As it comes up to the Christmas season, some of us are looking forward to sitting down with loved ones and getting a chance to eat plenty over the festive break. Some of us (most of the readers here) will cherish the extra time we might be able to spend on their project cars during the break! However, for those who can’t leave Christmas behind, how about this – a Santa-coloured 1975 Volkswagen Kombi Type II painted rather splendidly in white and red. If this is up your chimney, then head over to eBay here where there are 4 days left on the auction with bidding at just over $10,000 and reserve not met. If you want to pick it up in time for Christmas, make sure you live close to Salt Lake City, Utah and get the reindeers ready to haul it back.
This VW Bus is in great condition, thanks to its low mileage of just 55,000. This is the 15-window bus, so popular amongst VW bus enthusiasts and like the seller states, this is in timewarp condition. There is no mention of restoration, but given that it’s in such condition, even after 55k miles it’s likely to have had quite a lot of work on it. It’s powered by the 1.5 liter flat four engine which is not the most powerful but gives the bus its distinctive rattle.
Exterior wise we have that beautiful paintwork, which other than the Santa jokes, is actually really suited for the bus and would work year-round. However, its the interior which looks the best, from its small, neat curtains to spotless seats and carpets, it’s stunning. It even has a wire bottle holder mounted to the dash. Given the prices these command, I think this will end up selling well above the current highest bidders offer.
I personally have never been a huge fan of these, but with this example, I can see myself coming around to liking them more and more. This would be ideal for those short trips in a dry climate, to try and preserve the car as it is in its timewarp condition. Given these are a mainstay of classic VW ownership, and with revived interest in these thanks to the new VW ID Buzz EV bus, this is likely to have a long life ahead of it. So is this one delivery from Santa you would like to receive this year?
A sleigh pulled by 8 tiny reindeer would probably be faster!
You can say that again! I never understood the appeal
Pretty typical tarted-up Brazilian bus. Build quality, raw materials far lower quality than German build. Lot of these hitting the market lately.
There’s another ’75 on eBay just like this one only blue, they are asking $40k for it.
Brazilian buses may be of lower quality – however I’m sure a so-so put together rust free Braz bus makes a far more tempting option for many than a completely rusted out hulk of German descent.
Maybe finally Brazil has come up with a niche export product that this world actually needs…?
You have just described the typical “restored” German bus.
A good restored or original Brazilian or Mexican Volkswagen is as good as German.
Hmm, das interest iz kaput? 1st, it’s a very nice example, I’m not a total, I can see the attraction. At $10,101, and 30 bids, it’s going up a dollar at a time, tells me, they aren’t the $20 or $30,000 vehicle some might have paid. $10gs seems plausible. I can’t see why the “23” window gets all the glitz, it’s the same bus. There’s a small attraction for these out here in Hippieland, on any given road trip, there’s usually one at the side of the road. VW buses are not my cup of tea, for a wide variety of safety reasons, but for a trip to the Dairy Queen with the kids, or to the beach, as long as no interstates are involved, this is great fun. Just leave plenty of time to get there.
If that Santa is delivering gifts in that,you might not get them
until next Christmas.
This couldn’t be a German-made bus because the US stopped getting this style in ’68 due to a redesign. I was unaware Brazil kept making these as long as they did. Still it’s a nice unit and a lot of people could be fooled into thinking it’s the original German bus. One nice thing is, it makes more power than the original bus did since it has a larger motor.
Very nice bus….great color combo..don’t care where it was built.
what distinguishes the Brazilian bus from the German bus? I have seen actual examples of both and still can’t see the difference.
And along with what can be seen/not seen, what was the difference in actual build quality?
Nothing, snobbery maybe 😂
THE GERMANS HAD ABANDONED THE SPLIT SCREEN DESIGN
BY 1968 & THE CORNER WINDOWS BOWED OUT IN THE EARLY 60’s .
THEY SENT THE TOOLING FOR THESE EARLIER DESIGNS TO BRAZIL WHERE SOLDIERED ON INTO THE MID 70’s EVENTUALLY REPLACED WITH BAY WINDOW STYLE FRONTS BUT KEEPING THE CORNER WINDOW BACK FOR ANOTHER 30 YEARS !
SO WE WIND UP WITH BUSES MADE IN THE 70’s THAT STILL HAVE THE CHARM OF THE ONES MADE IN GERMANY 15 YEARS EARLIER .
MY FAVORITE VW BRAZIL BUS HAS 6 DOORS !
THESE WERE SOLD ORIGINALLY AS TAXIS AND ARE UNIQUE
IN THE WORLD OF BUSES .
SOME THE KARMANN GHIAs BUILT IN BRAZIL WERE A STRANGE
MIXTURE OF MISMATCHED YEARS SEEMINGLY BUILT FROM LEFT OVER PARTS BINS .
THEY ALSO DEVELOPED K-GHIA TC FASTBACK COUPE
NOT SOLD IN THE STATES .
Hey man, your CAPS lock is on 🙄
Wow! What a great vehicle for short
trips ’round town or delivering Door
Dash. One thing’s for sure, the ease
of repair and great gas mileage would make it fairly cheap to keep.
Glad to see they finally added a gas
gauge to it though. My folks had a ’58
base model bus that didn’t have one.
Dad used a wooden stick to check the fuel level twice a week. We used it for everything. He even turned it
into a camper that slept four people
comfortably. I was 9 or 10 back then
and still recall it to this day. What a
portrait this’ll make– after I get the
portrait of my niece’s Mustang ready
for Christmas that is.
Last ebay auction that did not reach reserve…https://www.ebay.com/itm/285062404183
I’m not a VW fan in the first place, but this one would be a nightmare driving on our roads around here, (very hilly and very curvy roads). Trying to get up a head of steam to make it up some our roads around here would be a problem.
Yep, I had a ’72 Super Beetle that used to worry me going up the Skyway Bridge at Tampa Bay – I’d have downshifted to 2nd gear by the time I reached the pinnacle – but underpowered cuteness is part of the 60s/70s throwback experience!
Pleease, I had a dodgy experience going over the Skyway a few years ago when, unbeknownst to me, rust was coming up from the tank into the carb of my ’75 2002. It bucked and sputtered, but I made it over the Skyway, white as a ghost.
Then it did it again on the Frankland Bridge a mile from the airport exit. I made it, but it was pretty nerve-wracking.
As a kid my mom had a 70 bus that must of been German b/c of the newer design. I, my 6’7 brother, his three kids, mom and grandma traveled all over in that thing. We even pulled a small pop up camper. Going through the Smokies we were probably down to 15 mph before reaching the top of every hill. Always got there eventually. Great childhood memories!
Looking at the corner windows it would be a “62 or earlier if German built- I didn’t realize that the Brazilian buses had kept the skinny tailgate and corner windows so long…
Awesome looking VW Kombi/Microbus. I’ve always loved this generation Transporter. I love the two-tone colour combination. There is one question I have: are you sure it’s a 1975 VW Kombi? Judging by the split windscreen in front, it looks like a 1965 VW Kombi.
Some of these have sold on BAT for good money. Don’t under estimate the appeal of a cheaper affordable VW Bus.
That Comedian Fluffy Inglesias has a trove of VW buses, he and Jay Leno drove one around LA, got on the freeway did 50 mph, scary in modern traffic, imagine having an Escalade behind you!!!