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The Little Can That Could: Checking out the VW Minibus

September 9th, 2007

Yesterday I checked out the 1971 VW microbus on sale from Craigslist. Here’s my video walkthrough of the little bugga:

The van definitely has character. In this case character = nonfunctioning brakes. It’s the only vehicle I’ve ever driven that makes Flinstone’s brakes seem like advanced technology. I drove it around the neighbodhood and kept forgetting that it took about 100 feet to stop per every 10mph, but thankfully there were no cars or wayward childrens around. Human-power steering was another feature, but it actually made me feel like Sampson, so that was cool.

It had wooden floors, various moccasins strewn about, a sink and fridge (both for show more than anything), and a popdown bed that could sleep up to one full sized elf.

I really did like the van! What it lacked in safety and comfort, it made up for in character. If it weren’t for the prospect of heat stroke and necessitating walls to come to a complete stop, it may have been perfect.

Posted in Trip planning

3 Responses to “The Little Can That Could: Checking out the VW Minibus”

  1. Roger Says:
    September 11th, 2007 at 4:03 pm

    Again, sorry about harping on the bus… That bus needs a break job. Depending on the rest of condition, you should be able to pick it up for about 2 - 5 grand, the breaks would cost about 400 to completely replace..

    If the Odyssey’s break were to fail, you’d be looking at at least 1 thousand, and thats before they started ripping you off…

    Buy a chiltons for the bus and you could do the whole break job, on the side of the road, in the rain, take you about a half a day and cost you a couple of hundred bucks…

  2. Roger Says:
    September 11th, 2007 at 4:08 pm

    BTW, looking at that bus and not knowing mileage, rebuilds, etc.. Just the condition of the body and the original items included that bus is worth about 4-5K. Push for 4 and use the extra thousand to fix the breaks and make sure the muffler and heater boxes are at least intact as holes in the heater boxes are bad for heat ;-).. If you want more VW advice, I would be happy to help you…

  3. Kevin Says:
    September 11th, 2007 at 5:45 pm

    Just a thought…

    How about the largest UPs-style delivery vehicle you can find, that runs diesel, and work out a compact method for a biodiesel processor. Then you just might be able to make a good part of your trip without paying for gas at all, and the delivery vehicle would give WAY more headroom than anything else…

    Stink about it!

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