Date: Tue, 18 Jun 1996 12:43:09 -0500 (CDT)
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: Bob Hufford <bhufford@mail.orion.org>
Subject: It's a Keeper! (long)
My wife (Terri) was scanning the Sunday classifieds yesterday and in
the Miscellaneous appliances column was an ad for a freezer, microwave,
cab off of a tractor and a '64 Volkswagon (sic) van, sunroof, needs work.
She called me at work and I dialed the number ... disconnected or no
longer in service. I contacted the newspaper office and got the correct
number. I spoke to a lady with a heavy Spanish accent. She said that
they had bought the Bus new in California, but when they drove it out
here 13 years ago they just put it in storage in the barn and never
licensed it in Missouri. She stated that her husband was trying to start
the Bus (in the barn about a 1/2 mile distant) and that I should probably
come talk to him. She asked when I wanted to come out and I replied "Now!".
I stopped by home to pick up my wife and kids and headed out to Willard,
Missouri. When we pulled up in the barn yard I could see the Bus through
the open side door. There was a beautiful splitty nose, red & grey,
chrome emblem glinting in the afternoon sun. Trying to compose myself I
walked into the barn and was greeted by Ralph Flores, 75 year old
original owner of this gorgeous '64 Deluxe. We exchanged pleasantries
and I proceeded to look over the Bus.
There was a dent in the driver's side rear corner. The rear bumper was
an obvious junk-yard replacement (holes cut for a Beetle exhaust, tho'
this Bus still had the original Bus muffler), the passenger door had a
small crease/scratch, and the front bumper guards had guarded a few times.
Other than that the Bus was in a time warp. Absolutely no rust, the
rubber seals looked new, the upholstery was covered in clear plastic
covers (done the week it was purchased). The headliner was perfect, all
the trim was intact (tho' the side steps off the front bumper were a
little bent). I looked at the odometer ... 61,000 miles (original).
They had purchased new radials the week before (had to take off the
wheels to take them to Monkey Wards, as the Bus was not running due to 13
year old gas). The owner was the head mechanic at a VW dealer in San
Francisco (Carson?) and purchased the Bus new in late '63. He had 6 kids
so he needed a people hauler (it's a 9-passenger Bus). They lived in San
Mateo and just drove the Bus around town, to Disneyland twice, and to the
cabin at Lake Tahoe a few times. It was always garage kept (and will
continue to be!) and well maintained. The rear deck had a rectangular
hole cut in it just above the pully (which is a double pully). The owner
was also an airplane mechanic and drove a generator (mounted in the
luggage area) off of the VW motor as he worked "in the field".
Needless to say, I had to have this Bus! He wouldn't come down off of
his asking price as he had been told by a local VW shop (where he went to
buy a fuel filter) that the Bus was "priceless". He held firm and I had
to pay the entire *$2000* that he was asking. :_)
This Bus will come home to its second (and last) owner this weekend as
soon as I clear a space in the garage and there is no threat of hail
storms. My other Busses will all have to leave and I will come down on
my asking prices to facilite their departure.
I still have SEG on my face. ;-)
Oh yeah, Joel? Change the stats ... :-))
Bob Hufford \\ // YardBusses
"Back Yard Busses" \\ \\// // '60 Double-Door Panel
\\ \/ // '81 Vanagon L (Sunroof)
bhufford@mail.orion.org \\ //\\ // '61,'63,'63,'71,'72 Bones
\\/ \\/ '64 Sunroof Deluxe (Garage Bus)
-- "Dedicated to the Storage and Degradation of Vintage Transporters" --