What did you go through?

[GostaBerling]

When you first laid eyes on your bay window, did you need a mop to clean up all the drool? Did you pawn over the pictures on the samba for hours, anxiously awaiting an email? How did you know it was the one for you? My wife and I are in need of some moral support here, so post up your own epic quest for a bay.
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"I became an archaeologist because I wanted to drive around in a big Land Rover, smoking, cursing, and finding treasure." - Carmel Schrire

current 1979 fiat spider, 72 Contempo Hightop

[shkdwnstrt]

I had been looking around for a couple of years. I get a call from my father in law. "Hey I found one of those volkswagen busses you've been looking for." He found it while he was driving through an alley, doing some plumbing work driving around the back of the house. It was parked in someone's back yard. I tell him to go knock on the door and see if and how much they will let it go for. He calls me back and says it's not for sale. She has been working on it for 3 years. I drove by the house the next day to get a look at it. I said holy s%#@ that thing pretty clean. I talk my father in law into going up there and begging the lady. She gives in. Now I have to come up with the money. I go to every bank begging for a loan. Finally I get one from this shotty loan place for 21% apr. Get it home go through headache after headache for the next 4 months working on it. (parts missing all over the place. The lady says she had them, now she can't find them). Well after 4 months of agony, she's a daily driver and I wouldn't give her up for anything.

[Desertbusman]

While in the process of redoing my bug, my Dodge konked out. The bug was far from finished. Body at one end of the yard, pan at the other end. And all the parts were filling up 2 sheds. No way to get it running quickly as a driver. Concluded it was stupid to get another car, like the Dodge, that you can't get parts for. Decided the best thing to do was get another same year VW. As I allready had collected a ton of parts and learned of the availability of VW parts. And how you can work on them yourself and that they don't have a computer to fizzle. Decided a bus would be a practical addition since a bug doesn't have any room.

Looked in AutoTrader and there were a bunch of them locally.

Picked one where the add said the right things.

Went to see it and drove it around the block. It was a mesmorizing experience since it didn't have anything in front of the windshield. Had never been in a bus before. Everything about it was just plain wierd. But it ran and convinced me that it actually was a real vehicle.

Made an offer and the husband said OK. But the wife was the legal owner. She said no to the offer. So they got in a fight but I left a deposit and I got a receipt stating my offered price.

Went back the next day with more cash and drove it home. It really was a wierd vehicle. But I had a new smile.

A neighbor gal came running over to check it out and said it was a neat pussy wagon.

It was strictly for transportation until the bug was finished at which time the bus didn't get any more attention from me.

But a friend had me restore her bus over a 5 year period. And when hers started getting real nice I just fell in love with it. Everything about it. Particularly how enjoyable it was as a road trip vehicle.

In the meantime, mine started to get more and more attention as far as working on it. Its not been on the road in 7 years. That's getting real close to changing. And a relative recently offered a free late model "popular" car. Nope, if it's not a bug or bus I don't want it. Other cars arn't cool or fun. They are just transportation to wear out and throw away in a few years. The bus is getting ready for it's next 36 years. Now I hope the grand kids realize how special it is. It will probably be their treasure some day.
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71 Superbug
71 Westy

[Olde Volks Place]

We own seven bugs. Last summer at a show after spending 4 hours setting up our 4 room tent, I finally said to my husband - Okay it is time to look at a camper. Wasn't sure we could really use one - as we have a family of 6 (4 small kids) - but was definitely interested. Last Wednesday I was home with a sick kid and got on the local Craiglist sight as The Samba was down that day and I was having withdrawals. I was looking for a bug for a new couple that came to our VW club meeting last weekend. In the process saw an ad for VW Camper 1978 - $1500. My first response was "What is wrong with it." Went to the ad, and about died. As soon as my husband got home from the doctor, he looked at it and called the guy immediately. He lived in Birmingham, and said another guy was coming over from Atlanta - but that he had only offered him $1300. He said that if we wanted to come look, and felt it was worth more than $1300 that the most $ offer would take the bus. I loaded all 4 kids up in less than 30 minutes and we drove the three hour one way trip that evening. End of the story is that we picked it up. Everything works, it has the original paint, interior (except bench seat, driver's seat, and passenger's seat). The only thing that needs to be fixed is the heater blower, and the canvas replaced. It has the orginal mileage records, the stove or sink had never been used, original child cot, etc.... The only dent is where the owner backed up into a sign and slightly creased the right rear. Major score! I am very happy. Especially now that I know we can get an easy up tent to attach to expand the space as the kids grow. April

[cbr900racer]

i placed a wanted ad here on the samba. a guy wrote me near savannah, GA said he was having to go back to England and needed to sell his bay. wife and i drove down (8hrs) to look at it. it was the most gorgeous thing i had ever seen. i had never even sat in one before. it was incredible how it rode. when i finally got to drive it i was nervous as hell, they drive really nice (even though it was a lil rough being lowered). i left the guy a grand deposit and we drove back home.
i had a 66 bug at home and didnt really have room for another vehicle. the bug had been hit in the front and the repair was good, but wasnt perfect. so i told the wife i would sell the car to get the bus. then later i would find a bug that hadnt been wrecked later. the bug sold on ebay and we drove down the next weekend to get the bus. the owner had since gone back to England (getting a western union money order overnighted to England can be a nightmare!) anyways, he got the money and called his next door neighbor and told him to let me have the keys to the bus. he had given me the title when i made the deposit so i already had tags and insurance on it. the rest as they say is..history.
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71 Bay (1776 in process)
94 Sonoma
98 Suburban (bike hauler)
97 Blazer
07 Nitro
94 CBR900RR (runs 5.70s 1/8 mile)

[Bleyseng]

I have been a 914 guy for the last 12 yrs, so all my friends know about them. I neighbor friend who lives up the street had this 77 Westy sitting in the back of his place the 5 years I have known him. I had even offered to rebuild the engine at cost for him. I offered him some cash but he wouldn't sell the camper to me, so I forgot about it. I heard from my wife he was trying to sell it and was I still interested...no not right now too many projects! Then my wife left the country on family business for a month. Right after she leaves, I get a call from my friend about coming up for coffee. So I go over there we have coffee and he asks " Do you want the camper?" I thought about it for 2 secs and said "Yes". He said the one condition is that I fix it up and then he can use it once to remember all the trips they took in it. "Ok" I said and I drove it home. I fixed all the oil leaks and brakes instantly so when my wife came home it was driveable. I just drove it around town until the engine blew out a sparkplug and then I torn down the wornout oil starved engine. I called Jake about what parts to use in combination to the parts I already had at the shop (914 stuff) to build a Camper Special for the 77. Slowly the motor came together and now she is running sweet! The interior is now being restored with new plaid and green vinyl. This spring paint and body repairs will be finished up and then its time to "Go Camping".
I even have relatives coming over from Europe to use it this summer on their vacation to see the Wash/Ore coast and mountains!
I better get busy!
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70 Ghia Black convert-9/69 build date-stock w/133k 1600 SP-barn find now with a rebuilt tranny and engine
77 Westy 2.0L w/Ljet, Camper Special engine-95hp and with LSD!(sold)
76 Porsche 914 2.1L L20c, 120hp Djet (sold)
87 Syncro Westy Titan Red 2.1L 2 knob 100k miles

[Blaubus]

[fusername]

after looking a 72 with all teh body redone and repainted a beautiful yellow and green combo, it was hard looking at other cars, as she got sold out from under me. This was probably for the best however, as I found my next prospect a few weeks later, a 77 westy, the exact year I had decided I wanted. I was just getting into bussess after a chain events which started with me being offered a free 86 vanagon, which dissapeared, and I saw teh 72 before I knew much anything of the difference in years. after being warned of the missing hatch, I decided to do my research. 77 was my decision, because I wanted the full top bunk, but to retain the louvered windows. The FI was an intimidating plus, and in the end worht the dive. Price was my handicapp, so I was looking for those rusty yet trusty types. I found my baby 2 hours away, perched on a trecherous hill top driveway, which she tried to escape down during a demonstration. Looking at her, I was inlove. When the PO offered to tow her to my place for practically free, I knew it was the one.
I am proud to say my first car is a 77 westfalia. And she already took me up by the PO, and is running oh so very strong. It took me the winter to get her running, but now that she is I feel more than validated.
oh, and never, ever, change that stock horn! "THIS IS MY ANGRY NOISE" I swear that horn was designed for parades and showing off, and I would never give it up.

copied and pasted from the day I got her on the road for the first time:
Now, I had been on the road less than 10 minutes, and in passing a bus stop some girl stepped out into the road and stuck out her thumb. dead serious. I wil never drive a non cult car again! The stares are very much worth all the effort I have put into fixing all my dumb mistakes, along with the effort Randy and everyone else on the forum put in. I am very gratefull, and am still full of questions.

buy a bus!
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[email protected]
Need something custom bent up? shoot me an email, maybe we can make it work!

FORSALE: Thrust cut T4 and 1.9 main bearings

[4Doora]

Last fall I was searching for an old VW. My father and I drove 70 miles to eastbumf**k Mass to look at a $2800 dollar '71 bug which was said to be "in great condition". It wasn't. The guy was like, "it had all this work done to it, it's a cream puff". The floor was rusted through, some structural parts of the frame were rusted also. I wasn't in the market for a restoration, so i had to pass.
So i was searching the classifieds here a few days later, and saw a '71 bus for sale in Maine, not to far away. It was in great condition (in New England terms), it spent most of it's life in California, and i remember my dad telling me the great things about that year bus, So we get a hold of the guy and drive up there.
This place was in the sticks man. Deep. We get to the place where the bus was, and it's straight out of a horror movie. We never met the guy who owned the bus, so we had to deal through his son. This guy was huge. Must have been 7 feet tall, and 3 ft wide at the shoulders . Nice guy though, he helped us push the bus onto the car dolly (his shoulder was leaning on the rain gutter when he pushed it ) And we manage to get it home just fine... except for the fact that we didn't have the keys to it, so the steering was locked up. We had to maneuver it with a jack to get it in the driveway strait (not a fun time).
It was all worth it in the end though. now if I could just make enough money for that new engine...
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'69 Bug,'71 Bus,'61 Bug ,'56 Bug, '66 Panel

[[email protected]]

Gosh - where to begin?

I'll begin with my first bus....a 78 deluxe Westy.

I always took walks in the morning where I lived, and one day decided to change by route. I went down this alley I'd never been down before. Well - As I rounded a corner, there was this VW Bus. A westy Deluxe - cramed FULL of junk. Well it was love at first sight.

I went out and contacted the owner that afternoon (as 6am would have been a bit early). He showed me the bus and explained it had been parked since about 1980. It had 36k original miles. Well ----

I wanted it and said "how much" He told me he had to think it over and would call me the next day.

That day I met him again and he said his wife had told him "just give it to him" but I felt bad about that and gave him $250. So he could buy a new shed for all the stuff in it.

I had it towed to a shop in Tucson who got it running for me. It went a whopping 5 miles before dropping a valve.

But in those 5 miles I was in bus love.

Fast forward to November of 2006.

I'd been burned by the Type IV and my own ignorance for a few years, when I got the bug to have a late model Bus. I owned a 71 Westy I had just restored, but it wasnt the same as the Type IV power and smoothness. Well - I found an add on craigslist - 78 bus 1200. I went to look at it. It was rust free - but VERY grimy - and again - full of junk. The engine was dropping seats, and such - but it had AC!!!!

I thought about it - and made an offer $600. The owner accepted - and I drove it home. I'm now in the middle of a Camper Special rebuild from Jake to make this thing reliable - and hopefully by fall will be able to go on a two week vacation with it!
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Ryan

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1963 Beetle
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[California Westy]

Well I wasn't really in the market for a bus, although I was aware of them and seein as how I'm an old geezer I had seen plenty of them around. Although I had owned more bugs than I can now remember I had never owned a bus. I have lived in the same neighborhood for years and thought I knew every old vehicle within miles.

Coming back from outta town one afternoon as I turned onto my street there sat a 69 Pearl White Westy. Just for fun I stopped to look at it. It has been here in the desert for years so it is rust free. PO said it had new 1600DP. He was original owner. I had never seen it before because he always kept it in the garage.

That was Christmas Eve 3 yrs ago and now it's in my garage.

[steponmebbbboom]

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=1637572#1637572

[Phyllis]

I saw my bus in the classifieds one saturday morning. I called the guy up and asked if I could take a look at it. He told me it had been sold. I didn't leave my number, but he called me back about 10 minutes later and had said that the deal hadn't fallen through. I was taking off that Saturday morning for the weekend to go to a school leadership camp. So I asked my parents to go look at it. I gave them my $2500 that I had earned working on a farm all summer and told them that if it looked good, to go ahead and get if for me. I had not even seen any pictures of it! But I just knew that it was a great bus (and I had a lot of trust in my parents that they would only buy it if it was really nice). Later that Saturday I got a call and they had told me that they bought it and kept saying how wonderful it was. I finally got to see my bus late Sunday evening and was simply amazed.
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1971 Deluxe Transporter "Winston"
1970 Westy Weekender "Cornelius"
Andrew

[Tommy Franklin]

It was Christmas morning 2006...All 6 of our boys had opened their presents...My wife reached under the christmas tree and pulled out 1 more very small present...She threw it to me and said "one more for Daddy!" About the size of a match-box...I opened it up and it was a key holder with a bus... I thanked her and then said "it has a real VW key on it" She looked at me with a "sure does" look...I stood up and said "are you kidding me! are you for real?!" She said its down in the cul-de-sac!" My 15 son grabbed the video camera and said "Go Get it dad!" I am 46 years old but in my PJs, in the early predawn hours, with a cold rain coming down I ran like a 12 year old to MY NEW 1979, automatic, 7 seater Baywindow with AC!!!!It was just sitting there under the street light---Red and white..Front end sitting up a little higher than the rear...I haven't felt so young in many years...I started her up...Drove her home...My son has it all on tape...Everyone knew about the bus but me...Then I remembered...The night before (Christmas Eve) at around 11:00 pm, I heard a loud vehicle go by the house and I almost said to my oldest son, " that sounded like a VW" But I asssumed it was one of the teenagers in the neighbor hood coming home...Anyway I now have to come up with a GREAT Present for my wife next year!!!

[GostaBerling]

Tommy that story brought a tear to my eye. I don't have a clue how you could top that gift.

Thanks everyone for the great stories. I love reading about your experiences Keep them coming.
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"I became an archaeologist because I wanted to drive around in a big Land Rover, smoking, cursing, and finding treasure." - Carmel Schrire

current 1979 fiat spider, 72 Contempo Hightop

[Tommy Franklin]

Hey thanks for such a good post...It was great to share with people who can appreciate the story

[fusername]

I'm pretty sure you would have to buy her a 71 westy to top that. clearly.

remember, its for *her*.
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[email protected]
Need something custom bent up? shoot me an email, maybe we can make it work!

FORSALE: Thrust cut T4 and 1.9 main bearings

[Bleyseng]

Post the video on youtube so we can see it Tommy!
I have been hoping my wife would do just that with a 914/6!!! no luck, yet.
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70 Ghia Black convert-9/69 build date-stock w/133k 1600 SP-barn find now with a rebuilt tranny and engine
77 Westy 2.0L w/Ljet, Camper Special engine-95hp and with LSD!(sold)
76 Porsche 914 2.1L L20c, 120hp Djet (sold)
87 Syncro Westy Titan Red 2.1L 2 knob 100k miles

[trevize1138]

My first car ever was a '72 Super Beetle. I loved it for all the 5 years of HS and college that I had it.

Every car since that one was just a little newer and a little nicer: '85 Civic 5-door, '93 Civic 3-door and an '02 Subaru Impreza Wagon. I stuck with the small car thing but just went newer and newer.

Then I landed my new work-from-home job, decided I didn't need brand new, reliable transportation anymore and fulfilled my teenage dream of owning a Karmann Ghia. Being a '72 like my old SB it was mechanically identical (with the obvious exception of strut front suspension) and really took me on a nostalgia trip.

By this time I had sold my '02 Subaru in favor of a '97 Subaru of the same model. I was through wasting money on brand new cars when one only 5 years older was 1/5 the cost! After spending so much time with the Ghia and so little time using the Subaru I considered selling the Subaru and being done with it: Ghia full-time.

I just couldn't do it, though. I had to have a car other than the Ghia even if I did work from home. The Subaru stayed for a little while longer until, for reasons I don't remember at all, I started thinking about a bus.

I've never wanted a bus. I'm a small car guy, so why would I want a huge, honkin' bus that puts my eye level above Hummer drivers? I actually liked that sometimes I'd confuse a Toyota Matrix for a minivan while driving the Ghia!

But, my parents always had a trailer camper and pickup growing up and that's how we vacationed. I always imagined myself having some kind of camper when I had a family but they're too freaking expensive! It's cheaper to drive a car out to some place and rent a room than pay for a camper.

Unless, of course, I get a Campmobile! I told my wife the good news that I had a plan: "I'm selling the Subaru and getting a VW camper bus!"

Wife: "No way."

"It's a mid-80s model. I hear they're reliable!"

"No way."

"But, but..."

"No ... well, unless we get an older one, they look cooler..."

"... really? How 'bout these '70s models with the pop top!"

"I don't like the pop top ... ooh, these hard top ones are cool, though! And, with all that work you've done on the Ghia you'll know how to fix it!"

End of story.
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'72 Ghia Coupe
'72 Westy Hardtop (sold in 2013)
'72 Super Beetle (long dead and gone!)
http://druckenghia.blogspot.com/

[Desertbusman]

That's cool Trevize

It's funny how that sometimes we just fall into the VW life by following our dreams and being practical. The other 99% of people think we are totally out to lunch. They don't have a clue.
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71 Superbug
71 Westy