Custom builds are typically designed to stand out in a crowd, and this 1972 Volkswagen Short Bus ticks that box. It appears its creator performed the work to a high standard, and the Corvair motor transplant should provide a significant performance gain. It is a turnkey proposition needing nothing, although there is scope for personalization if the new owner wishes to make their mark on this classic. I must say a big thank you to Barn Finder Tony P for spotting the VW listed here on Craigslist in Shorewood, Wisconsin. The seller set their price for this quirky beast at $27,900 OBO.
Volkswagen introduced the Second Generation of its T2 Bus in 1967, with the final vehicles rolling out of North American showrooms in 1979. Larger and heavier than its predecessor, one of the most noticeable changes was the introduction of the one-piece windshield. This Bus rolled off the line in 1972, but much has changed since that day. Somebody has taken a big slice out of the vehicle’s middle, eliminating the entire area previously occupied by the side door. It is unclear when this occurred, but the seamless finish suggests that the builder performed the work to a high standard. They didn’t stop there, applying a striking combination of Turquoise and White paint, helping the already distinctive Volkswagen to stand out. As with the panels, the paint presents extremely well, and since the seller has kept the vehicle safely parked in a climate-controlled garage, it should be rust-free. The tinted glass is in good condition, and the reproduction BRM wheels add to the visual appeal.
The amount of steel cut from this Bus during the build would have dramatically reduced the curb weight. Therefore, had the builder left it mechanically stock, outright performance would have improved markedly. However, its creator didn’t restrict the custom touches to the body, because they discarded the VW flat-four in favor of a 145ci flat-six from a Chevrolet Corvair. Teamed with a two-speed Powerglide transmission, they quote a power output of 84hp. The Powerglide might take the edge off the motor slightly, but it should still feel pretty energetic. The seller recently fitted a new custom exhaust, a remanufactured starter, and a new battery. They performed a complete service, cleaned the carburetors, and treated the vehicle to a tune-up. They say that it runs and drives perfectly, and can be considered a turnkey proposition.
We haven’t finished with the custom touches, because this VW’s interior brings more to the table. The seller fitted the seats with new tweed upholstery, adding ABS door and side trims for a clean look. They repainted the dash in the same White as found on the exterior, bringing us to one of the few potential weaknesses. The finish around the gauge cluster is inconsistent and looks slightly rough around the edges. Fixing it shouldn’t be difficult, but it is a curious fault considering the high standard of finish elsewhere. They finished the roof in bedliner, but that and the cargo area could be where the buyer makes their mark. It presents quite nicely in its current form, but a custom headliner and covering some of the exposed steel, such as the area behind the seats, with appropriate material would give it a more “complete” look, and would reduce interior noise as a happy consequence. However, doing so would be a matter of personal choice.
The longer I scrutinize the seller’s listing images, the more the word “quirky” springs to mind. This 1972 Volkswagen Short Bus is designed to draw crowds, and it would also make an excellent promotional vehicle for any business. The seller’s price isn’t cheap, but when we consider the engineering involved in the conversion, creating a replica for that figure would be challenging. It has only been on the market for a day, but how quickly do you think it will find a new home?
Looks….well…, dangerous, but done nicely.
What he said, dangerous. Perhaps applying “wheely” bars to both ends might make it a bit more safe.
Well, Thames beat me to it. Someone figured out a way to make these things even more dangerous. Starting with a dangerously underpowered bus that already had a twitchy front end at highway speeds, especially with any sort of cross wind, and a crumple zone that consists of your knees, hips snd face, and give it the wheel base of a riding lawnmower. Winner of this year’s annual Ralph Nader Safety Award without a doubt
It has a Corvair motor, so one could argue that it’s “on-brand…”
Whoever made this rode the short bus.
Cool, but not $27,900 cool. I would have picked a different shade of green.
The blacked-out windows thankfully make sure nobody recognizes you when driving this.
a good thing.
I’d like to see a little more in the WB, needs @ least 7.5 – 9 ft minimum, if not there now. Dash is ‘over done’ for me (some contrasts in there, plez).
Like to see how the cheb drive train went in (motor mounts’n towers, etc).
Another addition to my “gee, look what some of these guys have for skill” but design, engineering here, leave questions. Lub ta see up close, on lift, etc~
Makes me think about the jeeps that were flipping over in sharp solemns…
The term “short bus” means different things to different people. When I was a kid, physically and mentally challenged kids were treated much differently. Typically, they didn’t mingle well with the “regular” kids, and we treated them terribly because they were different, and more of a parent denial than anything, and they would ride on smaller “short school buses”, and that’s where that came from. Luckily we’ve moved on from that.
Does anyone actually have any experience driving these shortened jobs? It must have the Corvair transaxle, as I remember VW/Corvair swaps, but the Corvair turned the opposite way(?) than the VW, and a special cam was offered when paired to a VW axle.
Again, a lot of work done here, I would question anyone’s sanity if they actually were interested, like the Checker, THIS is what you spent the money on, with little chance of recovery?,,These people sure missed out on basic economics. Maybe they didn’t have a tight wad like my old man to show them how to be frugal.
Really no comparing the Checker to this. This is an atrocity! The Checker was simply modified to increase performance and maintains its appearance and integrity. This is a butcher job that can never be returned to its former status.
I’d love to have the Checker. This would be an embarrassment to even be seen in.
In a local community post a couple of months ago, one of the most “politically incorrect” insults resulted with “Put on your helmet and get on the short bus!” That’s the first thing that came to mind after viewing the title here. Now my wife and I are retired from the field after many years. No excuse for seeing humor in the unexpected?
These are not about economics, they are about passion – and that ‘s what it’s supposed to be I guess, for me it is anyway.
Well, it is less dangerous in two ways– it has enough power to get out of its own way, and presents less of a sideways target.
Bet it corners great! A hideous waste of what once was probably a restorable VW bus. People that do this have no appreciation for classic vehicles.
Appears to be nicely done, but the only use IMHO is to do wheel stands in a parade. Hopefully a Shriner buys it.
What a dangerous way to spend your money!!!! This does NOT look safe enough to drive off the lot, let alone up the road!!!!
I hear my mom calling.
considering what a nice VW bus brings nowadays it is a shame somebody did this to a bus. that thing looks way unsafe.
My teachers always said I ought to ride on one of those.
Someone I knew had one of these shortened VW buses when I was in high school. We’d put a few guys in the very back and the owner would pop the clutch and it would do wheelies although not stay in the air very long. Thanks for the memories!
I had a Corvair powered 69 bus it had a reverse cam in it. Motor vibrated because running in reverse the motor balance was way off. Would do wheelies if you pumped the throttle it would hop all 4 off the ground. 80 plus on the freeway with bias plies was truly terrifying.
“Unsafe at any speed”.
-R. Nader Personally, I like it.
A friend put a Corvair engine in a mid 60’s bus, he didn’t shorten it though. It would pull the front wheels off the ground on launch. It was a very unsafe conversion: too much power! It was so unsafe he reversed the modification and sold it. But when we were teens we never gave safety a 2nd thought!
With good traction you can probably pop a wheelie in this mongrol However, I’d never drive anywhere on a highway or in high winds.
Instead of “serious offers only” they should ask for “are you serious? offers only”.
Okay, people more knowledgeable than me; what do you think the wheelbase is on this thing? I grew up in Southern California and saw several of these conversions but NEVER one this short. I would say the wheelbase is AT LEAST a foot if not a foot and a half shorter than any I saw.
This thing would give a ride like being on a wash board
Two thoughts came to mind when I saw this: watch out for side winds and cornering at over 20mph or trouble could follow. It might be fine for short around town jaunts but I wouldn’t take it beyond it’s limits.. and to my mind in that regard the Corvair engine was probably a waste of money. If I owned it (which I wouldn’t) I’d cut out the rear wheel wells and put reverse rims and fat tires on it to at least give it more lateral stability.
Talk about dangerous! 20 MPH turn and this thing is crashing onto its side. Stiff wind? Forget it. Overpriced by $25K. What would possess someone to mount a tall bus onto a lawn mower wheelbase frame? I do like the color, however.
There was an episode of Fast & Loud where they acquired one of these, not as well done as this one though. It was horribly unstable so they had to put a bunch of work into it for only marginal improvement.. no way I’d ever get in one!
This one brings back a lot of memories . I new a gentlemen that made 2 of them . One was Red the other Purple. He lived in Green Bay WI. He also made 6 trikes . The last one he made was out of a station wagon, and a trailer to match was of a Childs coffin . It was always fun cruising in his toys. I still have the first buggy he ever made , I learned to drive with it . My children have just as much fun with it as I did.