Date:         Sat, 29 Jun 1996 11:23:47 -0700
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Thom Fitzpatrick <thom@calweb.com>
Subject:      Re: vw bus owner wanna-be

>and have always dreamed of owning a light blue and white vw bus.  i'm now
>ready, willing, and able to do it but would like some help from the experts.
> i'd like a '67 or earlier camper version with either no windows or 21
>windows.  what year and model is considered the "ultimate"?  is it better to
>buy a completely restored model or one that needs work and do it myself (can
>this be expensive)?  what's the best way to go about buying one?  classified
>ads?  vw car shows?  please bombard me with your replies because i'm anxious
>to become a member of the exclusive vw bus culture.

Slow down there sonny!

So you want a panel or a 21, eh?  How about a 23?  The "ultimate bus" would
probably be a 23-window, walk-thru, high-roof, double door, right hand drive
ambulance. :)

Since you're in lovely So Col, I recommend hitting a few of the shows first,
so you see whats out there and what stuff costs.  I'd recommend for a newbie
to get the best, cleanest, runningest, rust-free'est bus he can afford,
unless you are Bob Hoover and Charlie Hamill rolled into one...

Yes, doing a complete resto on a basket case can be expensive.  I know first
hand.

As far as what year and model, that would depend on what you want the bus
for.  To drive to work? The newer the better.  To impress your friends?  A
23-window.  To impress the "real-bus" crowd?  A barndoor, any model, the
earlier the better.

Thom Fitzpatrick
thom@calweb.com - http://www.calweb.com/~thom
Keeper of the Barndoor Bus Web Page: http://www.calweb.com/~thom/barndoor.html