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norcalmike
Samba Member
Joined: May 14, 2005
Posts: 4784
Location: Marina, CA
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 Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2014 7:56 am Post subject: |
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Whatever you decide, do your research and be well informed when making the final purchase.
Are you going to buy a turnkey bus? :Make sure it wasnt made turnkey by shortcuts and hackery. There is a lot of that out there.
Are you going to fix it up yourself? :Make sure you know what you are getting into. missing parts can be very expensive, and in some cases, somewhat difficult to find.
Im a commercial bus person myself. I love trucks and panels. I wouldnt mind an early pressed bumper Kombi either.
Whatever you decide, i cant stress enough, RESEARCH and look for a NICE, ORIGINAL PAINT BUS. Thats gonna be your best bet IMHO |
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jjjjack
Samba Member
Joined: August 08, 2005
Posts: 1013
Location: Gainesville, FL
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| Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2014 9:19 am Post subject: |
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Agree with bubba...camper camper camper. Traded a 21 window for mine in fact. BUT, the best thing you might do is attend one of the several excellent bus shows in Florida!
_________________
Jack Stenner
1959 Mango Westfalia SO-23
1953 Porsche 356 Coupe
IG:j.stenner |
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Red Fau Veh
Samba Member
Joined: September 07, 2012
Posts: 3037
Location: Prescott Az.
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| Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2014 10:21 am Post subject: |
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| CaLiBus wrote: |
| notchboy wrote: |
| bubba wrote: |
Campers,campers,campers!  |
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Swivels, Swivels, Swivels !!!!  |
Swivel Camper, Swivel Camper, Swivel Camper, best of both worlds! 
_________________
1971 Deluxe Sunroof Bay 1905 stroker, dual idf40's, 74mm Scat forged crank, engle 110 cam. CB 044 heads, AutoCraft rockers, chromoly push rods
1973 Orange transporter stock type 4 with dual 40 Dellortos and Empi single quiet pack
1969 Adventurewagen blue whale Gene Berg 1776 built by Dave Kawell dual 36 DRLA's, Vintage Speed exhaust, Bosch 019 screamer
1961 Swivel Seat camper, L345 grey
| Touch Nicks Thing wrote: |
Swivel Seat panels are for people with no friends  |
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GTV
Samba Member
Joined: March 27, 2004
Posts: 2084
Location: Si'ahl
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| Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2014 12:26 pm Post subject: |
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| Red Fau Veh wrote: |
| CaLiBus wrote: |
| notchboy wrote: |
| bubba wrote: |
| Campers,campers,campers! |
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Swivels, Swivels, Swivels !!!! |
Swivel Camper, Swivel Camper, Swivel Camper, best of both worlds! |
Nerd!
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EMPI Power Rules! |
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crofty
Judas of the North
Joined: August 09, 2000
Posts: 19672
Location: Land of Whine and Phonies
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| Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2014 1:19 pm Post subject: |
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Completeness is key. Without a doubt the hardest and most expensive model to piece together is a Westfalia . Don't let the Deluxe guys tell you otherwise.
_________________
Your Vanagon sucks, Stop waving at me.
| HamburgerBrad wrote: |
I slept on crofty's tent once. I passed out drunk from two bottles of Everett's brother's wine. |
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otahuhu
Samba Member
Joined: July 15, 2007
Posts: 561
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| Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2014 3:13 pm Post subject: |
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| crofty wrote: |
| Completeness is key. Without a doubt the hardest and most expensive model to piece together is a Westfalia . Don't let the Deluxe guys tell you otherwise. |
x2 I might not have owned a deluxe, but early beetle and kombi are a walk in the park compared to early westy, you can still buy nos barndoor parts but when did you see an early westy nos part? |
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Stocknazi
Samba Member
Joined: June 18, 2004
Posts: 5150
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| Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2014 3:38 pm Post subject: |
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| crofty wrote: |
| Completeness is key. Without a doubt the hardest and most expensive model to piece together is a Westfalia . Don't let the Deluxe guys tell you otherwise. |
Totally agree; sometimes it feels like you will never get to stop hunting for all the bits and pieces; but if that's what you like. . . .
_________________
WANTED:
58 Westfalia cabinet knobs (3 needed), roof rack, and (7) privy tent poles (silver painted).
"When the people are afraid of the government, that's tyranny. But when the government is afraid of the people, that's liberty."
"Resistance to tyrants is obedience to God."
Thomas Jefferson |
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crofty
Judas of the North
Joined: August 09, 2000
Posts: 19672
Location: Land of Whine and Phonies
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| Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2014 3:45 pm Post subject: |
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| StockNazi wrote: |
| crofty wrote: |
| Completeness is key. Without a doubt the hardest and most expensive model to piece together is a Westfalia . Don't let the Deluxe guys tell you otherwise. |
Totally agree; sometimes it feels like you will never get to stop hunting for all the bits and pieces; but if that's what you like. . . . |
It took me 5 years to find my privy tent poles.
_________________
Your Vanagon sucks, Stop waving at me.
| HamburgerBrad wrote: |
I slept on crofty's tent once. I passed out drunk from two bottles of Everett's brother's wine. |
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otahuhu
Samba Member
Joined: July 15, 2007
Posts: 561
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| Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2014 4:05 pm Post subject: |
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| crofty wrote: |
| StockNazi wrote: |
| crofty wrote: |
| Completeness is key. Without a doubt the hardest and most expensive model to piece together is a Westfalia . Don't let the Deluxe guys tell you otherwise. |
Totally agree; sometimes it feels like you will never get to stop hunting for all the bits and pieces; but if that's what you like. . . . |
It took me 5 years to find my privy tent poles. |
I have given up ever replacing the missing cabinets from my rhd flipseat, and am resigned to converting some lhd ones after 8 years of looking. Case in point... I was lucky to acquire a nice solid 54 single cab this year (after years of looking), one that had been stripped of pretty much everything, it was a shell with 20- eng , within 8 mths Ive got pretty much all the correct og parts to put it back together.
Early westys are a looong term commitment, unless you are lucky enough to get a complete one or savvy enough and with deep enough pockets like some, to buy whole buses just to get the parts you are after... |
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ateneo
Samba Member
Joined: June 12, 2008
Posts: 403
Location: Orange County, California
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| Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2014 5:18 pm Post subject: |
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If you ask a 100 split window bus owners what is the best model/year to start, chances are you will get 200 different answers.
Just like what a lot of dedicated pre-67 bus owners had told you in this forum, it is all subjective. You mentioned that you own two Porsche 911’s. Those things go 0-60 in 5.9 seconds. Well, VW pre-67 buses with original stock engines can go 0-60 in…well, rusts starts flying off your bus at 60mph.
Personally, I love owning campers because I love camping. Other VW bus owners I know are into 21/23 window buses because of different reasons. Some are satisfied to just owning an 11-window or a single cab. Some will only buy buses that were built during the 1950’s era.
There is one or more buses out there that has your name in it. All you need to do is find that bus(es).
_________________
1966 Riviera camper Bus
1967 EZ camper bus
1971 Westfalia bus
1971 Deluxe bus
1969 Bus
1962 Bug
1963 Bug
"Rust free" means Rust is FREE. The rest is junk. |
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Breckskier
Samba Member
Joined: December 16, 2002
Posts: 239
Location: Grand Rapids, MI
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| Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2014 10:19 pm Post subject: |
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| ateneo wrote: |
Just like what a lot of dedicated pre-67 bus owners had told you in this forum, it is all subjective. You mentioned that you own two Porsche 911’s. Those things go 0-60 in 5.9 seconds. Well, VW pre-67 buses with original stock engines can go 0-60 in…well, rusts starts flying off your bus at 60mph.
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Agreed.
Ok we had fun on another thread with price differences, so here goes another:
It's not the MPH that's exciting, it's the smiles, the danger & feeling one with the road.
10mph in a Split = 35mph in a Porsche C4
25mph in a split = 70mph in a C4
45mph in a split = 100mph in a C4
60mph in a split = 130mph in a C4
When the rust starts flying & wind gusts push you around, it feels like the rear end just let loose on a twisty road in your Porsche.
_________________
BreckSkier
67 13w Deluxe-"St. Pete" the Airport Jet Bus
65 13w Deluxe-"St. Nikolas"
67 912(911.5 Outlaw build spring 2015), 90 C4Cab. Formerly: 59 DD, 78 SuperB, 81 911Cab, 82Vanagon, 81Vana & other German / US stuff.. |
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Breckskier
Samba Member
Joined: December 16, 2002
Posts: 239
Location: Grand Rapids, MI
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| Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2014 10:30 pm Post subject: |
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You may be an expert with mechanicals, but I just thought this video is hilarious & wanted to post it. It's not directed at you, but so true. I laugh every time I watch it.
12 years ago I had a DD panel that needed work. I wasn't ready for it. You need to be ready for it. Watch this...
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=snckhUVo8XU
_________________
BreckSkier
67 13w Deluxe-"St. Pete" the Airport Jet Bus
65 13w Deluxe-"St. Nikolas"
67 912(911.5 Outlaw build spring 2015), 90 C4Cab. Formerly: 59 DD, 78 SuperB, 81 911Cab, 82Vanagon, 81Vana & other German / US stuff.. |
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Stocknazi
Samba Member
Joined: June 18, 2004
Posts: 5150
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| Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2014 5:51 am Post subject: |
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| Breckskier wrote: |
You may be an expert with mechanicals, but I just thought this video is hilarious & wanted to post it. It's not directed at you, but so true. I laugh every time I watch it.
12 years ago I had a DD panel that needed work. I wasn't ready for it. You need to be ready for it. Watch this...
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=snckhUVo8XU |
That video is hilarious; "you meet the nicest poeople in a Honda!"
_________________
WANTED:
58 Westfalia cabinet knobs (3 needed), roof rack, and (7) privy tent poles (silver painted).
"When the people are afraid of the government, that's tyranny. But when the government is afraid of the people, that's liberty."
"Resistance to tyrants is obedience to God."
Thomas Jefferson |
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campingbox 
Samba Member
Joined: November 14, 2000
Posts: 10198
Location: Petaluma, CA
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| Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2014 8:26 am Post subject: |
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| StockNazi wrote: |
| Breckskier wrote: |
You may be an expert with mechanicals, but I just thought this video is hilarious & wanted to post it. It's not directed at you, but so true. I laugh every time I watch it.
12 years ago I had a DD panel that needed work. I wasn't ready for it. You need to be ready for it. Watch this...
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=snckhUVo8XU |
That video is hilarious; "you meet the nicest poeople in a Honda!" |
Funny. |
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campingbox
Samba Member
Joined: November 14, 2000
Posts: 10198
Location: Petaluma, CA
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| Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2014 8:35 am Post subject: |
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| crofty wrote: |
| StockNazi wrote: |
| crofty wrote: |
| Completeness is key. Without a doubt the hardest and most expensive model to piece together is a Westfalia . Don't let the Deluxe guys tell you otherwise. |
Totally agree; sometimes it feels like you will never get to stop hunting for all the bits and pieces; but if that's what you like. . . . |
It took me 5 years to find my privy tent poles. |
The flip seat camper is the worst by far.
I suspect if those poles took you five years to find you were not willing to pay market value for them. Not that there's anything wrong with shopping wholesale, but those poles are not tough to find at all relative to other things.
Try finding the chair or a bowl.
i think a complete flipseat includes about $20,000 in "standard" accessories, and even with 20k in your pocket I doubt you could find them all. Two tents, rack, stove, bowl, light, cups, cot, chair, water bottles, table and tire bracket, toilet.... |
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G-wood Todd
Samba Member
Joined: January 11, 2005
Posts: 1047
Location: Colorado
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| Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2014 9:07 am Post subject: |
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| campingbox wrote: |
| StockNazi wrote: |
| Breckskier wrote: |
You may be an expert with mechanicals, but I just thought this video is hilarious & wanted to post it. It's not directed at you, but so true. I laugh every time I watch it.
12 years ago I had a DD panel that needed work. I wasn't ready for it. You need to be ready for it. Watch this...
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=snckhUVo8XU |
That video is hilarious; "you meet the nicest poeople in a Honda!" |
Funny. |
That was great. How the truth can be so funny.
_________________
and take the kids for instance "Are we going in the Volkswagen bus?" and they say "Yay!" and clap their hands and if it's a glorious day you can slide the sunroof back and let a little of the glory in and all of a sudden, it stops looking funny.
-Volkswagen ad |
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crofty
Judas of the North
Joined: August 09, 2000
Posts: 19672
Location: Land of Whine and Phonies
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| Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2014 9:57 am Post subject: |
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| campingbox wrote: |
The flip seat camper is the worst by far.
I suspect if those poles took you five years to find you were not willing to pay market value for them. Not that there's anything wrong with shopping wholesale, but those poles are not tough to find at all relative to other things.
Try finding the chair or a bowl.
i think a complete flipseat includes about $20,000 in "standard" accessories, and even with 20k in your pocket I doubt you could find them all. Two tents, rack, stove, bowl, light, cups, cot, chair, water bottles, table and tire bracket, toilet.... |
I didn't place an ad or anything, I just mentioned it to a few people over the years. I also never saw any pop up while I was looking.
Anyway, a Kind Gentleman from Idaho introduced me to a set at a very reasonable price to which I will be ever grateful!
As far as gathering parts, I couldn't agree more. I've had to find and buy a Privy tent, Foyer Tent, water bottles, complete table, icebox racks, NOS tumblers, chandelier, rack, and a few other small parts. It's crazy.
_________________
Your Vanagon sucks, Stop waving at me.
| HamburgerBrad wrote: |
I slept on crofty's tent once. I passed out drunk from two bottles of Everett's brother's wine. |
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Fredrok
Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2014
Posts: 227
Location: Under the evergreens. CO
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| Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2014 10:15 am Post subject: |
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In most cases of "car" brand valuation, the rarer, the more valuable. Ironic that the Sambas are demanding far more $$ than their hardtop counterparts, yet there were more Sambas produced. Subjective indeed, but then maybe there are less of them now due to rust, etc......and "cool" factor I suppose.
I cannot imagine owning one and not having the tools and ability to turn your own wrenches. As a matter of fact, I would deem it foolish to own one you could not fix on the side of the road yourself.
This would be my very first question I'd ask any prospective buyer.
Last edited by Fredrok on Tue Dec 16, 2014 3:39 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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66uno
Samba Member
Joined: December 05, 2006
Posts: 603
Location: maryland
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| Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2014 3:04 pm Post subject: without question |
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| Without question, the most desirable and valuable of all buses is the 1966 Westfalia camper, and the earlier that it was manufactured in that year, the better. |
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67jason
Samba Member
Joined: August 28, 2005
Posts: 4741
Location: behind my back feet - Pittsburg CA
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| Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2014 12:31 am Post subject: |
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im a little bit different then most bus guys. I like late splitties the best...bring on the fried eggs and elephant ears!
Drivability is the main reason, 1500cc engine and big nut gear boxes are where its at for stock (or mostly stock) bus drive trains.
As far as models go, ive never been much of a camper model follower, and kombi's have less interior paneling then I like. deluxes are neat, but i prefer 13 windows the best, - they are the most pleasing to my eye. and dont care at all for sunroofs. but as far as purchasing prices generally go, 11 window standards have been the most bus for my budget, and really i can give or take all the delux trimming stuff. 11 window standards have basically the same interior as deluxes - meaning full interior paneling - two tone to boot - and headliner. i dislike panels - hard to see out of and in the summer they function as rolling ovens. the trucks are cool, id take a single or double cab any day.
i also like neat M- Codes, but super rare options are not a high priority for me when it comes to finding a bus to buy. I look for completeness over any other feature. my current bus (1964 euro standard) doesn't really have any neat m-codes, but is it lacking a certain code - no destination country code - which in of itself is cool - it means it is a true german domestic market bus. 
_________________
67 bug x3
67 ghia
64 bug |
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