I had wanted a bug since I was 11. In my teens and twenties I would always feel a pang of envy at the mere sight of somebody's VW keys. Volkswagen was in my blood. But so was speed, so I always bought old Detroit muscle. Then the New Beetle was born and I snapped one up like a duck on a June bug. It was glorious. Then after a couple years I decided I wanted a camper. As it turned out, the new beetle couldn't tow so much as a falafel cart, according to the manual. In need of a new toy and deprived of my camper, I bought a '74 Super Beetle. When I got it home and finally sat in it, I realized I could roll down both windows and adjust both outer mirrors at the same time, while steering with my calves. Tragically, I was wearing this car like a snug vest. We were never meant to be. Still sitting in my new Super Beetle, feeling like a child who's just lost his double scoop to a seagull, it struck me. (hit by a bus, so to speak) I knew immediately that a Westy would solve all my problems. What I didn't know was that I would eventually grow to love a bus with a passion I could never have for a bug. After months of research, scouring Ebay and pricing bus fare to far off cities to bring home a new baby, I actually found Buckminster just a few miles away on craigslist. He had been in a garage for years and he was in pieces. You know the story. Husband decides to play mechanic and rebuild his engine. Gives up half way through. The better part of a decade later, Wife says either the bus goes or she does. Poor old Buckminster is the worst color I could have found, but he was just too fine to pass up. 74,000 miles, virtually rust free, flawless cabinetry, missing only the front cot. It even has the jack, original ac power cord, the manuals and the original unopened first aid kit, complete with vintage band aids and surgical tape. He also has every option including the dash clock and A.C.. magnolia or not, he was coming home with me. The engine was rebuilt and installed with loving care at a Volkswagen dealership. They also went over it from front to back and put everything in perfect working order. I did have to replace the tent, as mice had made an apartment complex out of the original. And the buffing and tweaking, as you know is endless, but I love every minute of it. These rope lights are not nearly as bright as the camera shows. They create perfect pub-like lighting throughout and I have hung beads in front of them to soften any glare. My trusty Mr. Buddy heater for off-season camping.
Indeed. I've had some of the best sleep of my entire life in this bus. Have you ever slept in your bus by the beach where you could hear the ocean? Holy crap. Then a thunder storm rolled in. I thought I would never wake up again.
I got the same bus, we go away all the time, I don't like sand though cos its got salt in it, I'm paranoid about salt on my bus lol. That's bad. Not taking a bus to the beach is like,.. like those old ladies who buy the fancy candles and refuse to light them. Or fancy guest towels that nobody is allowed to use. Go to the beach for fart's sake. It's a bus, not a Holy relic. They're called a vacuum and a garden hose. Use them when you get back. Problem solved.
That's just sad. It is such a pleasure having Buckminster right on the beach with me. Drinks in the fridge, hot dogs on the stove, all my beach gear right there. Not to mention how good an old bus looks on a beach. It just looks right. You should stop gilding that bus's lily for a moment and just go off-roading or something. lol I suspect you might want a Valium for that.
we go to the beach in ours all the time wash it throughly underneath and regular wax oil.....they are surf buses after all 8) ;D ;D
And this is the air conditioner arrangement. Sorry it's so blurry. I must have had the flash turned off. I was told the air works but I never hooked up the compressor. It needs hoses and a charge, but the old freon is illegal now, so it also needs to be converted. I was then told these old compressor's gaskets usually blow from the increased pressure of the new conversion. I can still get freon from Mexico, or garage hoarders on on ebay, but they say these old systems draw loads of power and lifespan from the engine and offer little cold air in return. So perhaps I'll just sell the old compressor and put the money towards a modern one.
Excellent, I'm going to fit my dash unit but fit a modern compressor I don't fancy cutting the engine bay.
