1978 Volkswagen Bus

Description

So when you're heading out on the road to follow your favorite band from city to city, this 1978 Volkswagen bus is probably what you should be driving. Nicely maintained with a pop-up camper top and a strong-running engine, it lives up to the legend and puts a smile on everyone's face who sees it.

Bright, sunny yellow works better on air-cooled Volkswagens than just about anything else, and when it was repainted a few years ago, it was exactly the right choice. It isn't the VW's original color, but nobody's checking pedigrees and it'll make finding your way home in a crowded field of campers that much easier. Fit and finish are typical VW, which is to say well above average, and while it has certainly been driven and enjoyed a bit, the overall look is a bus that's been loved. The front-mounted spare is possible because there's no radiator to worry about and the pop-up camper roof (not an OEM, but rather an ASI/Riviera conversion) keeps a low profile so the humble good looks are preserved. A few splashes of chrome like the bumpers and door handles add interest and there's a trailer hitch out back for a (very) small trailer.

Inside is where the action is, with a pair of swiveling bucket seats up front and a panoramic view through that giant windshield. In back, there are decent living quarters for a small family, including a dining booth that converts to a bed. The upholstery is in excellent condition with funky curtains that add to the VW's inviting look. Clever storage cubbies abound and the carpets are in very good condition considering that this bus can also be a home. A Sony AM/FM/cassette stereo provides adequate entertainment both on the road and at the campsite and the gauges are original and in good shape. The pop-up roof adds headroom and sleeping space and remains quite usable save for needing new screens, and new tops are still available and very reasonably priced. The whole thing's pretty darned neat, if you ask me.

VW's erstwhile and utterly reliable air-cooled flat four won't get you there quickly, but it will unquestionably get you there. This is actually one of the best-running VWs of any sort we've featured, and someone's obviously taken exceptional care of the mechanicals inside this bus. It starts easily and pulls with surprising gusto (it's all relative), and it has one of the most precise VW shifters (again, relative) that we've experienced. There's not much to look at in there, but you'll see signs of regular maintenance and correct replacement parts, not some hacked-up project by a backyard mechanic, and the ever-charming exhaust note will announce your presence before you even arrive. The underside is in good order with a remarkably uniform covering of dust and surface scale, but nothing seems to be amiss and again, there are signs that this VW has always been loved. Disc brakes up front, along with a rather large sway bar, make it feel confident in traffic and the ride is plush on the open road, where it cruises happily at 60 MPH. Standard steel wheels are painted white and wear VW hubcaps, along with a set of recent 180/75/14 blackwall radials.

America's love for the VW Microbus is alive and well, and owning this one makes you a member of a very enthusiastic group of folks. Call today!