Tell me what you think. (56k warning: landmines ahead)

Zane Hall · Post by **Zane Hall** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 10:51 am

It's a 1973 Type 2, but I'm not sure what kind (camper, etc). I also think it would be a good restoration project for me to start on. Sorry that I only have three pictures of it, I had some Chinese batteries in my camera.

Sans engine...

The vent windows are throwing me off as to what kind of Type 2 this one is.

The guy I might buy it from only wants $200 for it, with an engine from another Bay, and he told me he would rather let it go to someone who cared about VWs than have the crusher have his way with it.

Tell me what you think.

MNAirHead · Post by **MNAirHead** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 11:05 am

In your part of the country, there are probably project busses in the $1k-1500 range.

This is definately worth $200 for the core parts.. piecing it together will add up quick.

Ugly busses are tough to resell.. would be a fun art car type donor.

Do you have parts?

Zane Hall · Post by **Zane Hall** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 11:15 am

I don't have parts, but I know of a place in town to get used parts, and some online places to get parts.

MNAirHead · Post by **MNAirHead** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 11:18 am

figure about $1k in missing pieces.. reflectors.. rubber etc.

Piecing anything back together is spendy + shipping.

Are you planning on restoring it, driving it or reselling it?

T.

MNAirHead · Post by **MNAirHead** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 11:19 am

how tough is it for GA to issue lost titles?

Zane Hall · Post by **Zane Hall** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 11:25 am

I plan on restoring it slowly (paycheck by paycheck), and being only 16, I don't have to worry about a mortgage payment or anything.

I plan on driving it, once I get the mechanical issues out of the way.

To get a new title, you must have a bill of sale, and then have a new title made (I think).

Post by **david58** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 11:48 am

Is a Georgia Title Required for My Vehicle?
Vehicle Title Required

1986 & newer year model motor vehicles
1986 & newer travel trailers
1986 & newer car/tow dollies weighing 2,001 lbs., or more
1986 & newer motorcycles
1986 & newer campers
1963 & newer mobile homes
1963 & newer manufactured homes
Vehicle Title Optional

You can title a 1963-1985 year model vehicle if you have a title issued in your name.
You can title a 1963-1985 year model vehicle if the owner on the front of the title has assigned the title to you.
You can title a 1963-1985 year model vehicle if the owner on the front of the title has assigned the title to a dealer and the dealer has assigned the title to you.
A title will not be issued for a 1963-1985 year model vehicle if the vehicle has been registered in someone else's name(s) other than the owner(s) shown on the face of the Georgia title. Vehicle Title Not Required/Not Issued

1962 and older year model vehicles
Agricultural, horticultural or livestock raising equipment or vehicles that are not required to be registered
Airplanes, aircraft
All terrain vehicles, off-road vehicles
Boat trailers
Boats, watercraft
Buses owned and operated by an urban transit system
Cable cars, trolleys
Crane
Driver education vehicles used in public or private schools
Fifth wheel
Homemade car/tow dollies
Homemade trailers
Invalid tricycles
Moped
Nonresidents' vehicles (vehicles owned by people that do not have a Georgia address)*
Pole trailers
Self-propelled wheelchairs
Tow dollies (car) weighing 2,000 lbs or less
Trailers weighing 2,000 lbs or less
Vehicles not manufactured for highway use
*A title may be issued to an out-of-state resident in cases of inheritance or repossession when the vehicle is currently titled in Georgia. Also, if you have moved out-of-state and your Georgia title is lost, stolen, or mutilated, a replacement title can be issued and mailed to your out-of-state address.
http://motor.etax.dor.ga.gov/motor/titles/required.asp

MNAirHead · Post by **MNAirHead** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 12:05 pm

OVERALL opinion..

I'd be finding a better condition car.

If piecing this together, it will become expensive and frustrating.

I've sold driveable project busses in the $1200 range.. no rust.

If possible consider a camper - they're a bit more fun and have better resale value.

If you only want to get it started.. put $1000 in parts into it (minimum) and drive a beater, this may be your car.

Most of us would be parting down a bus like this.

T.

MNAirHead · Post by **MNAirHead** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 12:06 pm

Unless he's into selling stuff etc.. he'll have a tough time getting $200 for it frome anywhere.

I'd play up the kid card and.. offer to do some odd jobs around the place.. and ask if you could work it off.. $200 will go quickly just for parts.

If you choose to pick it up, I may have some of your needed parts I'd donate (don't count on this as your basic plan).

T.

Zane Hall · Post by **Zane Hall** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 12:25 pm

MNAirHead wrote:OVERALL opinion..

I'd be finding a better condition car.

If piecing this together, it will become expensive and frustrating.

I've sold driveable project busses in the $1200 range.. no rust.

If possible consider a camper - they're a bit more fun and have better resale value.

If you only want to get it started.. put $1000 in parts into it (minimum) and drive a beater, this may be your car.

Most of us would be parting down a bus like this.

T.

About the condition of the car...

Out of all the project buses that I've seen for sale so far, this one is the best. Old cars really suffer where I live, with long humid summers.

I plan on re-building the engine first, and then gradually fixing everything else.

I also plan on driving it.

Zane Hall · Post by **Zane Hall** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 12:37 pm

MNAirHead wrote:Unless he's into selling stuff etc.. he'll have a tough time getting $200 for it frome anywhere.

I'd play up the kid card and.. offer to do some odd jobs around the place.. and ask if you could work it off.. $200 will go quickly just for parts.

If you choose to pick it up, I may have some of your needed parts I'd donate (don't count on this as your basic plan).

T.

I should have that $200 for the bus by late December / early January.
By the way, the guy who's selling it was stationed in Germany in the late 60's /early 70's when he was in the Air Force. He decided to stay over there for a while after his tour was up. He was a race mechanic and an engine builder for a guy that raced only VWs.

He's got some tools and experience, and he offered to help me out when I need it.

MNAirHead · Post by **MNAirHead** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 12:59 pm

The only caution is that most of us started out on projects of this variety.

There's an entire hidden underground of quality projects waiting in dry storage.

It's common for folks to buy the wrong VW the first time around.

A repaired bus is not the same as original.

I've bought rust free busses (see pix attached) for the $1500 range.

Before moving on it, consider asking some regional collectors for leads... Most of us are extatic for newcommers to the aircooled world.

T.

Piper · Post by **Piper** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 4:30 pm

Looks like you got a tough row to hoe if you pick it up, but if you're looking for a project, go for it. Even if you end up parting it out, at least you tried. Theres no wasted time if you ask me, when it comes to old buses. That being said, I'd probably walk away from it, but I'm a coward with no mechanical knowledge, and no one to teach me.

As for the type of bus, a friend of mine drove an old strange camper with a complete pop top, (the whole top raised) with the same windows for the Pure Hemp company.

http://www.purehemp.com/index2.html

for pics of it. As strange and wonderful vehicle, as well as the first VW bus I ever rode in, and I caught the bug, BAD!

Bookwus · Post by **Bookwus** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 4:43 pm

Hiya zane,

As I read through this thread the message I get from those who are giving advice is, "Get something better to start with. They are out there. You need to spend some time looking for one."

Zane, do you see that message? It's a good one and it's for your benefit. Getting saddled with a carcass that requires a LOT of restoration (read: a LOT of money and time) will only sour you on the whole experience. Truth be told, I'd have to do some serious headscratching before I'd spend $200 on that bus and I do have a bunch of experience with restoring old VWs. And if I did cough up $200 I'd most likely strip it for parts.

Here's just one thing to think about.............if you can actually see rust (and I do in those pictures) then you can count on much more hidden rust. And if that rust is of the structural variety, start thinking in thousands of dollars.

Honest zane, find yourself something better to start with. You'll be a much happier guy in the long run. Besides, you have some time to save some cash.

Zane Hall · Post by **Zane Hall** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 2:49 pm

Bookwus wrote:Hiya zane,

As I read through this thread the message I get from those who are giving advice is, "Get something better to start with. They are out there. You need to spend some time looking for one."

Zane, do you see that message? It's a good one and it's for your benefit. Getting saddled with a carcass that requires a LOT of restoration (read: a LOT of money and time) will only sour you on the whole experience. Truth be told, I'd have to do some serious headscratching before I'd spend $200 on that bus and I do have a bunch of experience with restoring old VWs. And if I did cough up $200 I'd most likely strip it for parts.

Here's just one thing to think about.............if you can actually see rust (and I do in those pictures) then you can count on much more hidden rust. And if that rust is of the structural variety, start thinking in thousands of dollars.

Honest zane, find yourself something better to start with. You'll be a much happier guy in the long run. Besides, you have some time to save some cash.

The disheartening truth about rust in my area of the US is that any car manufactured before 1985 that is a daily driver will have some sort of rust on it or in it.

Not even my Dad's 1972 Mustang is exempt from this. It was garage-kept and taken care of for thirty-five solid years. When he bought it, we discovered that there was rust inside the doors and in the engine compartment.

A rust-free bus is just not an option around here.

I'm going over there to take a second look (and some more pictures for you guys) with a friend of mine, and to help move it out from where he has it parked now so we can get a better look (and a rust assessment) on Friday.

Peace out,
Zane