fall in love, all over again and end up keeping it! I realize that you say you just can't keep it, but I can't help but hope this happens to you too! 8)

Thu Jul 24, 2014 1:39 pm

I think there's also something to be said about the merits of letting someone else enjoy your bus when you are not able to enjoy it and give it the attention it deserves. 99% of us on this board bought our VW from someone else (and not the dealer) and have gone on to have great fun and memories.

I just sold an MGB GT that had been in my family in over a decade - yes it was sad to see it go but ultimately the guy who bought it will drive it and care for it better than I could...

Thu Jul 24, 2014 1:44 pm

Major bummer is has to go. Lots of family history. If you sell it, keep in touch with that guy so later down the road so you might be able to get it back. Heck, give him thesamba.com so he can post updates :) That is what I would do if I had to sell it.

Thu Jul 24, 2014 1:56 pm

PM sent!

Thu Jul 24, 2014 2:57 pm

I know, I know. It's going to be really hard. But as Flat4VW said, I really don't have the time and money to give it the care it needs and it's just wasting away- and that almost makes me feel worse than letting it go.

And I have two PM's, but a message says, "New members can't PM for 1 day" :?: So I'll respond tomorrow.

Thanks for all your responses. I had a feeling people on a VW bus forum would be cool. 8)

Thu Jul 24, 2014 3:09 pm

One owner original bus is worth lot more than others. I would Craigslist it in Cali, Florida, and up and down east coast. Then post on eBay. If its original one owner straight bus and you can document this you will get top dollar.

Thu Jul 24, 2014 3:42 pm

curtis4085 wrote: I would Craigslist it in......, Florida, and up and down east coast.

Gonna give that bus a death sentence? :shock:

Thu Jul 24, 2014 3:45 pm

curtis4085 wrote: One owner original bus is worth lot more than others. I would Craigslist it in Cali, Florida, and up and down east coast. Then post on eBay. If its original one owner straight bus and you can document this you will get top dollar.

It's a bummer you can't keep it but sometimes you have to do what you have to do. I just hope you don't regret it like I do when I sold a family VW when I was much younger. There's not a day that goes by that I don't think about and wish I had that VW back! So much family history in that bug.

Make sure you do your research. Curtis is making a great point on insuring you get WHAT IT'S WORTH. If's it really solid and original and a one owner, you should consider listing it on Ebay with tons of documentation or listing it on here "taking offers"..

Bays are really climbing in price these days, especially nice, original ones.

Thu Jul 24, 2014 5:18 pm

WHERE in Calif. are you/the bus?

Thu Jul 24, 2014 5:22 pm

wcfvw69 wrote: ... Bays are really climbing in price these days, especially nice, original ones.

Too bad there isn't a pawn shop for ACVW's.

Aloha
tp

Fri Jul 25, 2014 12:28 pm

If you are really interested in maximum money, consider selling it in Europe.

Sat Jul 26, 2014 9:06 am

Thanks all. Lots to think about.

Wasted, I'm in Modesto.

Sat Jul 26, 2014 9:38 am

Today is the Mother Lode car show in Angels Camp. Really nice show and little swap meet.

BTW, please don't tell me yours is the one I've been eyeballing for the past 4 years at a storage facility in Modesto.

Sat Jul 26, 2014 9:41 am

If you sell it, you will probably always regret it.

Sun Jul 27, 2014 7:46 am

Dont sell it. You will always need money. It ain`t gonna be any worse off sitting in a dry california environment than it is now. Some day you will have more money and be able to enjoy your Pops old ride. Don`t do it. :cry:

Sun Jul 27, 2014 11:55 am

ned wrote: Dont sell it. You will always need money. It ain`t gonna be any worse off sitting in a dry california environment than it is now. Some day you will have more money and be able to enjoy your Pops old ride. Don`t do it. :cry:

Sage advice, although I can't say what your money troubles are. I've pretty much regretted selling any VW I've ever owned, except the 1974 Superbeetle I abandoned in a strip mall parking lot in Sunnyvale in 1995. :lol:

Let's see some pics!! :twisted: