Properly restored VW Type 2 fetches $80k

A particularly rare Volkswagen Type 2 21-Window Deluxe bus made in 1965 has sold for a cool $80,500 on Bring-a-Trailer earlier this week.

Around six decades ago, the German automaker produced a few hundred such buses with 21 windows. The glass dome was fairly heavy and impractical to repair, so it ultimately went out of production. It was a shame, though, because people loved it and didn’t mind keeping it in good shape.

This particular bus underwent a full restoration in 2010. It ended up with stylish 14-inch steelies, a two-spoke steering wheel with a white finish, an Alpine multimedia system and a new 1.9-liter four-cylinder engine connected to a four-speed manual transmission. The mileage since the restoration hasn’t exceeded 20,000 km (12,500 miles).

Handling was a major consideration during the overhaul 15 years ago. The bus was retrofitted with modern shock absorbers, stronger front brakes and a front sway bar for improved cornering.

According to the owner, the original idea was to turn this Type 2 exotic into a kind of family heirloom passed down from generation to generation. It’s a bit sad to realize that whoever the van was built for had no interest in it – that’s how it ended up on sale. Well, at least it did fetch a somewhat decent price.