How to identify bus year

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How do you tell what year a bus is by looking at it? I'm going to a yard looking for a motor for my '79 bus - I'm not a mechanic, but want to bring a used motor to one - want to be sure its the right year. Also, how do I tell if its fuel injected? I really appreciate any advice - sorry to annoy those mechanicly inclined!

[VWAdam]

Well, if it's fuel injected, it will not have carburators It will have a big plastic thing hanging on the right side in the engine compartment(the air cleaner)
And to tell if it's a 1979 Bus is a bit difficult. Buses didn't change looks much from 1974-1979. You could look for slider middle windows which first appeared on 1978 models, although I have seen some '78's without them(my dad owns one) Really the most effective thing to do is look through the windshield or the sticker in the driver's doorjamb at the VIN. If the third digit is a 9 it is a 1979.

[Karl]

All good advice given. But 79 is not a nice year because the Fed version and Calif version have big differences between them.
If the catalytic converter is on the left side going front to back, it is a Calif version. Here is a pic of Cal exhaust:
http://www.bus-boys.com/exhaustcomp1979-cal.html
Here is 79 Fed exhaust:
http://www.bus-boys.com/exhaustcomp1979-fed.htm

Either way, one-year-only parts because of the square exhaust ports. Not cheap..... and most parts are NLA except good used.

[jeremysmithatshawdotca]

Here's a picture of a fuel injected engine for you :https://www.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/43411.jpg
I was going to say you can convert from carbs to FI, that's what I did to this one, but if I remeber correctly now you bought a bus without any engine at all, so you don't have the FI components, do you? You don't have to get a 79 engine, other years would fit, depending on what you are wanting to do. Do you just want it to go, or do you care if its totally stock? Jeremy