When a vehicle reaches a certain point on the value scale, sometimes the only way “in” to the ownership circle is to buy a project that you bring back to life over the years. The 21-window Volkswagen “Samba” Microbus is exactly such a vehicle as prices for complete examples have risen to such a level that most collectors are priced out of the market. This 1967 example looks like an excellent starting point for a restoration and the seller promises here on eBay that the reserve is low. Bidding is at $21,200 with the reserve unmet.
Thanks to Barn Finds reader T.J. for the find. The excitement over the 21-window models has subsided somewhat, but it hasn’t changed the fact that completely restored examples or very nice survivors are a six-figure purchase. It’s one of the sillier aspects of car collecting in terms of how one design feature can suddenly make a model from across a significant lifespan of similar vehicles worth many times more than its siblings. You can buy a very nice Westfalia camper for less than a rolling project of a 21-window Bus, and that one at least can be lived in for a few days at a time.
Of course, you could live in a 21-window Bus, but it wouldn’t have the cooking station or the fridge. But it would have all those lovely windows to let the stars and the moon shine right on in. The seller’s Bus features a very pretty original color combination of Sea Blue and Cumulus White and it has the rare optional full-length canvas sunroof. So, it does have more than a few things going for it, and the seller also points out that while it does have rust, it’s solid in all the right places. More impressively, he believes it’s never been in an accident as there’s no evidence of prior paintwork or body filler.
The seller admits to buying the Bus eight years ago and never getting around to it; hence, it’s time to let another air-cooled enthusiast have a go at it. The Bus will come with a motor that bears no markings, which he believes makes it a factory replacement mill. The engine does still turn freely, and the photos show it will come with a front bumper, the rear two-piece hatch, and some various trim fixtures, but it looks like you’re on your own for sourcing the roof glass which will be a significant invoice in and of itself. Still, if you want one that costs less than $50,000, this may be your only way in.
Isnae cheap for something that’s been a parts car.
Cheap hahahahah,that’s a good one.
Reality TV douche bags with reality TV deep pockets ruin cheap for the average person several years back.
Aw, wassamatter, didn’t get your $39 grand? Or they did, and someone got hosed, now trying to regain some of their loss. Sorry, this was featured last Feb. for $39 grand, I remember the upside down VW symbol. If there ever was a definition for the “illness” that has infected this hobby, it’s right here.
Probably should add this to the August “you’ve got to be kidding” list.
What was once an enjoyable and affordable hobby for many backyard builders has morphed into something that only the rich or those with state of the art shops and tons of spare parts can get involved in. What a shame.
It’s now at $22k, and the seller has dropped the reserve, so it is selling.
Does it come with a tie dye T-Shirt, a hash pipe and/or a bong ?
Ludicrous. Madness. What can one say?
Somebody is going to feel terribly ripped off after reality sets in.
I often wonder, as a certifiable “bus nut”, how many people who spend crazy money on one of these are really HAPPY when it is all done. Yeah, it’s kinda fun to drive when it all works..”Uhh dude? What’s that noise???” I suspect a lot of it is the cool factor of having “one of those” . They are purchasing attention not a vehicle. My poor buses and campers have all been put to work doing what they were designed to do. I drove them because they were cheap (WERE!) and rugged. I give a polite wave to the person flashing a peace sign of a thumbs up. Yeah yeah, flower power and so on. I’m on my way to the lumber yard fella….
My first splitty was a 59 van. No widows behind the front doors. I hit very state in the Union east of the Mississippi except Maine, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Wisconsin and Minnesota. The split case transmission started coming apart and in 1973 that was a death sentence for one of these.
I’m still kicking myself for ever getting rid of it.
BTW, I bought it for $100, and no, it was running and driving van and not a project.
Zero to 60 mph in fifteen minutes.
Rw, your response was some what my thought when I saw the VW ad. But I have a little different take on it. I was lucky enough to meet Dave and Kevin before they were even doing Bitchen Rides. We had a business relation ship and it was very cool. The reason we had this was because even then, they were they were one of the best builders. I produced Car Shows and I wanted their builds in my Shows. They have since then built some of the coolest VW’s on the planet. This wasn’t done because they wanted to make the price of VW’s skyrocket. They built it for the love of the cars and their dedication to build the best of the best.They have also built a couple of 53 to 56 Ford F 100’s and they are of course the best of the best, “Thats what they do”. I also have built a few of these F 100’s. The last one I did was my best, I was very happy with the outcome, it was as good as I could do with my skills and bank account. I then started comparing it to other high end builds, like Kindigs and others and I realized I had a very nice truck. But it was not the quality of theirs and others. The point, I am trying to make is there will always be someting nicer and it is not fair, that just because that happens, it shouldn’t cause the market to go up. But it is the nature of the game and maybe its not a bad thing, that it can cause prices to jump. It depends on which side of the argument your on ,but really by days end, I think everyone gets a benefit from people like Dave and Kevin. It increases prices popularity and interest in the Car World.
You know, I saw their bus in Phoenix a few years back. Paint and panel fit were good and some interesting custom touches. BUT..As I walked up to it I turned to my Chevy buddy and said “Do you see it?” .. It took him a second but he laughed “Yep…BEETLE headlights!”
That’s a detail they missed. The bug and the bus have ALMOST the same headlights except for one tiny detail. The location of the drain hole. On the bug it’s aligned with the tab and screw that hold the bezel on because that’s the bottom of the lamp. Busses have them 90 degrees off from there as the tab and screw is on the side of the lamp. Details, details….Likely the original lamps were crud and they sourced new one but the only thing available is/was for the bug..
Located in San Dimas? Guess I will get in my phone booth with Bill & Ted and make a low ball offer in the past. EXCELLENT!!!
They are busses not vans
A friend of mine lost top gear on one of these, but still ran it for years – back in the early 1970s.
Lived in LA 70s worked for archers garage as a tow truck driver this company is still in buisness today as archers Vineland a opg official police garage we would pickup abandoned cars all over the San Fernando Valley picked.one up that had been sitting for over three days went to inpound yard after 30 days went to auction I purchased for 90.00 very clean with about 30000 miles fun car my neighbor a full blown hippy you could smell the pot from across the street he had to have it sold it to him for 250 and a bag of pot really would like to know where it is now looks like the one I had oh well we all make mistakes good luck to the seller at that price better come with a big bag of pot barry
Well it’s not my “perfect” ’67 21 window with a Westphalia interior I sold for six grand back in 1984……….as a matter of fact its just a rusty shell.
That someone has bid this to 22 grand is proof that insanity is contagious in the car hobby. But I do have a set of perfect tinted roof glass that I kept after restoring my aforementioned window bus. I’d let them go for……five grand. Any takers?
And almost everyone here thinks that old Porsches are overpriced…..
as are NEW Porsches……
Roof channels are solid?… Uhhh… maybe…. but the ROOF just above them is about 30% gone! I don’t mean rusty…. I mean GONE!!! There is nothing there! (the seller does a real good job of taking lots of pictures from just the right angle to not show the grim reality of the situation…) Whomever buys this bus had better be a pretty fine welder or this will get real expensive real fast! and what’s with the big hole in the bulkhead? (where the spare tire goes) Somebody just hacked out a great big chunk of it?! Good luck fixing that!
Agree with Gregg the camera angels are not showing the real damage it can be restored but at what cost I think when all said and done the new owner will be in it more than it is worth barry