| What year bus do you drive? |
| 68 |
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3% |
[ 13 ] |
| 69 |
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6% |
[ 24 ] |
| 70 |
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8% |
[ 30 ] |
| 71 |
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20% |
[ 69 ] |
| 72 |
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7% |
[ 25 ] |
| 73 |
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5% |
[ 20 ] |
| 74 |
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6% |
[ 24 ] |
| 75 |
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2% |
[ 9 ] |
| 76 |
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6% |
[ 22 ] |
| 77 |
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8% |
[ 30 ] |
| 78 |
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15% |
[ 52 ] |
| 79 |
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7% |
[ 25 ] |
|
| Total Votes : 343 |
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| Author |
Message |
MR Bill
Samba Member
Joined: October 26, 2004
Posts: 68
Location: SPOKANE, WA
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 Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2005 6:02 pm Post subject: |
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68 ASI Riviera Camper...but mine was actually born a Van before it was converted to a Camper, does mine still count (or should I switch forums now)?  |
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inch pincher
Samba Member
Joined: October 10, 2004
Posts: 388
Location: sunnyvale california
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| Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2005 6:17 pm Post subject: |
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71 ALL THE WAY
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18 |
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69westy
Samba Member
Joined: December 25, 2004
Posts: 55
Location: Louisiana
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| Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2005 7:09 pm Post subject: |
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| 69 Westfalia |
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djdh68dlux
Samba Member
Joined: February 24, 2005
Posts: 770
Location: I.E., SoCal
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| Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2005 7:11 pm Post subject: |
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| MR Bill wrote: |
| 68 ASI Riviera Camper...but mine was actually born a Van before it was converted to a Camper, does mine still count (or should I switch forums now)? |
No way. Doesn't matter. Passenger, camper, commercial, its all good here! Go 68!  We're leaving 75 at the bottom by themselves!  |
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Amskeptic
Samba Member
Joined: October 18, 2002
Posts: 8568
Location: All Across The Country
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| Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2005 9:41 pm Post subject: |
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There are only 25 of the '73-'74 buses. Very fine motor vehicles. I want to visit each one of them.
Let's get the dual carbs set up NICE. (LY)
Colin
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www.itinerant-air-cooled.com |
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DurocShark
Samba Member
Joined: April 05, 2004
Posts: 6624
Location: Crappy town in a crappy state. But the beach is nearby, so I have that going for me.
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| Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2005 7:51 am Post subject: |
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I'll bet 78 is up there just because of age...
I was surprised there aren't more 72-74's in there.
Colin, you'll get to visit mine this summer. Hopefully have my freshly rebuilt carbs by then too. (Your deposit will come by the end of the week. )
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No boom today. Boom tomorrow. There's always a boom tomorrow. |
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Volksfolk74
Samba Member
Joined: April 08, 2004
Posts: 168
Location: Pisgah Forest, NC
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| Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2005 10:29 am Post subject: |
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'75s oh yeah! Since there are so few we should be so proud of our "Rare" and lovely rides. How 'bout colors!!!???
_________________
One man gathers what another man spills....
-The Grateful Dead
www.thebackporchboutique.com |
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Schmooey
Samba Member
Joined: October 19, 2004
Posts: 838
Location: San Diego
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| Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2005 10:39 am Post subject: |
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If I apply the Splitty crowd's "Rare is Kewl Even if it Doesn't Run" theory to my 71, it's the anti-kewl!  |
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Emily's Owner
Samba Member
Joined: January 18, 2004
Posts: 976
Location: Canby, Oregon
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| Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2005 11:52 am Post subject: |
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| Amskeptic wrote: |
There are only 25 of the '73-'74 buses. Very fine motor vehicles. I want to visit each one of them.
Let's get the dual carbs set up NICE. (LY)
Colin |
Colin, you can visit us if you come through the Portland Metro area, Emily is a '74 (built 11/73)
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Xargaret
ITMC - OG Den Mother
What (and I cannot stress this enough) The Actual Fuck?!
1974 Transporter
2023 Subaru Outback |
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visibleink
Samba Member
Joined: May 03, 2002
Posts: 1668
Location: Austin, Texas
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| Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2005 5:31 pm Post subject: |
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Even taking the production numbers into account (thanks Ratwell), I again think it's interesting there are so many 71s. I've owned 3 bays total and all where 71s - the first one was chance but the 2nd I specically wanted a 71 and then I happened upon a great 71 parts bus.
I think the only bay window year I would dread owning is a 72, no rear engine access hatch and they didn't have the extra body structure making it a tad safer...har har har.
But man I love the type 1 dual port and disc brakes STOCK.
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Been on the samba so long I remember petting that dog to see VWs, WYHI, and green bug girl.
<-- Helga, she slammed her dub in '53 and adjusted valves with her teeth |
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david a.
Samba Artist/Designer
Joined: February 22, 2005
Posts: 248
Location: Los Angeles
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| Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2005 8:18 pm Post subject: Of some interest i quess... |
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Ran the %s for the production years versus the forum results thus far. Not sure what it means, but hey take a look anyway.
Year______POLL %s_________Production # %s
1968______4%______________9%
1969______8%______________10%
1970______8%______________11%
1971______19%______________11%
1972______5%______________11%
1973______8%______________10%
1974______6%______________7%
1975______2%______________7%
1976______7%______________7%
1977______8%______________7%
1978______13%______________6%
1979 8% 3% |
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dickcharlton
Samba Member
Joined: February 09, 2004
Posts: 257
Location: Victoria, B.C., Cold Canada
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| Posted: Sun Mar 20, 2005 12:04 am Post subject: |
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| [email protected] wrote: |
I think the only bay window year I would dread owning is a 72, no rear engine access hatch and they didn't have the extra body structure making it a tad safer...har har har. |
It's a pain in the butt but you definitely make do. I hear some people cut a hatch out. I haven't yet. the rear shift linkage is weird too.
The good points are you get old front signals with old bumpers but a type 4. |
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ChuxBus
Samba Member
Joined: March 19, 2005
Posts: 297
Location: East Atlanta, GA
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| Posted: Sun Mar 20, 2005 10:09 am Post subject: |
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One might assume the spikes at 71 & 78 to be a result of knowledgeable busheads (the types that would be reading this board in the first place) seeking out specific years. When I was looking for my second bus, I was looking for a 71 or 78. I got the 78 for the combination of FI, hydraulic lifters, sliding side windows, and HTF exhaust components  |
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ratwell
Samba Member
Joined: April 26, 2003
Posts: 8717
Location: Victoria, BC
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Amskeptic
Samba Member
Joined: October 18, 2002
Posts: 8568
Location: All Across The Country
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| Posted: Sun Mar 20, 2005 10:54 am Post subject: |
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As a bus *driving* connoisseur, I find the '68-'70 buses to be the best stomp-n-go city buses. The rigid engine/transaxle mountings let you get on it with elan. These cars will take a New York City rush hour pounding without a care. These cars are the quality jewels of the Bay run.
The '72s (and desmogged '73-'74s) are the Porsche driving style buses. They love high rpm driving but require much more in the way of finesse with shifting because the engine/transaxle mounts will get involved with spastic driving technique. The '72-'74 has the fastest factory blessed cruising speed of 78 mph even though its acceleration is slower than the later buses. With their excellent brakes, you can drive the hell out of these cars on cross-country banzais through the Rockies and across the plains. Not as fun in the city though. The lapses in quality don't yet interfere with the reputation.
I think the '75 bus is probably my favorite out-on-the-road driver. The quality is still skidding downhill, but an injected 1800 with a 4,800 rpm horsepower peak and the driveability of FI with the 4.86 transaxle is good stuff for getting on it.
The later buses are good for the mature driver. They are more civilized, fuss-free, and devoid. . .  of that unmistakeable quality for the sake of quality. The shared parts bin approach (they did what they had to do) was sad to watch, but the driving manners are lovely.
If I had to go get a bus today, assuming I get to keep my '73, I would get a '68. If it pulled a stud and dropped a valve on the way home, I would get a 78 with a sunroof.
Colin
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Rocknrod
Samba Member
Joined: November 02, 2004
Posts: 2157
Location: North Carolina
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| Posted: Sun Mar 20, 2005 11:01 am Post subject: |
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Amskeptic... could you further explain the quality issues?
You've tickeled my cheap bone! |
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chachi
Samba Member
Joined: November 18, 2003
Posts: 858
Location: the weeds
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| Posted: Sun Mar 20, 2005 11:09 am Post subject: |
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| obviously it's subjective, but what would lead someone to pick a '78 over a '79? |
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Rocknrod
Samba Member
Joined: November 02, 2004
Posts: 2157
Location: North Carolina
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| Posted: Sun Mar 20, 2005 11:16 am Post subject: |
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| chachi wrote: |
| obviously it's subjective, but what would lead someone to pick a '78 over a '79? |
The 79 is an 1.6 or 1.9 inches wider in the body...  |
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TimGud
Samba Member
Joined: March 03, 2002
Posts: 6459
Location: Rio Rico Arizona
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| Posted: Sun Mar 20, 2005 11:32 am Post subject: |
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| Humm The 71 seems to be the most popular. I always assumed the 5 lug bays were more popular. |
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Amskeptic
Samba Member
Joined: October 18, 2002
Posts: 8568
Location: All Across The Country
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| Posted: Sun Mar 20, 2005 11:35 am Post subject: |
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| Rocknrod wrote: |
Amskeptic... could you further explain the quality issues?
You've tickeled my cheap bone! |
Over time they got rid of chrome trim, real metal window surrounds, the gas door, pretty interior colors, took out huge quanties of rugged seat padding and upholstery in 1974, plastic parts invaded the engine room, even things like the front shift rod bushing were switched in 1974 to this cheesy skinny plastic donut over a hollow tube, ewwww grosss! sorry Ratwell, but its true, ventilation controls got sleazy plasticky, the paint used to be 4 coats of baked enamel that went everywhere then it was barely sprayed on in the later years, and yes, they had their reasons but that doesn't change the result, the sliding door was a beautiful mechanism until they changed it in '74 to get that Ford trash can lid feel.
This is not to disparage a fine automobile, they had to do what they had to do. . . .
Colin
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