To be sold at the Gooding & Company Amelia Island Auction on March 8, 2013. For further details please visit www.goodingco.com or contact a vehicle specialist at 001.310.899.1960 or specialist@goodingco.com.
Engine Specifications:
1,600 CC 4-Cylinder Engine Single Carburetor
40 BHP
4-Speed Transaxle Transmission
4-Wheel Drum Brakes
Torsion Front and Rear Suspension
About this Car:
During the 1930s, the German government decided that its impoverished post-WWI population needed a low-cost, ultra-reliable automobile – the Volkswagen, literally translated as “the people’s car.” The VW Type 1 was born in 1938, and soon became known worldwide as the VW “Bug” or “Beetle.”
Following WWII and based upon the Beetle’s worldwide popularity, Volkswagen launched its VW Type 2 on March 8, 1950, again in answer to market demand for an economical utilitarian vehicle that was multi-functional. Hence, the VW Type 2 served many purposes – including campervan, ladder truck, passenger bus, and even ambulance – and answered to many names, such as Microbus, Camper, and Eurovan. But more importantly, in the US the VW bus became an iconic symbol of the ’60s, a cool and groovy nod to those halcyon days of freewheeling good times spent with friends, listening to Hendrix, and cruising America’s open roads.
In 1965, this Volkswagen 21-Window Bus was produced and painted in sealing-wax red with silver-beige upper body accent. The 21 Window model is especially desirable as it was produced only from 1964 through 1967, and was dubbed the “Samba.” This bus is believed to have stayed most of its life on the West Coast and was purchased by its current owner just two years ago. Prior to that, the vehicle had at some point been painted blue, and then the previous owner painted it orange andkeptthebusinCaliforniaforover12years, touring all over the state. In addition to a color change, the previous owner installed a new correct replacement engine and a Freeway Flier transmission, enabling the bus to comfortably cruise the freeway at speeds of 65 mph. This period is documented with multiple service receipts that accompany the bus. The VW was then driven for just a few hundred miles before it was sold to the current owner, whose first mission was to deliver it to Agger Automotive of Englewood, Colorado, where it underwent meticulous restoration and was returned to its original striking Sealing-Wax Red and Silver Beige color combination. Every item on the bus was either restored or replaced with parts correct to the model. The new engine was removed and detailed, all gauges including the clock were rebuilt or replaced with correct parts, a new wiring harness was installed, and a sunroof complete with mechanisms was fitted with all-around new seals. The glass was refinished and interior upholstered in silver and beige vinyl, exactly as it was when the bus left the factory in 1965. The owner also succeeded in locating a rare middle seat, which was missing when he purchased the vehicle in 2011, thus restoring the bus to its original nine-seat capacity.
This freshly restored VW micro bus captures the spirit of the road and cruising America’s glorious freeways. Its durability coupled with the highly desirable 21 window model, fully restored interior, and stunning exterior presentation offer an eye-catching and comfortable ride, and is a charming choice for any collector.
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