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Our79Westy Samba Member
Joined: August 08, 2012 Posts: 97 Location: Bronson, FL
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Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2018 8:33 pm Post subject: How many are still around the United States? |
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theres always someone asking what the sambanistas think this bus or that bus is worth.
..and we've all been watching the prices fluctuate...
not that im selling...I was just trying to figure the supply of busses still viable in the states...in 2018.
rich puts the total number imported at 409731 with only 102492 fuel injected models...see his website link below,
http://www.ratwell.com/technical/MSRP.html
with a total of only 11762 imported in 1979...I wonder just how many of those were campers and how many of those are still out roaming the states?
knowledge is power...it would seem that as the supply dwindles the prices should rise...what links or search terms did I miss?
_________________ 1979 Westfalia DELUXE 2.0 FI manual
Mexican beigeutiful and mostly original.
See the most up to date status of Constance on YouTube
https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCvO1ZedS22IepvvRYaTxiPQ
My 1979 Westfalia Campmobile's sundry Tales of Constance
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=620965
1990 Vanagon, Red, Driven 70,000 miles till sold. |
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scott_79bay Samba Member
Joined: July 27, 2007 Posts: 234 Location: Seattle - C.D.
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Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2018 9:13 pm Post subject: Re: How many are still around the United States? |
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I can account for one of the 79 FI’s. _________________ 1979 Sunroof Bus
2.0 FI |
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oh didn't he ramble Samba Member
Joined: October 30, 2009 Posts: 58 Location: Boston
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Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2018 9:39 pm Post subject: Re: How many are still around the United States? |
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two. _________________ d. |
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aeromech Samba Member
Joined: January 24, 2006 Posts: 16922 Location: San Diego, California
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Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2018 9:42 pm Post subject: Re: How many are still around the United States? |
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I’ve got a 1979 sage green camper at my house right now. Just finished rebuilding most of the steering and now doing some light engine work _________________ Lead Mechanic: San Diego Air and Space Museum
Licensed Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic
Licensed Pilot (Single engine Land)
Boeing 727,737-200-300-400,757,767
Airbus A319,320,321
DC9/MD80
BAe146
Fokker F28/F100
VW type 1 1962,63,65,69,72
VW Type 2 1971 (3 ea.) 1978, 1969
VW Jetta
VW Passat
Capable of leaping tall buildings in a single bound |
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bigbore Samba Member
Joined: December 19, 2003 Posts: 3296 Location: Wasilla Alaska
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Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2018 10:59 pm Post subject: Re: How many are still around the United States? |
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I just scraped a 71. _________________ where its cold and snowy |
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Silverboot Samba Member
Joined: July 19, 2014 Posts: 108 Location: Las Vegas
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Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2018 11:13 pm Post subject: Re: How many are still around the United States? |
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79 CA Model here. _________________ 79 FI CA Riviera
74 Smallframe Vespa |
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timvw7476 Samba Member
Joined: June 03, 2013 Posts: 2180 Location: seattle
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Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2018 11:15 pm Post subject: Re: How many are still around the United States? |
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of the '79s?
46-52, with twenty more sitting in various stages of repair/renovation.
but two of the road-going will catch fire.
Statistics. : ( |
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zerothehero Samba Member
Joined: March 16, 2008 Posts: 214 Location: Derbyshire
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Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2018 11:46 pm Post subject: Re: How many are still around the United States? |
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I think we probably have the rest of them _________________ I like caves..
Caves are cool
-------------------
1979 Devon Moonraker 1600 twin port
1978 Oz Microbus 2000 FI Auto |
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Abscate Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2014 Posts: 22566 Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
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Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2018 1:51 am Post subject: Re: How many are still around the United States? |
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i
Quote: |
t would seem that as the supply dwindles the prices should rise |
Pricing has already reached the place on the curve where the accessible buyers market is limited. Lots can afford 10k for a toy, few can afford 100k for same toy. The number of busses on the road won’t change that.
Splits hit this limit earlier. Bays will stay lower imho. _________________ .ssS!
Last edited by Abscate on Fri Sep 28, 2018 6:56 am; edited 1 time in total |
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my59 Samba Member
Joined: August 13, 2003 Posts: 3780 Location: connecting the dots
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Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2018 2:42 am Post subject: Re: How many are still around the United States? |
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Originally red/white 7 seat sunroof Transporter. Now sassy grass green/white, Westy interior. OG engine with FI. _________________ my59: Well son, my grandfather died before I got to drive it, so does that answer your question?
our79: sunroof bus w/camper interior and 2.0 FI
Other:'12 Jetta, '77 Benz 300D, and a 74 MG Midget. |
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metahacker Samba Member
Joined: May 26, 2010 Posts: 690 Location: san.diego
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Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2018 11:25 am Post subject: Re: How many are still around the United States? |
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anecdotally, I can say that the amount of German/UK importing of west coast buses is surprising.
for example, on the two Riviera camper Facebook groups I'm on.... most of the posts are Europeans saying "here is my new Riviera from [California/Arizona/etc.]" or "here is my Riviera camping in Croatia..." ... and they never sold the Riviera outside the US, AFAIK (maybe Canada? but definitely not outside of NA)
there are businesses in other countries that operate solely to import cali buses |
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Abscate Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2014 Posts: 22566 Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
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Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:55 pm Post subject: Re: How many are still around the United States? |
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bigbore wrote: |
I just scraped a 71. |
Did it buff out? _________________ .ssS! |
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dstimm Samba Member
Joined: June 29, 2018 Posts: 153 Location: Encinitas, CA
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Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2018 1:01 pm Post subject: Re: How many are still around the United States? |
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I bet many of those FI models have had the FI systems replaced with carbs. _________________ 1979 Sage Green California Westy. |
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Randy in Maine Samba Member
Joined: August 03, 2003 Posts: 34890 Location: The Beach
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Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2018 1:20 pm Post subject: Re: How many are still around the United States? |
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I have 2 1979 P-27s in my garage. |
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Our79Westy Samba Member
Joined: August 08, 2012 Posts: 97 Location: Bronson, FL
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Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2018 1:31 pm Post subject: Re: How many are still around the United States? |
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timvw7476 wrote: |
of the '79s?
46-52, with twenty more sitting in various stages of repair/renovation.
but two of the road-going will catch fire.
Statistics. : ( |
46-52 is an interesting figure...as of 2017 and according to the following link
https://projects.newsday.com/databases/long-island...p;offset=0
there's 39 campers registered in long island alone...I'm assuming it includes all campers 1959 through 1979
soo rough estimation of 50 times 50 states equals 2500 "campers"...roughly... in the contiguous united states...until better numbers can be established...
estimate 1 twentieth (1 of 20 years of manufacture) and we're down to 125..1979 vw campers registered...or 2.5 in my state...sobering and exciting in the same breath...
Maybe someone will chime in with better figures...and sources...but at this point it seems the only vw bus I'm going to see outside of a car show is...mine and possibly yours at some point...
drive safe everyone! _________________ 1979 Westfalia DELUXE 2.0 FI manual
Mexican beigeutiful and mostly original.
See the most up to date status of Constance on YouTube
https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCvO1ZedS22IepvvRYaTxiPQ
My 1979 Westfalia Campmobile's sundry Tales of Constance
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=620965
1990 Vanagon, Red, Driven 70,000 miles till sold. |
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Abscate Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2014 Posts: 22566 Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
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Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2018 3:37 pm Post subject: Re: How many are still around the United States? |
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1% survival rate seems a bit low to me, I would have guessed 5%
I would make a case the LI is a bad place for them to survive both in terms of use and climate. _________________ .ssS! |
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SGKent Samba Member
Joined: October 30, 2007 Posts: 41031 Location: Citrus Heights CA (Near Sacramento)
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Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2018 5:25 pm Post subject: Re: How many are still around the United States? |
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there is a material difference between operative and non-op. The last 10 years the number has gone way up as many non-op have been returned to service. There are four or five in my neighborhood of several hundred home alone. None of the owners come here on the Samba that I am aware of. _________________ “Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin |
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Cap10323 Samba Member
Joined: July 24, 2016 Posts: 604 Location: Ohio
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Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2018 5:30 pm Post subject: Re: How many are still around the United States? |
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SGKent wrote: |
There are four or five in my neighborhood of several hundred home alone. None of the owners come here on the Samba that I am aware of. |
I was coming here to say something like this.
The majority of Owners are not on The Samba, and I'd be willing to bet a majority of that majority aren't even using the internet for anything Bus-Related. Except maybe to order parts.
In my neighborhood, also of several hundred houses (spread out over about 10 streets) there are 2 baywindows, a split bus, and 2 vanagons. None of the owners are Samba members, I know, because I've stopped and enquired. _________________ -Ian
'77 Westfalia - 2.0 F.I |
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Boesen Samba Member
Joined: April 12, 2011 Posts: 532 Location: Iowa
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Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2018 5:49 pm Post subject: Re: How many are still around the United States? |
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Owned our 79 (Federal)Westfalia now for 8 years. Still stock FI engine.
_________________ 1979 Westfalia Deluxe http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=474334&highlight=iowa
Last edited by Boesen on Sat Sep 29, 2018 5:31 am; edited 1 time in total |
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wcfvw69 Samba Purist
Joined: June 10, 2004 Posts: 13382 Location: Arizona
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Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2018 6:16 pm Post subject: Re: How many are still around the United States? |
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Abscate wrote: |
1% survival rate seems a bit low to me, I would have guessed 5%
I would make a case the LI is a bad place for them to survive both in terms of use and climate. |
1% is the number I've seen quoted on government boards. They suggest only 1% of a specific model car made 20 years ago are still in existence.
My view is that VW's survived at a greater % due to their cult popularity, resale value, nostalgia, etc.
Honestly, what other cars do you ever see on the roads these days that are 40 years old or older? VW bugs and buses, 60's Mustangs and other muscle cars and 56-57 Chevy's.
I'm honestly shocked how I never see cars made in the 70's/80's on the road anymore. They've vanished to the big smelter in the sky. _________________ Contact me at [email protected]
Follow me on instagram @sparxwerksllc
Decades of VW and VW parts restoration experience.
The Samba member since 2004.
**Now rebuilding throttle bodies for VW's and Porsche's**
**Restored German Bosch distributors for sale or I can restore yours**
**Restored German Pierburg fuel pumps for sale or I can restore yours**
**Restored Porsche fuel pumps or I can restore yours**
**Restored Porsche distributors or I can restore yours** |
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