1979 Volkswagen Type 2 Kombi Bus
Like the Beetle, the Volkswagen Type 2 Transporter is a true "world car," as likely to be found in Kathmandu, as in Valparaiso, Chile, or Pebble Beach. The Transporter shared the Type 1 Beetle's running gear, which provided it with excellent ground clearance and an ability to run economically and indefinitely on near kerosene. These adaptable attributes more than made up for the Transporter's modest power output and low top speed and helped spread it worldwide. Today the Volkswagen Type 2 is an iconic vehicle for nearly every generation of enthusiast.
For consignment, the quintessential must have nugget from the hippie past in the form of a wildly painted Kombi bus. It was painted in Las Vegas and per the consignor, the painter was a veteran of the Burning Man festival. But you knew that. And it was serviced in 2018 at Kombi Haus in Sacramento, California. So, what we have is a real west coast VW bus, man. Far out!
Exterior
No, you're not trippin', this thing really is a purple painted party on wheels. What we have is a psychedelic symphony of colors and shapes and wild things. The artist took a blank canvas and created a work of art with a purple base littered with mushrooms, (or shrooms if you prefer), lotus flowers, palm trees, yin-yang, peace symbols, stars, clouds, and squiggly things. A hidden Easter egg is a caterpillar taking a puffing a large cloudy exhale after a righteous toke of his bong. That said, the body is relatively straight. The upper white section, including the roof, has its share of surface rust and there's more down by the rocker panels. There's some at the base of the windshield and heavier in the drip rail. Don't sweat it, man. The 14-inch wheels have some surface rust, but the VW hubcaps are all there. Our favorite part might be the castle Wolfsburg decal on the back window. Pretty sweet.
Interior
Upon entry, we notice a little more rust on the sill plate. The door panels got passed over during the creative outburst, so they're pretty standard black vinyl with an air duct that runs from the hinge to a vent on the door. There's also a speaker at the base. They both show a bit of wear and looseness but are mostly intact. The same can be said for the bucket seats, also in black vinyl with some seam separation. The very simple two spoke steering wheel is in good condition and the basic dash has a speedometer in a plastic surround next to a circle of indicator lights. An aftermarket AM/FM/CD Pioneer radio is in place because Pete Seeger has to be heard! The floor mounted shifter for the automatic is tall, very bus like, and the floor is covered with a fitted rubber mat, a pure Volkswagen utilitarian trait. The headliner and sun visors show some wear towards the front, and some wear and staining is found on the back section of headliner and trim, as if rain may have seeped in through the top hinge. The back passenger area is pure Bohemian with purple carpet, (naturally), a handmade plywood platform covered in blue shag carpet. Some loosely wired house speakers are strewn about because Joan Biaz has to be heard! There are grab handles on the ceiling, a reminder that there were once three rows of seats. But fret not as our consignor is including the original bench seats with your purchase.
Drivetrain
A 2.0 liter flat 4-cylinder engine is on board in the back and it has electronic fuel injection. The transmission is the original 3-speed automatic which keeps the power in back and turns the tires via a 4.02 ratioed gear set. Power disc brakes up front are coupled with power drum brakes in back.
Undercarriage
Some residual oil on the pan and differential but does not appear to be actively leaking. The remainder of the undercarriage is driver quality with surface rust, some road grime and grease, but in general not horrible. Fully independent suspension is noted with a torsion arm suspension up front and transverse torsion bar arrangement in the rear. We note the power brake booster mounted underneath as well as the duct system from the engine forward. We check the door bottoms while on the lift and it's pretty gnarly, man. The weatherstripping is dryer than Dick Cavett and the surface rust is as red as Danny Bonaduce's hair. You dig?
Drive-Ability
We fired up the 67 horsepower and we were California Dreamin' as we rolled onto our loop. Feelin' groovy, we hit the throttle and it's no speed demon but then, we've got plenty of time. Turn, turn, turn, and it did alright. Then it was back to the edge of reality and time to park the bus and check out notes. It turns out, the radio doesn't work....bummer man! The horn is also inoperable as is the heater blower and the high beams.
"Get your bags together, go bring your good friends too, glide on the peace train". Seriously though, a classic VW bus with lots of potential. Running examples are getting harder to find and this one might be worth a look. If you're looking for fun, this bus has more kicks than Billy Jack. See it at the mall!
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