Following a mass roll-out of the Type 2 Beetle after World War II, Volkswagen introduced the Type 2 in 1950. Depending on the decade and country, the utility vehicle would go by a variety of names: Transporter, Microbus, Kombi, and – most commonly – Bus in the U.S. This 1972 edition is rather rusty from being sitting outdoors for many years, so restoration will be resource-intensive. From Alexandria, Virginia, this old VW is available here on craigslist for $4,900 OBO. Though it’s not one of the ones used as a “hippie” van back in the day, our thanks still go to Mitchell G. for the tip!

With its COE (cab over engine) design, the VW Bus would spawn competitors in the U.S., including Ford’s Econoline, Chevy’s Corvan, and Dodge’s A100. The second generation of the Bus would come in 1967 and lasted through 1979. Noticeable changes include the loss of the split front windshield and an overall increase in size. By 1972, the van used a 1,700-cc air-cooled engine that was 100-cc larger than the ones you’d find in the lighter and nimbler Beetle.

As the story goes, the second owner of this Bus (not the seller) bought it way back when with 54,000 miles. Another 10,000 were added to it and then it was parked (as running), had a tarp put over it, and the vehicle has sat there ever since (the covers have been replaced periodically). The tires are all flat, so loading this old van onto a flatbed could be tricky if they won’t hold air. But the seller has spares if you can mount them!

There’s a lot of rust present, so sourcing some replacement panels must be on the to-do list. Parts of the interior are okay, while others are well-toasted. There’s no idea if the engine will respond by just adding gas, so you should assume a worst-case scenario. Fortunately, the supply of these motors is fairly plentiful. The seller suggests this is a $23,000 van when restored, but it’s probably going to take more than the $18,000 spread from the asking price to get there.