VW Bus model by popularity

[sixtyonecrew]

What are the most popular VW Bus split models by most to least?

Does it go from most popular to least?

Barndoors
23 Window Microbus
Crew Cabs
21 Window
15 Window
11 Window
Panels
Single Cabs

[EverettB]

Are you asking about right now or original sales?

I'm going to guess right now and you are asking something like what do you most Bus people want the most.

In that case, Double Cabs might be lower.

The whole thing is up to personal opinion though.

For instance, I know there are people where a Single Cab is their dream Bus and they hate 23s.

You forgot Campers and 13-Windows.
You can probably ignore the various special models in this case.
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[EmpiGT]

You'll get many different versions of this list.
Here's my version
barndoor
pressed 23 windows
pressed 15's
late 23's
standard/kombi ragtops
early westy's
late 15's
21 windows
double cabs
late westy's
all other pressed bumpered busses
13 window
late standards
single cabs
panels
panel camper conversions

[sixtyonecrew]

Everett,

"Are you asking about right now or original sales?"

Not necessarily (I saw the production statistics), I am interested in the opinions of VW Bus enthusiasts such as yourself,
EmpiGT pretty much answered it correctly, his preferred list is a little more detailed!

You are right, campers really have seemed to have grown in popularity over the last few years!

[sixtyonecrew]

[EmpiGT]

I sold off most of my stash, so right now I'll just buy any splitty that's a good deal. and work on the 3 I have now and not sale them except 1..

[easy e]

The list is pretty good... if condition / level of work required isn't considered.

I'd rather have a solid original paint, running/driving panel camper conversion than a stripped / crunchy Barndoor that would occupy years of my life searching for parts.

You gotta find your own "best model."
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[busmania]

For me...

Camper (westfalia only)
15 window
single cab
crew cab
deluxe 23 window
deluxe 21 window
deluxe 13 window
barndoor
pressed bumper anything
panel
other campers (not westfalia)

[Pacmanfever]

Honestly curious, why are barndoors considered so desirable?

It's just a bigger engine hatch correct? Are age and rarity the main forces driving their desirability?

[Moosehead3333]

For me...

late westfalia campers
any barndoor
early westfalia campers
any deluxe
any standard
any kombi
any pick-up
panel
other camper than westfalia
camper conversion panel
any brazilian busses

[Red Fau Veh]

Older vw is better at least that's the way I was raised. And the least popular bus ever has to be the one with only one seat, swivel bus.
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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

[sixtyonecrew]

Pacmanfever,

You nailed it, rarity and age are contributing factors for barndoor popularity.

There are a lot of additional parts and details on barndoors that are different from later buses including; the dashboard, horn, speedometer, tail lights, steering wheel, oversized engine lid (as you mentioned), various lights, etc.

Purchasing the parts to restore a barndoor seem to have skyrocketed out of control over the last few years... and what has been interesting to me is I have found out that some of the nicest restored barndoors are almost 80-90% reproduction metal per the owners...

I'm a big fan of Pre 1962 buses myself!

[Clara]

most people prefer

23 windows
21 windows
campers

If you want to impress the average person, get a 23 or 21 window. The 58 and earlier ones have less attractive colours to the modern taste, so get a 59-67.

The average person doesn't notice a barndoor is different than a 55-67 split. Get a shiny 23 if you want people to turn and look.
I've driven a number of buses around this town and driving Stew's 23, the attention it got was unreal. It was like people were watching a parade.

Barndoors aren't really a model. It's like a bay, or a vanagon, a different generation. When they went to the later split, many parts of the vehicle were re-designed, so a 54 bus is as different from a 55 as a 67 is from a 68. Saying the only difference is the big hatch is like painting a V on the front of your bay and figuring that makes it a split.
People like barndoors for the superior comfort, power, speed and handling capabilities. um. no. hm... It's cause they are old.

As a work truck, my 66 kombi is perfect.
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[veedubman72]

"Popular" is all relative I suppose. BJ made deluxe buses "popular' among the investor crowd (which trickled into the rest of the line up). Whether they actually liked them or not is questionable.

Everyone definitely has different likes/dislikes, so please don't shoot me (ducking for cover)

My list:

my '61 23 window.

next would be a barndoor 23, then a DC, then maybe a 21 window. Everything after that pretty much holds the same value for me.

Don't get me wrong. I really appreciate barndoor 23's a lot as well as other split buses, but call me weird, I just really like the features on my '61 compared to the barn doors. It's just the perfect bus for me. It's not so much about age or rarity as much as it's just the features of that model year. I like the extended roofline with the overhead ventilation, I actually really like the dash, the bigger bumpers, the rear hatch setup, and I even like the bullet turn signals and rear brake light/ turn signal setup compared to the barndoors with semaphores and lower smaller rear taillights.

I have the same discussions with my friends over ovals vs split bugs. I am hooked on early ovals whereas splits do nothing for me (I do love me a zwitter with an oval dash though, Best of both worlds). They all sing the same tune about age and rarity, but they agree in many ways that ovals were definitely an "upgrade" from a split despite the coolness factor of the age and rarity of a split. Hell, I know folks who prefer bay windows (I know, crazy right? ) over split buses simply because they prefer the features.

[srfndoc]

Dormobile Westfalia (SO42 or SO44)
Poptop Westfalia (SO42 or SO44)
Westfalia SO23
Westfalia Flipseat (SO34,SO35,SO36)
Early Double Cab
Early Sunroof Kombi
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[Don66bus]

I will definitely represent a minority opinion. I like 64-67 buses because the back door will take full sheets of plywood or drywall, or large pieces of furniture. I like Deluxe buses because you can see out the corners when backing up, unlike the standards that have a blind spot. I have never felt the need for a pickup given that a standard bus will hold more (and objects just as high if you have the top open). As much as I like to camp in campers, all that stuff gets in the way every other time I use the bus. So my list would be:

21 window
13 window
64-67 standard
everything else

[sixtyonecrew]

Thanks for explaining that Don!

I guess I never thought about it that way

It makes sense...

[hitest]

I simply like survivors. Doesn't matter what model (but plain kombis and panels don't do much for me). Sure, I'd always want to graduate to the barndoor set, or have something that is truly rare- but that isn't what I makes them special to me.

If I see a single cab with original paint and an intact bed- suddenly it pops to the top of my list. Same thing with a 13 window. If a bus has clearly been spared a life of hippie infestation and has original paint- it matters very little what model it is- just that it survived.
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[EverettB]

[CaLiBus]

When it comes to functionality double cabs are king in my book. Probrabley why I've seen two deluxes (21,23 window) get traded for a double cab.