Vehicle Description
1958 Volkswagen Samba Bus 23 Window
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Estimate: $120,000 - $165,000
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Chassis Number: 324116
Engine: 1991cc "flat" H�4 cylinder
1�-barrel Carburetor / 40 bhp (est)
4�-Speed Manual Transmission
Four Wheel Hydraulic Drum Brakes
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Odometer: 0002 Showing
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Most Desirable Volkswagen Transporter
Superb Restoration
Mechanical Upgrades
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The Model: Created on the "back of a napkin", or so one story goes,
is how the Volkswagen Type 2 Transporter came to be. After the end
of WWII, one of the first German industries to get up and running
from the ruins was Volkswagen. Under the guidance of British
engineers, the little Beetles, which had been developed in pre-war
Germany as the "People's Car", started to populate a car-hungry
region of the world. In the late 1940's Dutch VW dealer/importer
Ben Pon visited the factory and fell upon the idea of a
Beetle-based utility vehicle. He sketched out his ideas and
presented them to the company officials. While it would take a few
years for resources to be freed up to create a prototype, the final
product reflected most of Pon's original ideas. Once in production,
the VW Transporter was pushed into dozens of jobs from postal work
to deliveries, from simple transportation of goods to work in fire
brigades as support vehicles, ambulances and often by police as
"paddy" wagons useful when taking a large number of lawbreakers to
jail. With the new tasks came a program of constant improvements.
From 1951 to 1967, while the basic design remained the same, over
600 improvements had been made.
One of the most important duties of the VW Type 2 was that of
hauling passengers, and hence the "micro-bus" was born. People like
to see what is going on around them so VW designers answered that
request with more windows, the ultimate number coming to 23, which
is the very number of window panes this example presents. Picking
up the nickname "Samba" this was the top-of-the-line. Originally
designed for touring the Alps, these highly trimmed models feature
belt-line bright molding, sky-view windows along the top of the
car, and even corner windows for complete 360-degree viewing.
The Car: �This Volkswagen Samba Bus 23 Window is an exquisite
example of a fully restored model from 1958. In 2010, the bus
received an extensive nut-and-bolt restoration. The original panels
were retained as the body had been rust free and original. The
restoration was finished with the sole factory-available color
combination for the 23-Window in 1958, Sealing Wax Red and
Chocolate Brown. The lustrous exterior is complemented by the
immaculate two-tone brown interior. The engine was upgraded to a
custom 1,915cc engine which addresses the power issue that afflicts
buses of the era. Less than 200 miles have been driven since this
restoration. �Additional features of this bus are the iconic Safari
windows, a 1958-vintage Blaupunkt radio, and period-style cargo
rack built to the original Westfalia plans. One of the most sought
after vehicles of its time, and one of the most collectible
Volkswagens produced, this Samba Bus 23 Window is ready for touring
the finest countryside.
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