Wild westerners unite! AKA-is this rare or just ugly?

[molenari]

I suddenly remember I was looking through the microfiches a couple of years back and noted a striping set for 1973 buses. I wondered for a long time on what kind of bus this triping has been used. It seems this thread has given the answer:

Below is a photo taken from the 1975 parts manual on microfiche. It shows partnr 211 092 523 for a set of rally strips in the colour 'Blue 52 R'. I can't find 'L 52 R' or '52 R' on my fiche with paint codes so I don't know if there is a more specific name for this type of blue.

The parts manual says this part is for models 221 and for buses with M603 (deluxe version)... This same fiche also states that the rally set was available only until 1973, but M603 was available from 1974 onwards. So somethings wrong....I think the thruth is that rally strips are not related to the M603.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/614366.jpg
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currently starring in my fleet:
'68 panelvan, '70 kombi, '71 panelvan, '76 crew cab (German army), '77 panelvan, '78 kombi, '78 microbus (Champagne Edition II), '78 highroof panelvan (German mail, parting out), '79 panelvan automatic, '79 panelvan (armoured money transporter), '68 Karmann Ghia type 34.

[molenari]

Looking at the M-codes of the Wild Westerner buses I think we can conclude the following:

All buses have S736. Looking at model year 1973 we see it only on Wild Westerner buses! So I think this code means it is a Wild Westerner special sales campaign bus. But what's special about the Wild Westerner bus? The colours are defined in the colour code 9643. The striping is not paint so I'd say S736 means it has the blue rally striping. Ross his bus has dashboard clock in it. While the M-plate does not indicate a clock. Could this be built in afterwards? What about the other Wild Westerner buses that have been spotted, are there any traces they have or had a dashboard clock?

the Wild Westerner buses all had the following M-codes:
D32: Group code for regular US-specifications on a type 22 (microbus)
162: Rubber strips for bumpers
508: Ventilationwindow in slidingdoor and in all windows opposite slidingdoor in the passenger compartment (3 windows alltogether)(the window sticker on Ross his bus states only two extra ventilation windows were fitted, I think the sticker should have read '3 add. vent windows...'

Now I wonder: Do Wild Westerner buses also exist with sliding roof or Eberspächer heater? (like the Champagne Edition buses were optionally fitted with).

The only variation I could find was M27: "plate for emissions value" which is a specific Californian option that was needed for al Californian vehicles.

All M-plates we came accross so far have en export destination on the West Coast:
UA: USA, Los Angeles CA
UP: USA, Portland WA

I am curious to the specifications of the Wild Westerner bus. So I have the following question to everyone having such a bus or having seen such a bus:

What's special about the Wild Westerner bus?

So far we found out that they all came with:
- special paint combination (Apple green with Ravenna Green roof)
- special blue striping
- rubber bumper strips
- 3 ventialtion windows in the passenger compartment
- dash board clock (not sure!)

Has anyone noticed any other standard optional extra for this model ...and please check the dash board clock....
_________________
currently starring in my fleet:
'68 panelvan, '70 kombi, '71 panelvan, '76 crew cab (German army), '77 panelvan, '78 kombi, '78 microbus (Champagne Edition II), '78 highroof panelvan (German mail, parting out), '79 panelvan automatic, '79 panelvan (armoured money transporter), '68 Karmann Ghia type 34.

[chazz79]

My bus was a 7 passenger walkthrough with black vinyl interior. I don't have a clock but lots of folks add those in later. I think it might have even been a dealer option. My bus did come with the am radio, three rear vent wings, rear defroster, and that's about it.


Within the next 6 months I should have it re-painted back to all of it's wild western-y goodness. I intend on getting a stripe reprinted at the local vinyl lettering shop so I could use a definite answer on the blue color they used.
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One day as a lion, or a lifetime as lamb

The green monster in bits and peices: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=332556&highlight=green+monster

[molenari]

[mrp2007]

don't know if anyone saw this yet, but one is for sale apparently

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Volkswagen-Bus-Vana...355wt_1167

[chazz79]

That one's about as rough as mine was when I started. I hope he gets the buy it now for it. If so mine's gotta be worth 20g's as it sits.
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One day as a lion, or a lifetime as lamb

The green monster in bits and peices: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=332556&highlight=green+monster

[Buscuss]

That '73 for sale on EBAY which had a straight-up poptop and a rear seat with two belts is the only other Safare I've heard about rigged like mine.

I have chrome window trim, rear window defroster, no clock, one rear quarter window in left rear window, sliding door window is a jalousy as is left window behind driver, and rubber bumper strips.
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WTB swivel table hdwr.

'73 Safare poptop

A society is as lax as its language.

[molenari]

[Buscuss]

My M-code does have 508 and there was a plate in the clock position.
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WTB swivel table hdwr.

'73 Safare poptop

A society is as lax as its language.

[chazz79]

what's a safare poptop look like? All I've seen from safare are hi tops.
_________________
One day as a lion, or a lifetime as lamb

The green monster in bits and peices: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=332556&highlight=green+monster

[Buscuss]

chazz79

Open Gallery, go to page 3, scroll down to "fall pics." That is what my poptop looks like. Storage pan in front. Poptop goes straight up, the whole thing.
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WTB swivel table hdwr.

'73 Safare poptop

A society is as lax as its language.

[busdaddy]

[chazz79]

This is what you're talking about and it's a riviera. Most safares' I've seen have been the big turtle top jobs. Riviera's have the slider windows and that style top
The bus you're talking about

My bus has the same top (The donor had the riviera tag on the passenger dogleg)

_________________
One day as a lion, or a lifetime as lamb

The green monster in bits and peices: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=332556&highlight=green+monster

[ttagan93]

Our 73' bus...all original paint, runs great, and sure turns heads.

[mamabluebelle]

I MUST have these colours - WOW I love the apple green, blue, yosemite yellow? combo!

[Buscuss]

ttagan93 - The blue stripe on your bus appears to be painted. The Safare buses blue stripe was a plasticized adhesive strip. Ergo, yours may not be original paint. Looks good, though. What interior do you have? And, what is that on your gas flap?
_________________
WTB swivel table hdwr.

'73 Safare poptop

A society is as lax as its language.

[chazz79]

The origionals must've had the vinyl stripe but mine does not. If your bus is a 73 with this color scheme then it its a wild westerner. My bus has been repainted twice. The first repaint involved painting the stripe back on (my stripe is definitely paint, I've found some of the origional vinyl back in the hatch door jamb). My second repaint involved someone painting over the stripe and the whole works. I have seen a real safare with a high top that was a wild westerner. The top was even painted the appropriate colors. My bus looks pretty faded but in the door jambs it's as bright as that transporter above.
_________________
One day as a lion, or a lifetime as lamb

The green monster in bits and peices: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=332556&highlight=green+monster

[busdaddy]

[Mcpie]

Saw this thread, and when I was poking around NW craigslists I saw this. http://humboldt.craigslist.org/cto/1461033096.html

[busdaddy]