VW to end production of classic bus

[Oaktree]

VW has announced that after 63 years, production of their type 2 bus will end this Friday in Brazil. Full story is here.

I never really got into the whole VW thing, but my wife still gets misty when she sees the occasional old Beetle on the road.

 

[deepNdirt]

I never got into or had a desire to own a VW bus, after having ridden in one I realize there were much better ridding Vans available,
Although I've had many Standard and Super Beetle's over the years,
I throughly enjoy restoring them or converting them to Baha's , There is one VW I've been wanting to find,
is ( The Thing ) all that I have found has either been beyond restoring and/or the price wasn't realistic, Meanwhile I currently have another Bug ('73 ) awaiting a resto, My granddaughter loves these things, so I have a little while before needing to finish it, will likely hand it down to her when she's old enough

 

[brin]

I too am looking for a VW Thing...and have been for a couple of years now....We must be competing with each other in our local Craig's List...LOL

 

[sparc]

There are at least two Things for sale on CL Philadelphia, here's one but its no fixer-upper.

Vw Thing

Here's the other;


1973 VW Thing

 

[/pine]

An end to the bane of drivers everywhere...!

 

[Bird]

Several times in my life, I got to thinking a VW beetle or bus might be a practical and economical vehicle for me to have. Each time, all I had to do was visit a dealer and drive one around the block, and I knew I did NOT want one.

 

[MikeInEburg]

Back in 1982 - just out of high school, I bought a '72 bus from a student at Hopkins who was graduating - it was parked at a frat house and it had to go. It had four new Pirelli tires, almost worth the $200 I paid.

It was an interesting vehicle. Heat was non-existent. It had a wind-chill factor. My then-girlfriend had never experienced a vehicle that was so cold - even with the optional passenger-side sleeping bag. Several years later, she married me anyway.

Without the seats, it was a huge warehouse on wheels. I could haul a 4X8 sheet of plywood easily. Or with one seat, it holds four friends and a quarter keg for a long Ocean City weekend. The sunroof leaked and, after a rain, a deluge of water would flow from the reservoir between the roof and headliner. Care with brakes would help to control the destination.

When I first brought the bus home, my dad made several disparaging remarks about the waste of money, etc. After I left home, he adopted the bus as his own. When it finally died, he replaced it with another a year or two newer.

Now some thirty years later, I remember the bus fondly. But in the end, I mostly remember how cold it was. Heat is good.

 

[phiferpharm]

Back in College MANY years ago, I swapped my 67 Mustang for my brother's VW Van to take a group of Frat brothers to a convention in South Carolina. We got so tired of holding down the accelerator, and still not being able to keep up with the other cars. we put a brick on the gas peddle. The trip took forever at 58 mph wide open (or less uphill) and I didn't even want to ride in that %$^ thing after that.

 

[RoyJackson]

I remember those buses...and how much of a pain they were in a cross wind. Think I'll pass...

 

[smstonypoint]

This thread reminded me of Wendy Bagwell's story about "Ol' Ralph Bennett's Volkswagen." You will enjoy the tale if you appreciate Southern humor.

Steve