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For Sale: Today for your consideration I am listing my very own daily driver/rolling-relic shop vehicle. It's a really clean 1978 Volkswagon Automatic Custom Cab-and-a-half bus to pick-up conversion with 41,000 OG miles. THIS IS A NO RESERVE AUCTION.
Note: Please note that I will be out of town from Monday July 7th until Wednesday July 9th. I will answer any questions interested buyers may have when I return on Wednesday, because there is no cell phone or computer service where I am going. ( Hiking @ Red River Gorge) Thanks
I've owned this vehicle since last year. I picked it up in North Carolina from a gentleman who used to only take it to car shows. He won several trophies on it in the custom class. Since it came from North Carolina and was always garaged when it wasn't being shown, it has virtually NO RUST. Here in the Midwest we are used to seeing rusty bugs and bus's but this one is clean in all of the usually rusty places. Battery box, floor pans, outriggers, and frame are all in great condition. This thing gets tons of looks and questions wherever it goes. I can't even take it to the gas station...when I come out there's always a crowd of people around it and about 10-15 minutes worth of questions to answer. The complete description is as follows:
41,000 and change OG miles (never turned over)
I was told that it began it's life and it's service as a transport vehicle for a now defunct. amusement park in North Carolina. When the amusement park died one of the maintainence men bought this bus and took it home where it remained for about ten years and was rarely used. It was then sold to another guy who again hardly ever drove it but used it to camp in occassionally. Then it was purchased by Ron, who is the gentleman that I purchased it from...making me the 5th owner, you could be number 6.
I bought this vehicle with 34,000 and change on it. I have put 7,000 miles on it in the last 7 months. I've driven it daily and for extended periods as I drive about 150 miles a day round-trip. It runs and drives very nice. The 2.0L engine and automatic transmission makes it great for the highway. It's favorite speed is about 70mph, but it goes much faster than that. It just hums down the road. The trans shifts smoothly and on time. It's probably one of the best automatics I've ever owned.
Since I've owned it I've done a few things here and there to make it a better running and driving vehicle.
I installed a weber 32/36 Progressive carb. I had one here at the shop. (This vehicle was originally fuel injected.)
New brakes in the front.
I've changed all of the rubber lines, fuel, vacuum, etc.
12V Rotary style fuel pump and manual 15 amp cutoff switch.
Complete tune-up just done New wires, cap, rotor, points, plugs and oil change.
New fuel filter (glass, cleanable element type).
When I got this V-dub none of the lights worked. I've spent some time on the wiring. I have repaired a lot of things but there are still a few small things that need to be addressed. I will do as much to it as I can before it sells. Don't get me wrong, all of the critical things work. Little things like the cigarette lighter and the horn(keeps poppin the fuse) still need to be repaired. I'll work on them a bit this week while the auction is going on.
It has a good set of tyres on it with great tread but they are just "regular tyres" nothing special, with hub caps. Stock black, 14" steel-wheels under it all.
It has a set of Pontiac Fiero GT Bucket seats in it with speakers in the headrests. (I never tried to hook them up). I also put on a set of tan and brown seat covers that match the paint scheme pretty well. But they were not expensive covers. The interior looks pretty decent, the dash is nice and uncracked and uncut. It has a new AM/FM Cassette player in it. The door panels are in good shape no tears, brown with black arm rests. Black carpet and perfect original rubber floor mats throughout.
New German windshield seal and the original windshield. The wipers work great on both speeds. New wiper blades.
Newer paint job. Not a show quality paint-job by any stretch of the imagination but it looks pretty nice. It's peeling a little inside of the bed area I think you can see it in one or two of the pics. It is brown and beige. They are period Volkswagon bus colors. There are a few rock chips on the nose but the nose is extremely nice.
Now folks, you must understand that this is a relatively highly, customized vehicle. The frame and running gear is all stock Volkswagon, but the body has been changed quite a bit, however, it is extremely soild and almost everything on the exterior of the vehicle is stock v-dub steel. The inside of the bed area is where most of the fabrication work was done so don't be worried that this vehicle isn't sound. On the contrary it is EXTREMELY sound and there is virtually no filler in it anywhere, just around the rear of the cab area to cover welds. The upper body, from about 2 feet behind the seat pedestals, was removed and the original rear hatch area was then moved to the back of the cab and welded into place. So the cab now has a liftgate or hatch. A nice job was done but there a a couple of cracks in the filler at the base of the cab, right under the beltline as it curves around the cab. In addition there is some cracking on the side cargo door (which is now hinged) and is located where the old door handle was, when it used to be a sliding door. You can't really see it until you get close to it. It cracked in the winter,while I was driving it. I do drive it a lot. Custom rails were made to install over the body sides. The engine access hatch is a really nice feature. It is now hinged and allows the entire engine/compartment to be exposed, making it really accessable. and much easier to work on. There is also a very large storage area right behind the seats. It's way big and easily carries tools and small equipment with no problem, easy access through the rear cab hatch from either inside the bed or inside the cab. I think it's an incredible set-up, it's comfortable, user friendly and works well with the vehicle.
Another Note: For all of those who asked questions and just to give a bit better description.
All the locks work with one key.
It also has a 009 Distributor (I prefer the vacuum advance type) as I feel they perform better for day to day driving.
It has a set of large 3-bolt flange heater boxes on it and a header exhaust system. The shrouds from around the heater boxes have been removed, but the rest of the heating system is in tact. (I never bothered with the heating system)
The only things that this vehicle needs are:
1-A new set of rubber boots for the CV axels. The boots are split. One was cracked when I bought it but now all 4 are ripped. Not a big deal. I could fix it for about $150.00. I will fix it upon your request for the additional $150.00 for parts and labor.
If I was going to keep it I would install a set of volkswagon bus dual carbs and get rid of the weber progressive, then I would go back to a vacuum advance distributor and take out the 009. 009's are race equipment and this is not a high performance race car. Like I said, I feel that vacuum advance distributors perform better for day-to-day driving especially in town driving. But that's just my personal taste.
Some small wiring things like the cig lighter, horn, etc.
Maybe some better seats, something more modern, just my personal taste.
I can't say enough good things about this vehicle. It's a lot of fun to drive and it's a great conversation piece. It works well but I just want to move on to another project (or two). I recently aquired a 73' pop-top camper that I am building and I also have a 65 SO45 Split bus that I am working on and getting ready to list here as well, in addition to several others. I'm just thinning the herd a bit to make some space.
Please Bid with confidence. I don't think you'll be dissapointed with this purchase. This truck is not perfect by any means but I have all the confidence in the world that you could come here and drive it home to anywhere in the country. I've driven it out of state, on several occassions, with no problems. It always gets me there and back.
Now for the terms of purchase:
There are no warranties expressed or implied as this is a 30 year old vehicle. It is sold as-is-where-is, meaning it has to either be picked here or shipping arrangements must be made with me at the end of the auction. I expect a 10% deposit at the close of the auction. I don't care how it's paid but I prefer paypal for deposits. We can discuss the balance of payment and I will work with THE WINNING BIDDER in any way that I can.
However, I am going on vacation on July 15th for 2 weeks. I would like to see this thing gone and paid for before I leave. Please understand I will not be here to help you after that date.
NOTE: DO NOT BID IF YOU CAN NOT BUY. WHEN YOU BID HERE ON EBAY YOU ARE ENTERING INTO A LEGAL CONTRACT TO PURCHASE. IF YOU HAVE A LOW FEEDBACK SCORE OR IF YOU HAVE MORE THAN 2 NON-PAYS IN THE LAST 60 DAYS YOU WILL BE BLOCKED FROM BIDDING ON MY AUCTIONS. I DO THIS TO MAINTAIN THE INTEGRITY OF MY AUCTIONS FOR THE REAL BUYERS. NO SCAMMERS, I AM AWARE OF FRAUDULANT ACTIVITY AND HAVE TAKEN ALL NECESSARY SECURITY PRECAUTIONS. I WILL PROSECUTE SCAMMERS AND THIEVES.
Buyers and International Shipping:
I will sell to other countries. However, all monies MUST be paid in full and all checks must clear before I will release the vehicle to ANYONE...customers or shippers. However, in the case of out of state or out of country buyers I will assist in getting you your vehicle to the best of my ability, but all fees incurred will be passed to the new owner and IT'S THE WINNING BIDDERS RESPONSIBILITY to make shipping arrangements.
Having said all of that, I appreciate your patronage. Good luck and please enjoy the auction. I do have this listed locally in the Cincinnati, Ohio area. If I have significant bids on this vehicle, I will let the auction run in it's entirity and ask all local inquiries to bid on it here on ebay.
Thanks again for looking and happy bidding.
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