Pick of the Day: A hippy, dippy VW camper

As Volkswagen prepares to unveil its new Microbus in March in Austin, a dealer in Fort Worth, Texas, is showing us why there’s so much excitement about VW vans in the first place. The Pick of the Day is a 1970 Volkswagen Type 2 Westfalia camper bus in full psychedelic livery. 

“This… is either the coolest thing you’ve ever seen, or it’s the real-life version of everything you’ve ever suspected about the ‘60s,” the dealer notes in the advertisement on ClassicCars.com. “In truth, it’s a nicely preserved/restored Camper Bus with a lot of practicality, a strong 1600cc air-cooled engine, and an incredibly cool look.

“For most of us who grew up after the ’60s, this is what we figured all the VW buses looked like at one point or another in their lives,” the advertisement continues. “But underneath the trippy facade you’ll find a very solid, straight bus that’s been well-maintained thanks to its status as an American hippie icon. 

“We don’t know what color it is underneath (my money is on White based on the look of the door jams), although that’s a vinyl wrap and custom decal job you’re looking at — not a permanent paint job. So, if you’ve cleaned up your act and started working for ‘The Man,’ it can come right off and be ready for the square life.

“Personally, I’d keep tripping the light fantastic and leave it just like it is, after all, this Bus was purposely executed to be the star of the show, not just another Westy Camper.”

The dealer reports the sheetmetal to be straight, door gaps at factory specification, “and by the looks of things this VW has never been rusty, wrecked, or used and abused, meaning that custom wrap clings tight to the body without any ugly sagging or major air bubbles anywhere to be seen.”

The dealer notes that his is a “driver” vehicle, “with some parts showing some age and wear-and-tear (in particular the rubber gaskets around the windows), but nothing that would require immediate attention. Get in and go, this Bus is ready to have some fun.

“Of course, you’ll probably have to get used to being the center of attention, because any time you stop there are going to be questions, photo ops, and crowds of young-at-heart hippies who want to relive a great part of their past. And admittedly, all that attention is pretty cool.”

The interior is termed to be “a bit less funky,” and features newer vinyl upholstery on seats and door panels. The interior is done primarily in red and white, “a color combination that’s previewed by the Coca-Cola welcome mat that greets everyone that opens the sliding door.”

The interior features front buckets and two rear bench, with a table in between the benches, and with “original Wesfalia-spec cabinetry and shelving throughout, and even a small refrigerator and sink top tucked away at the side, making this Bus camp-site ready today.

“Well-worn (yet still solid) carpets line the floors and insulate the cabin, while up top, the original Lauan wood covers the headliner just like it would’ve in 1970,” the dealer reports. “The camper top pops up with ease, instantly transforming the confines from cramped to friendly, and the thick mat out back doubles as a bed, although with the big Rockford-Fosgate subwoofer and extra cabinetry back there at the moment it’s currently better suited as extra storage space.”

The top also includes a build-in luggage rack. 

“One of the adages of the VW bus is that it will get you anywhere, reliably, as long as you have the time,” the dealer reminds potential buyers, adding that this air-cooled engine “does a little better than most,” with a newer carburetor, dual exhaust  and linked to a 4-speed manual transmission. 

This trip back in time is being offered for $31,995. To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.