Just added up what I'll be spending on my old VW Bus

[DurocShark]

Some of you remember when I bought my 1973 VW hitop bus back in Feb. According to the paperwork that came with it, the bus started life as a tourist delivered (picked up in Germany, driven around Europe, then shipped home to Cali) Westfalia camper. At some point in the past it was converted to a hitop camper and some mods were done to the inside. By the time I bought it for $700 someone had been living in it for quite a while, and it was a complete basket case.

I've spent the past coupla months just getting it running solid. Compression is still around 100psi all around, so the engine has a way to go before I need to rebuild it. Now I can start to look at what exactly I need to do to get it better than new... The way the wife and I want. Using the http://www.busdepot.com price lists I put together a "to-do" list with part numbers and prices. These do NOT include labor, most of which will be provided by moi.

Including a new engine and tranny, body sheet metal, upholstery, custom interior, all new rubber, and miscellaneous parts, but NOT paint and body work, the total comes to:

$6000!!!!!!

Of course, this is spread over the next coupla years, but I'm thinking about sending my 13 yo son off to get a job.

Pics (Not updated in a while).
Lots more pics that haven't been added to the website yet

 

[Red]

Well worth it if you can make that thing look close-to-new =) People spend $6,000 on way more stupid things.

 

[DurocShark]

Originally posted by: Red
Well worth it if you can make that thing look close-to-new =) People spend $6,000 on way more stupid things.

Agreed. I still couldn't buy a new minivan for anywhere near that. But it *is* kinda scary. heh

Added a link to the website with my bus. I forgot that it wasn't in my sig anymore.

 

I can cut that cost in half if you would just box it up and ship it to me.

Never, ever, EVER buy anything from the Bus Depot unless it is an emergency, they know they have you by the family jewels and their prices reflect this, go visit as many VW shows as possible, most of them have excellent swap areas where private owners sell and swap parts for cheap..

You should have let me known, I just gave away the engine that used to reside in my Bus before the Corvair engine transplant.

 

[DurocShark]

Originally posted by: Roger
I can cut that cost in half if you would just box it up and ship it to me.

Never, ever, EVER buy anything from the Bus Depot unless it is an emergency, they know they have you by the family jewels and their prices reflect this, go visit as many VW shows as possible, most of them have excellent swap areas where private owners sell and swap parts for cheap..

You should have let me known, I just gave away the engine that used to reside in my Bus before the Corvair engine transplant.

Well, the engine's still got some miles to go, so I'm cool. BusDepot averaged out as having the best prices compared to BusBoys, Cip1, or WW. Plus I had their catalog in my hands at the moment.

A lot of the stuff isn't necessary (my CV joints are fine, but the boots are cracking so I listed whole kits for all 4). That sort of thing. Plus it's including sheet metal replacement, not just bondo or fiberglass fill. And carpeting and padding the entire inside of the bus.

I'm just happy there is little chassis rust. Body is rusty, but the frame and chassis are pretty clean. I'm guessing the DPO had been getting the underside taken care of, while ignoring the body... :roll:

I don't think I have a box big enough for my bus. Let me look.... Hmm... that's gonna take a lot of packing peanuts...

 

[Ornery]

Nice page layout there.

I don't have the patience for such a project. I'd rather just pay the freight for a turn key ride. Not like I'd get out of doing some work on it anyway, being old & all. Good luck with that puppy, it should be fun in the end.

 

I do believe I have a black plastic air intake grill for the front of your Bus Duroc, it does not look good with it missing.

 

[Brutuskend]

Just be glad the VW emblem on the front is still there.

Have you priced THOSE!??!


Nice bus BTW!

 

[DurocShark]

Originally posted by: Roger
I do believe I have a black plastic air intake grill for the front of your Bus Duroc, it does not look good with it missing.

Thanks... I actually bought both the plastic screen and the metal grill and put them on last week. No pics yet tho...

Heading out right now to figure out why my brake lights don't work anymore.

 

[DurocShark]

Originally posted by: Brutuskend
Just be glad the VW emblem on the front is still there.

Have you priced THOSE!??!


Nice bus BTW!

heh. yeah.

This one's coming off though because I have a nose spare tire mount that's going there... I may buy a chrome one sometime in the future for the cover though. This one is crappy plastic.

 

[Brutuskend]

Originally posted by: DurocShark

Originally posted by: Brutuskend
Just be glad the VW emblem on the front is still there.

Have you priced THOSE!??!


Nice bus BTW!

heh. yeah.

This one's coming off though because I have a nose spare tire mount that's going there... I may buy a chrome one sometime in the future for the cover though. This one is crappy plastic.

Ahhh, been stolen and replaced already then it sounds like.

 

[goblue420]

why would u waste so much time on a POS

 

[Vic]

There are 2 types of aircooled VW restorers out there. (1) Those who know that some 25 million aircooled VW's were made and so that there is literally a limitless supply of used and remanufactured parts out there to be had for cheap. (2) Those who foolishly think that new and OEM is the only way to go, and so get their asses ripped off.

For one thing, don't buy a new engine and transmission, rebuild your existing for God's sake. Don't spend $$$ to replace that crap OEM exhaust either, build or buy a cheap equal-length set of headers (runs and sounds so much nicer). I could go on....

Before you dump $6k, remember also that 70's aircooled VW's are unacceptable to some collectors, and so will never acheive the same kind of value that older models have.

 

[Turin39789]

my plan, take a week or two off, and drive to new england. roger fixes my bug and i can stop yelling at parts source

 

[DurocShark]

Originally posted by: goblue420
why would u waste so much time on a POS

Thanks for the thread crap.


Because the Type4 engines aren't being made anywhere anymore (unlike aftermarket 1600's), I will NOT be letting my original engine go anywhere. I said a new (rebuilt) engine. Didn't say anything about giving my core up. I've rebuilt a Datsun (Nissan) engine once. VW engines seem to be a WHOLE lot easier. heh

The tranny is about a $500 for a rebuilt one. $250 core. I may or may not turn my core in when I do that swap, but the tranny needs to come first because my 3rd gear syncro is shot. I'd like to do both of 'em in one fell swoop (only drop the engine once). So it may have to wait until bonus time or tax return time. But it's running fine now so I can work on other stuff...

I know it will never be worth anything to anyone but me. Fully restored I'd be lucky to get $3k. Why? Because the original Westfalia top is long gone. An aftermarket hitop is less than worthless if I try to sell. But having a nice camper van that I can also drive to work every day is well worth the $$.

 

my plan, take a week or two off, and drive to new england. roger fixes my bug and i can stop yelling at parts source

I'm ready, willing and waiting.

 

[DurocShark]

Originally posted by: Roger

my plan, take a week or two off, and drive to new england. roger fixes my bug and i can stop yelling at parts source

I'm ready, willing and waiting.

Now THAT would be a long drive for me... heh

Just spent 4 hours loving my bus. Fixed lots of electrical crap (the infamous "Hippy Wiring") and sealed up the cooling tin holes (from removing the heat exchangers). Running strong and sweet.

Every time I drive this bus I realize how it's worth way more than $6k to me.

Time for a :beer: now.