Very Original 1971 VW Campmobile

Description

What an excellent Westy this 71 is. As you may or may not already know, 1971 was an excellent year for the bay window campers, being the last year of the much easier, and less expensive to maintain upright aircooled engine but now with dual port heads, first year front disc brakes, as well as many of the more appealing earlier body styling elements, from the lower profile pop top, smaller directional lights front and back, and low back bucket seats to name a few. This is the year to have in my opinion. The bus has been sensibly maintained to keep the authenticity of a vintage VW camper intact as you can see from the original Westfalia interior, and appropriate mostly original paint throughout. I would call the condition of this bus a survivor, or better said a true 'driver' quality bus, that does just that with confidence. Get in and go anywhere. Grab the shows attention at your local cruise night, pile the kids in for a weekend camping, climb the white mountains, or fill it with groceries. You will not be able to not smile, behind the wheel of this little westy! All the brake components, cables, fluids, and other typical once over tune up items were just recently checked and repaired where needed by a long time aircooled mechanic, and enthusiastic vintage VW expert. Many in the bay window community argue that the 71 is the best year for the bay buses, and this one is one of the better original buses he and I have seen to date. There are of course some signs of use, couple bumps and bruises, and a few low concern signs of rust on the body as can be seen in the pictures however where it really counts this bus is super solid and needs no attention to enjoy as it. That said, if a shiny restored camper is more your style, this would make an excellent candidate with a coat of paint, and surely compete with any of the $30,000 buses you see listed online today, for far less invested than that. I bought this bus as part of a collection nearly two years ago as one of my own however have decided to sell off a few of my cars to make space and free up some funds for an upcoming project. It was this or my 65 to go among the buses and I just can't part with that one quite yet, so the 71 has been checked over and made ready for the next caretaker to fully enjoy it. The top is a truly folkesque diy quilted tent, that actually looks the business and totally fits the style of an old camper and works well. Love it or hate it I suspect but I dig it! The pop top works as it should and the hammock is still installed but the fabric on that is torn. Simple repair if you intended to use it. The Z bed below works as it should and the upholstery is all in excellent shape. The radio is not hooked up or is not working, I always just used a Bluetooth speaker and/or relied on good copilot conversation! Have not looked into it but there is a company called retrosound that would be an excellent 'correct' looking deck yet offers modern options, if I were to get to it... never got that far. The glass all around is excellent, original, and the jalousies work effortlessly. The fridge unit interior shell was cracked inside and water tank removed so it is now used for a storage area or place I toss my cooler into, which quite frankly is more convenient then the plastic icebox, and much larger. The sink unit itself is in great shape on the exterior and retains the full original westy appearance. Best of both worlds. Seat belts are installed and are VW, spare tire full size rim is included. Nearly every original sticker in german remains on the bus today, which speaks to how well this bus was cared for and not messed with over the years unlik so many I;ve come across. As mentioned the bus fires right up, idles very healthy, shifts smooth in all gears, tracks well, steers true, stops in a line, and was very recently serviced and tuned to hit the road. Lights all work, however horn is intermittent and I have not addressed this yet. As with any old car, especially a VW and extra especially one that people could have lived in haha, there will likely be a number of little quirks found along the way, but where it really matters this bus is on point and should make any new owner proud to call their own.

As these things go, some key points to make and understand before bidding. Given the age of the bus and the venue in which it’s being listed, I am offering this sale AS-IS, no warranties outside of my word on the items mentioned above, and no refunds of any kind once the deal is done. This said PLEASE ask any and all questions, come and see/inspect/drive the bus if you’re able, and get all of your own permissions/financing/space cleared in your garage BEFORE you bid. As mentioned above, I am selling the bus to fund another project, so I would like not to list more than once which is reflective in my price. BUY IT NOW can be agreed on at $17,000 or upon discussion, so please reach out if this is of interest. The bus is also going to be listed elsewhere and for sale locally, first to pay is the new owner. Otherwise, bid what you can afford to and are committed to pay, and we’ll see from there! PayPal for deposit is OK, the rest will have to be wire, cash, or certified bank check (PP Fees too high for full payment, unless you want to cover them). Nothing gets handed over till funds clear. Pick up here at my house in Barre MA is expected within 5 business days of end of auction. Shipping is responsibility of the buyer, but I will of course do anything I can on my end to help get that sorted. I’ve both shipped a car home and away so I’m happy to lend my experience onto whomever might not have before to make it go smoothly. I have all the paperwork, Title, clear open and ready for new owner to register in their name etc, all will be sent certified mail once funds are cleared.

In closing, my reputation on here means a lot to me, and my enthusiasm for these cars and the people that enjoy them is my favorite part of the hobby. If there is anything you’d like to know or share in regard to this awesome little Westy, I’d love to chat. Please feel free to consider my feedback history, and or speak with anyone that has purchased a car from me in the past if you have any concerns. Thanks again for the interest in my bus, and good luck with the bidding :) Cheers, Brando