Boonie Bug

joe56vw · Posted: Thu Sep 26, 2013 7:48 pm Post subject:

maybe you should take all the vw stuff off it and sell it to someone who need it
then put it on a jeep frame mid engine it with some big ass tires and make it a trail basher Laughing

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EverettB · Posted: Thu Sep 26, 2013 10:43 pm Post subject:

volksaddict · Samba Member Joined: August 19, 2003 Posts: 1724

I guess the designers thought the vw bus didn't have enough wind resistance Laughing

Go kid, follow your dream!

AlanInMass54 · Posted: Fri Sep 27, 2013 12:25 pm Post subject:

That thing is an out-of-the-box Jersey Looker! Definately needs 70's style redo, mural as posted, swing out spare tire carrier out back dingle balls, the works! You lucky bastard!

tstracy39 · Posted: Fri Sep 27, 2013 11:15 pm Post subject:

As Everett said, you won't make any money fixing it up. Having watched a couple ebay auctions of these I can say a driver is worth about three grand tops. Since they were never sold as kits, the existing examples aren't collectible, unless that's the mag featured prototype. But yeah, fix it up anyway, and have fun with it. It probably won't be very expensive, especially if you use all aircooled VW running gear. Guys at the VW shows with Split Beetles and Barndoor buses will be jealous of all the attention that thing will get. I'd be curious to see the build quality, seeing as how this one is apparently made of metal and not fiberglass.
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Calvatron · Posted: Fri Sep 27, 2013 11:35 pm Post subject:

Wow, that thing rules! It's like the bus version of the Empi Sportster. I think the novelty is worth it if anything!

feastbeast · Posted: Sat Sep 28, 2013 8:13 am Post subject:

Dude! Buy it! Slam it! And roll it on the daily! I would love to rock one.

Calvatron · Posted: Sat Sep 28, 2013 8:35 am Post subject:

HudsonN · Posted: Sun Sep 29, 2013 7:15 pm Post subject:

Alright. I'm going to attempt to buy this thing. Here's my other problem.

The guy who owns the thing owns a junkyard. (Where the boonie-bug is.) Private junkyard that is. He owns 140 acres and just has cars everywhere and most people don't even know he has all of this stuff. He seems to only sell to people he likes.

Long story short i was driving to Vermont with my jeep. (After swapping out the front and rear axles for axles with 4.56s, lockers, truss, diff covers, etc etc. Threw on 35s as well.) Basically the maiden voyage. Get 100 miles from my house and the worst noise i've ever heard in my life starts coming from under the jeep.

Wheel bearing somehow pushed the retainer ring like an inch towards the diff causing the axle shaft to slide out and cook the bearing and make it impossible to drive.

Ended up broken down in a post office parking lot. Slept there overnight. Guy (who owns the junkyard) wakes me up at 8am and tells me he's got all sorts of jeep stuff. I get into his beat up tahoe, and he drives me into the middle of nowhere. Sketchy as all hell. I thought i was going to end up in deliverance.

Sure enough he's got a junkyard. Lots and lots of jeeps. Starts picking up jeeps so i can look at the rear axles to find one i can swap into my jeep. I had no cash on me at all, so the guy rips out a rear end for me and just gives me the thing. Even offers to tow my jeep to his house so i can work on it in his garage. All free of charge. I end up swapping out my entire rear axle, pulling my front driveshaft and driving the 100 miles back to my house with just the rear shaft. (3.55s and 35" tires don't go well. Going up hills = 1st gear. Haha.)

I never got the guys name or anything. I just have his phone number. I have no idea how to call or what to say. Haha. "Oh this is the kid with the jeep that broke down and you gave me an axle. I was interested in buying the boonie bug".

Razz

I'll figure it out. Think i'll call him sometime this week.

&Dan · Samba Member Joined: January 29, 2008 Posts: 1784

You'd better know you're going to call him sometime this week.

Get on the stick!

RPGreg2600 · Posted: Sun Sep 29, 2013 7:57 pm Post subject:

Sounds like he already likes you. And sounds like you already know what to say.

hitest · Posted: Sun Sep 29, 2013 8:07 pm Post subject:

Yeah- you're already in. He'll be relieved to hear you want to hand him money. But really? You don't know his name? Can you at least whitepage search him? Rookie mistake- big time.
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HudsonN · Posted: Sun Sep 29, 2013 8:43 pm Post subject:

I honestly don't think the guy told me his name.

I whitepaged it and there are three names that come up;

- Murray
- Edgar
- Virginia

Obviously it's one of the first two but I haven't a clue which one. Rookie mistake I know. I'm contemplating riding up there on my bike and just going to talk to him in person.

I just don't want to come off as too desperate. Haha.

olliehank47 · Samba Member Joined: May 04, 2011 Posts: 1198

Really a great story!

This guy really saved your bacon and did it for free! Why not go see him, as you plan, and genuinely offer some payment for your jeep parts--something you think is fair for what he did for you--and have the cash in hand. Whether or not he accepts it is not important. He will appreciate your effort and class in doing the right (and unexpected) thing.

Then, ask about the Boonie and tell him you'd like to buy it. He sounds like a real honest fellow and I'd bet the transaction would go smoothly and cheaply.

BarryL · Posted: Mon Sep 30, 2013 8:35 am Post subject:

A couple of things I'm not following. How did you contact him in the first place?

HudsonN · Posted: Mon Sep 30, 2013 9:15 am Post subject:

I like your thinking. Ill take a ride up there on Saturday and thank him again and offer him some money for the jeep parts. Ill then begin talking about the boonie bug. He was an honest fellow and friendlier than you could ever imagine.

It's like I'm being interrogated. Haha. The whole thing was weird.

I didn't contact him. I broke down in a USPS parking lot on a Thursday evening. Nobody had parts so I slept in the parking lot overnight. (Planned on towing my jeep out on Friday.)

I'm sleeping in my front seat and around 8 or 9 or somewhere in there I here someone yelling "HEY!! WAKE UP!!!". I figured it was a mad USPS worker.

It wasn't. It was the guy with the boonie bug. Decided to stop to help a stranger. He invited me back to his house and drove me there.

He went to get his front end loader to pick up jeeps so I could look at the rear ends and he was gone for like 10 minutes. In the meantime I was walking around taking pictures and looking at things. That's when I saw the boonie bug. I never said anything about it as I was more concerned about getting my jeep home at that point.

Needless to say I now totally want to go buy that thing. Here's some other pictures I snapped if anyone's interested.

&Dan · Samba Member Joined: January 29, 2008 Posts: 1784

BarryL · Posted: Mon Sep 30, 2013 11:36 am Post subject:

HudsonN · Posted: Mon Sep 30, 2013 11:45 am Post subject:

Got distracted with school. Teachers don't like phones apparently.

Pictures.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

olliehank47 · Samba Member Joined: May 04, 2011 Posts: 1198

Well, after seeing those pictures, if the guy's name isn't Axel, it should be Exclamation


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