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FAQVintage Adventurewagen high roof camper bus
| Make: | Volkswagen |
| Model: | Bus/Vanagon |
| SubModel: | Adventure Camper |
| Type: | Van Camper |
| Trim: | Deluxe |
| Year: | 1971 |
| Mileage: | 72983 |
| VIN: | 2212156491 |
| Color: | Blue |
| Engine: | 1.6L H4 |
| Cylinders: | 4 |
| Fuel: | Gasoline |
| Transmission: | Manual |
| Drive type: | RWD |
| Interior color: | Blue |
| Drive side: | Left-hand drive |
| Vehicle Title: | Clean |
| Item location: | Greensboro, North Carolina, United States |
| Extras |
| Listed by |
| Private seller |
 Enquire |
Description of 1971 Volkswagen Bus/Vanagon Deluxe |
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At the time of this listing, there are 47 air cooled VW busses for sale here on ebay. There are some that are nice, well represented examples. There are more that are not as nice, represented with inaccuracies in the listings, misleading condition details and cheesy descriptions showing lack of knowledge about these vehicles and lack of effort.As time goes by fewer and fewer busses are original or correct. And fewer people selling them know the difference.Simply put, we know busses. We service them, sell them, own them personally and have a passion for them. We hope to find a buyer that appreciates and wants to buy our 1971 Adventure Camper shown here. We welcome ebay shoppers to contact us with questions about our bus. And we also welcome ebay shoppers to contact us with general bus questions or with questions about another bus listed here. We are familiar with many of the listings and will gladly discuss the good, bad and ugly of a bus you are considering. Busses are fun to drive, fun to own and fun to camp in. They can be great vehicles and a good investment as they are popular, iconic vehicles increasing in value. And while there aren't a ton of them for sale, there are enough that you should be able to find the right one for you. - A little history, skip this part if you aren't interested. What we have here is a German built, US spec 1971 Deluxe passenger bus that was converted to an "Adventurewagen" in California when it was new. Most folks in the VW bus world refer to this type of camper as a high roof for obvious reasons. The demand for VW campers far exceeded the supply of the official Westfalia version offered by VW. This was especially true by the early 1970's, resulting in several companies offering conversions of passenger and commercial models here in US. There are more, but the bigger ones were Adventrure Campers, Safare Custom Campers, Sportsmobile and Riviera. Adventure Campers was the only company to offer conversions on the more expensive Deluxe model as seen here that had features such as fully upholstered interior, opening side windows, two color paint scheme and aluminum body trim. This bus remained in California then eventually made it's way to the midwest where it ended up in storage for over 20 years. The bus was eventually sent to NC to be restored by a shop that specializes in VW restoration. The owner decided not to complete the project and sold it to the shop. We purchased it as a painted shell and spent the next year finishing it to the condition it's in today. We can say from experience that it's less expensive to buy a nice bus than to restore one. - About a '71 Adventurewagen, skip this part if you are already familiar. For many VW bus enthusiasts, owners and mechanics, 1971 is considered the best model year to own. The second generation "bay window" models offered a huge improvement in comfort, safety, space, performance and drivability over the earlier "split window" models. 1971 was the last year for the traditional upright air cooled engine that also powered the Beetle. And it was the first year for disc front brakes making it the only model year in the US to have this combination. A 71 drives well, gets ok fuel mileage and is sustainable as there are tons of parts available and the engines are so much cheaper to buy, build and upgrade than the later 1.7-2.0L engines. The Adventurewagen conversion was available with a host of stand alone options, but the most significant item was of course the fiberglass roof. It allows adults to be able to stand in the bus and also offers windows, ventilation, storage cabinets, and open storage in the rear. This open storage is the easy way to tell an Adventurewagen from a other high roof busses. Also included were a sink cabinet, table, stove and folding bed platform. -About the condition of this bus. This bus is solid. It's not rusty and it hasn't been crashed. We saw it before paint and during the process. We knew it was sound and an excellent candidate for restoration/reconditioning. Throughout the process, we focused on keeping the bus stock. There are a few upgrades and a bit of reimagining had to be done as a result of the bulkheads and cabinets being missing. But for the most part, the bus looks and is correct. The bus has a lot of presence. It turns heads and has gotten a lot of attention on out lot and even at the VW show. The exterior has been completely repainted in it's Pastel White over Niagra Blue color scheme. All of the exterior seals have been replaced - windows, doors, handles etc. The glass is original except for the windshield which is new. The interior is equally nice. Prior to installing the windows, we had a new headliner installed. The black interior panels and rubber mats are all new. The seats have been reupholstered - new cushions and covers. The rear seat has a new Z-bed conversion kit installed for camping, plus we had a rear cushion and tire cover custom made. This bus had no factory or dealer options other than the camper conversion, so the dash is uncut and in great shape. The original cabinets were not included, which is fine as they were heavy and bulky. we have left the middle section of the bus finished but open which makes it feel very spacious and allows plenty of room for gear. But if a new owner wanted to add some cabinetry it wouldn't be hard. Overall, the interior is very clean and original looking. -Things we reimagined. There was a hole cut in the passenger bulkhead. Rather than cover it, up we utilized this space by making a custom wine holder. On the opposite side we have installed a simple, folding table. Up top, the bulkheads were gone leaving us the opportunity to create something new. Our bulkheads are wood with custom aluminum tambour doors. The windows are trimmed in aluminum rather than fake wood. Under the windows are small shelves. The storage cabinets have flat floors made of Cedar so that clothing, bedding etc. can be left in the bus. The cabinets and the main area are lit. The headliner in the top matches the headliner in the rest of the bus. We have wired in a USB outlet and installed an on board battery charger.We mounted a folding awning above the sliding door to add a little shade while camping. -Items we should probably mention before you or an appraiser notice. The original color codes don't always translate perfectly to modern paint. The blue is just a shade off. But the actual color is prettier than the exact original so we don't care and nobody we have pointed it out to cares either. The aluminum body trim is a mix of original and reproduction pieces. The repro bits are a disappointment. There are a few small chips and nicks in the paint just from the bus being at such as busy place. It's hard to keep anything perfect here. There are a few minor imperfections in the wood work from when we had a summer intern helping. The compass is super old and not accurate. Use your phone or buy a new compass. This one will get you lost. -Mechanical condition We operate alongside a full service garage, Foreign Accents. Our vehicles are sold up to date and in good working order. The bus is no exception. It runs and drives terrific - probably the best driving bus we have offered. It has been thoroughly checked over, serviced and updated. Anything that wasn't good/safe has been replaced. 1. Engine - correct 1.6L dual port 1600cc upright. The engine was installed not long before the bus was parked, but since it sat for so long we went through it. The engine was stripped down, cleaned, cylinder heads checked, seals replaced, cooling tins cleaned and painted, new clutch, new exhaust, carburetor rebuilt, new belt, plugs, wires, cap, rotor, coil and an update to Pertronix electronic ignition. Also replaced were the engine mounts and all control cables. This engine starts right up, runs well and has been on an extended drive. 2. Transmission - correct 3 rib 4 speed. Has been cleaned, release bearing replaced, CV axles rebuilt, plus new shift bushings and coupler. The transmission engages & shifts smoothly and stays in gear. 3. Suspension - Ball joints were replaced at 64k miles and are still fine. New shocks all around, new front wheel bearings 4. Steering - Rebuilt steering box installed, new steering damper, 5. Brakes - new hoses front and rear, new front brake pads and rotors, new rear wheel cylinders, brake shoes and drums, new brake booster check valve 6. Tires - 5 new correct load rated 195R14C Hancook tires installed on repainted wheels 7. Fuel - new fuel tank, sending unit, filter, pump and hoses 8. Electric - new Interstate battery, on board charging system installed, some bulbs replaced - This bus really didn't have any electrical problems We will gladly provide any details not covered here and answer any questions. There at 100 more photos posted on our site, and still more no posted. Note that we believe the mileage to be accurate, but this vehicle is exempt from odometer reporting in NC. It is also exempt from inspection. We have a clean NC title in our name. Potential buyers are welcome to test drive, have a pre-purchase inspection done or have the vehicle appraised. Vehicle must be paid for in full before the new owner can take delivery. Transportation cost and arrangements are the responsibility of the buyer. Have the bus shipped, or come get it and have an adventure, it's up to you! |
