https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1959-volkswagen-959-volkswagen-deluxe-23-window-bus/ I'll never understand the prices that these get. They are cool, our old neighbors had a 1970's version that was a fun to take out, but 100k?
Yeah I totally agree, and totally don’t get it either. I have a friend who owns a restoration shop that has done several of these. All in that $100k neighborhood. I guess if you were the fortunate hippy that had several of these in your yard. Congrats what a great retirement, better than an annuity. These along with late ‘60’s early ‘70’s Broncos that are bringing the same price tags really found a super rich niche.
But the two groups seem much different to me. Bronco owners come cross like the muscle boat crowd, VW Bus owners are sail boaters all the way.
All for a vehicle you can't take out onto the Interstate and drive the speed limit. Or pull a hill at speed. Or really, do anything at speed... My Grandparents had a 57. Grandpa liked the fuel economy around town, but he hated driving it on trips. I've heard some pretty comical stories about him getting a run at a hill in that thing and then something happening to cause him to loose all momentum. He finally got fed up with the thing and bought a 1964 Plymouth Fury station wagon. He kept the bus for another decade as a spare vehicle, but it finally got to the point it was so rotted out that he felt it was unsafe to drive! He sold it to one of my Uncle's Hippy friends in the early/mid 70's for a couple hundred bucks. Got a 1974 Pinto to replace it as his "run around" car.
I once had the embarrassing experience of being pulled over by the California Highway Patrol for speeding on a freeway in the San Diego area. What was so embarrassing about it? - The Patrol officer also pulled over a VW Bus at the same time....a 2 for 1 ................. Didn't think about it at the time, but that Bus couldn't have been 'stock'.
A Porsche engine fits about all VW air-cooled chassis, not to mention, throwing an EMPI catalog at a VW engine.
I remember that! We kids almost had Dad convinced to buy a Thing, and I remember the dealer brochure, or something VW published, that showed that. We got to see it because my brother Tim worked as a lot boy at Humphrey VW in Everett, WA, and he brought it home.