A Magic Bus of My Own
Thursday, September 24, 2009 at 02:49PM 
Photo by Jim Church, 1969My fondness for VW busses (or kombis, or wagons, or microbus, or whatever you prefer) is longstanding. A few years ago I contacted the VW corporate office in Germany about using the image of their bus in some fabric designs, wanting to know what the licensing fee was. I got a very nice letter in return from somebody with lots of consanants in their name saying, basically, that I didn't have to pay them anything (but I did need permission) but that they would very much like a few pairs of pajamas, "frei".
The bus in the photo above belonged to my uncle Mike. He is the Mick-Jaggerish looking fellow (they even had the same birthday, and the same lips) with his arm around his girlfriend, her name was Alison. The couple on the ground? Thats my Mom and my Dad. This photo was taken by an old family friend, Jim Church. The story, accoding to Jim, is that he was waiting in line to get into Woodstock (yes, that Woodstock) and my uncle Mike pulled up in this bus with my parents and Kenny and Bob (The other young men in this photo) and said "Don't wait in this crazy line, come up to Vermont with us instead." and so he did. And a day or so later, he took this picture. A year later this particular bus met its unfortunate end on our dirt road, when my father accidentally rolled it down a hill. My mother, hugely pregnant with my sister and I, was ejected from her passenger seat and landed in the grass. Everybody, except the bus, was fine.
My very first car was a 73 Volkswagen Superbeetle that never, ever properly ran. My mother traded our piano for it, which was very thoughtful of her. She is still annoyed at me for not caring for it well enough - or even managing to keep - such a treasure, and she has a point. My Beetle required a pair of needle nose pliers rather than an ignition key and three hands to drive it (four if it was snowing) because of its fog-prone windshield. If you wanted to start it you had to push it down the road and jump in and, while holding the pliers in pace, pop the clutch. One night my friend Angie (we were maybe 16? Maybe not quite?) and I pushed it almost a mile in freezing weather (and flats and miniskirts, naturally), down a snowy road trying to get it started and finally decided to leave it in Mr. Sylvesters yard, without bothering to let him know. The rest of the story is just too embarassing to tell, but that was the beginning of the end.
I didn't own another volkswagen again until just a few years ago, when I bought a little convertible rabbit. I left it in Santa Cruz when I moved to New York, and get to drive it when I am visiting. Its the perfect little beach car, and always starts right up. I know it sounds silly, but it feels more like a pet than a car. It has this eagerness about it, this quick little responsiveness and cheerful little purr. I know that cars don't technically have personalities, but....
Photo by John Gruen, 2007
We even had a VW in our wedding, as more of a member of the bridal party than the getaway car that we intended it as. My dear friend Michael rescued this Karmann Ghia from the infamous Vermont used car lot known as the "Greensboro Garage", I think he paid $800 for it. He lovingly restored it, even adding his company's own signature color combo or turquioise and orange. The "Carter / Mondale" bumper sticker is original.
VW announced a few years ago that they were planning a new VW bus. The concept was much like that of the original, a perfect family wagon that morphs into a camping mobile when called upon. "Well that decides it," I told TC, "we're having kids." Sadly, VW scrapped those plans. It isn't even on their concept cars page anymore.
A canadian company called Verdier has developed this beauty (licensed?) but I think its a bit out of my budget. Its worth watching their videos, here and here.
OK, so why am I blathering on about VW? Because I'm ready to make the plunge again. This time I'm on the lookout for a bus, ideally a Camper. I have big big plans for the exterior and seat and wall coverings, so one that is in good mechanical shape but in desperate need of a paint job and re-furb would be ideal. I haven't quite pinpointed the perfect year and model yet, but have been perusing sites like The Samba and comparing old images and ads. I'm thinking that my bus must be capable of long drives, camping, book touring, mobile party-throwing, and limited refrigeration. I like the pop-ups, but the ones with attached tents are pretty fabulous too, yes? Here are some of my more inspiring finds thus far, all from The Samba..
Reader Comments (42)
Hi - You can actually *rent* a restored bus in Scal! Maybe something to try on your next trip to this coast? Satisfy your nostalgia without the maintenance headache :) And maybe it will help you pare down your preference before you buy?
http://www.vwsurfari.com/ourbuses.html
Hi Heather,
A lot to talk to you about. :o) I am a VW girl. My first car was a 73 superbeetle. We now own 2 VW , 3 of them are buses. We camp in our 1970 bus about once a month. We are in a group called the "Full Moon Bus Club". You should check us out. We all drive buses and camp in them. This Oct. is our big campout in NC. About 175 buses end up coming and camping. We are one BIG VW camping family. My husband has bought all our VW for cheap and restoring them or in the progess of restoring them. "Yoda May", is my 1956 beetle he is restoring for me, she is green like Yoda and I got her in May. We also have a 1958 Bus, Rusty. and a single cab , Charlie ( not sure "Charlies' year), We have a Thing, I can't wait for him to restore her , And a 1956 oval beetle. I managed to get 7 yards of your bus fabric and I made curtains for our sportsmobel named "Jaws". She is so cute with her VW bus curtains. I also got the munki munki bus/van PJ's I wear. LOVE THEM. If you ever have any questions about any thing VW, just shot me an e-mail My husband lives, breaths, and eats VW's. And I am not kidding. The man is obbessed !!!!! In the club we are..... they alway have buses for sale too. People who know people with them and need to sell them, but can't have anymore because they are lke us and own 6 already. :o) Can't wait to see what you get. Maybe you can come camp with the group oneday. You'd be hooked and met the sweetie VW crazy people in the world.
Try TheSamba.com classifieds
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/cat.php?id=5
from my husband
I love this idea! I was thinking about RVing it across the US next summer with the family, especially after a particularly traumatic flight with the kids this summer. I love the Airstreams but I never thought about an RV bus. Although after looking at some of the prices on thesamba.com I have to say I think an Airstream trailer may be cheaper. Post an update if you take the plunge! I love the idea of VW bus-inspired fabric. Looking forward to that as well.
I had a red super beetle as my first car(got it from my dad, we bought it new when I was a kid) .. .. mine was it's first year and parts were hard to come by.. drove great but when it was cold I would nearly burn my ankles off...
My uncle had a great grey camper.. it was awesome! my uncle was a surfer and the coolest dude ever!
Im partial to square backs myself.. we had one when I was a kid.
I miss that unique metalic purr. Good luck on your search it will be exciting to hear what you get.
I'm a VW girl too - grew up with a blue station wagon and then an orange and white Kombi van which was the bane of my teenage life, though in retrospect it was very cool to be able to transport my friends around in it :) Now we have a Golf which is the best red ever. People actually ask me about the exact shade. It doesn't sound right though, without that air-cooled motor. When I hear the old VW engine sound, which is rare these days, my heart beats a little faster :) Here in New Zealand you can rent classic old Kombis to camp around the country in, should you ever be down this way http://www.classic-campers.com/ Geez, even their website has one very similar to my parent's and I'm feeling all nostalgic, although when they were here visiting and rented from the company they didn't go for the old version, they went for the new diesel engine. Traitors!
I have to admit, I have always loved VWs. When I was 5, I insisted on a pony, and a superbeetle. Both, I explained to my father, could live in the garage if only he would take his toys out. Needless to say, there was just not enough room in a 1 1/2 car garage for all of that. And, even once I was 16, I still never had a beetle, the new ones had come out recently, and the older ones were just way too expensive... I think it's still funny that I want the same things as when I was 5.
HI Heather,
I too am a VW nut, have never owned anything else. My husband and I have thought about doing the VW camper thing as well and spent quite a lot of time on ebay where there seems to be quite a few available, if you're willing to travel to go pick them up. Just thought I'd let you know. Imagine a VW bus with your VW fabric as curtains! Although I'm sure you already have!
Leigh :)
Oh I love these stories. SO much! My first car was an '83 vanagon. My boyfriend had a '76 Westfalia. Only one of them ever worked at a time. But oh, i loved them. We're trying right now to pick up another (old one) to convert to electric with the kids. Can't wait to hear that sound again...
Thanks for the fun memories this morning!
Ah! I thought I was alone! I too love the VW's. My dream car has always been a beautiful old beetle. Unfortunately, I've never owned one. After your post, I'm now thinking a VW bus could be a lot of fun!
I LOVE VWs! I am probably your parents age and I can TOTALLY recognize that picture. Our summer place is in Chester, VT and Kendall Farms used to be a huge parking place for those coming up to camp! Still, I am young at heart and want a camper BAD...some dreams never die! Thanx for sharing!
When I was 7 years old my parents took us from Southern Idaho through Montana and all over the mountains of Banff, Canada - camping all the way - in a red VW Riviera. It was heaven on the road for my sister and I who could play like monkeys while we buzzed for hours down the road. Good memories.
My sister has owned several buses and a bug of her own, and my dad currently has a mint 56 Bug.
Hi there..Karen's (The Big Trade Off) sister here. We are VW addicts and we are selling our bus. Karen is sending you the link. :) This is our 4th VW - 3 of which were buses. We began the restoration of this one (the one Karen is sending you) last year. But we are now raising money to adopt a baby, so we are selling our bus! Just thought I'd let you know!
Another VW girl here, but we do not currently own one.
My parents brought me home from the hospital in a little red VW Bug. They had that until I was probably 5, because I remember riding in the "Way Back" in those days long before carseats. A few years later, they bought our red VW bus. Our family skied all the time and the VW bug and bus were both perfect ski cars. I always wanted my mom to put lime green ball fringe in the windows of the bus but my preppy dad refused to let us do it. Oh how we all loved that bus! But several years later, my parents traded in the VW bus for a sensible volvo. One of the biggest traumas of my life to that point was losing that bus. And inside it, was my Partridge Family lunch box! We were not able to get that back either. Oh the pain!
Years later, when I was in high school, my dad bought a rabbit convertible. He did his best to teach me to drive in that car but I did something to it, (can't remember what) and it never drove right again. Sad.
Now that my first baby just turned 18 today, we hope to find her a little bug of her own. That is what she is hoping. Someday....
My first car was an '85 VW Cabriolet (a fancy Rabbit convertible). I still own it--bought it in '93--and it's amazing. Just like yours, it fires right up even when I haven't driven it in ages. I keep it at my mother's house and "borrow" when I need to go for a drive on 101. And, I totally know what you mean when you say your VW is more like a pet than a car!
Hi Heather,
My first car was a VW Beetle; not original though (re-conditioned engine etc). Still remember driving it to work for the first time: the white car with the black-and-white tartan check seats (chose them myself), just loved the sound the car made, I had the window rolled down with the wind blowing my hair and I was laughing like I never laughed driving any other car! To me this little car meant FREEDOM! I still drive a VW (7-seater Touran, very powerful diesel engine). I should mention that later that first day of driving my first Beetle, I ran out of petrol - I honestly thought you bought a car with a full tank of gas(!) and my dear dad had to tow me to the nearest gas station!
Love your blog! Big fan of your fabrics (and illustrations)!
Nice to see someone appreciating the older vehicles! I love classic cars, however you can buy a brand new VW T2 Kombi campervan, made in Brazil I think, almost identical to the original items but with a more modern engine and interior.
Hi Heather,
I think I already told you about my hunt for your vw camper fabric for camping cushions for our camper, when I was writing to you about the misc sale (so excited to get my parcel next week!). We got this beautiful '79 Westy back in February for 4500$ CAN - we set our criteria: 1) automatic 2)in good shape/not in need of any immediate repairs and 3) under 5K, then we just waited until Marie came up on craigslist. Good luck to you - your camper is out there - you'll find it! Here's a photo of ours from earlier this summer: http://www.flickr.com/photos/becbaugniet/3634461641/ For more inspiration, check out http://www.snailtrail.co.uk/ if you haven't seen it already. (The Cath Kidston prints are nice, but I like yours best - too perfect for the camper!)
I'm now thinking I need some camping pj's!
Best,
Rebecca
Ah nostalgia... My family had a split screen blue and white kombi (like the camper in the bottom photo... only not a camper) for my entire childhood. My dad took us (7 kids) into the outback in northern Australia in it. I broke my leg out in the middle of nowhere - 400 miles over desert tracks from hospital. Despite needing a push-start at every start, the kombi ferried me to hospital and all was well. The story is legend in my family now, and kombis always bring a smile.... and the memory of red dust.
Hi, Heather. Sooooo, just curious.... do your parents know that you posted that picture of them? It needs to belong on a Woodstock Hall of Fame.
How cool is that to have a picture of your parents like that? I agree, needs to be in a museum somewhere or something - it just SCREAMS Woodstock to me. Of that whole era...
Oh my! that last picture with the yellow and blue made me gasp and took my breath away! lol
Love the versatility of it all. When I met my husband, he drove a red bug. Was cool to pull up at a curb and see the kids do the "punch buggy" thing. the milage on that thing was awesome. On long drives, the disel lasted longer than the needed trips to the bathroom. Now he's a family man and has a bigger car. Oh to be young again.
Good luck on your search.
we have some of the same Vdub blood running in my family. my brother's first car was a rabbit, then we had a orange camper and 2 regular brown buses (yes, i said two)(at the same time)(my dad bought one for parts). they hold such awesome memories, i think that is why the print bus fabric called to me so.
oddly enough, we are in the market for a vanagon too. tim is selling his work truck and we are scouring around for a reliable van...there is this wild hair plan to leave next sept and spend a few months in the van traversing canada from east to west with three year old twins. hmmm, sounds better in my mind than actually written. i will have to look you up when we make it to NYC and our vans can meet.
That was a great post Heather - made me smile.
I come from a family of 7 kids - in the summer of 66 my folks loaded our new VW bus (nothing fancy, though my sister made some nice curtains for it) with 6 of us kids (plus my mom) and we drove from Panama (Central America) to Wisconsin! It was a great road trip. I had just finished kindergarten and sang my two favorite songs the whole way to Wisconsin - since I was the baby nobody was allowed to make me stop.
These days I drive a lime green New Beetle (named Kermit of course) - He is my engagement ring (I lose jewelry and a car is much more practical than a diamond)
By the way I'm still making projects from your Weekend Sewing Book.
I just love the old VW campers! Unfortunately, there are extremely hip here, so completely out of my budget... But I can still dream of it in a club here in Cologne/Germany, where there have an old camper as part of the interior. The club is called "Die Wohngemeinschaft" and they don't have a homepage, yet. But you are officially invited, whenever you drop by!
Too bad that your beetle fabric is out of print. It was absolutely perfect.