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The Volkswagen Type II is one of the most iconic, culturally significant vehicles in history. Its unique styling and utilitarian nature made its adoption extremely popular in the 1960s and ’70s, especially with the counterculture youth who popularized it as the “hippy van.” Today, purchasing one is purely for the nostalgia, and a Bay Window example headed for Barrett-Jackson is one of the cleanest looking Type IIs we’ve seen in a while, complete with a stellar accessory.
This 1971 Type II Bay Window is exquisitely finished in a two-tone coat of aquamarine and seafoam green, giving it a period-correct pastel paint job. Matching whitewall tires accent the vehicle’s time capsule appearance.
Its rear-mounted, air-cooled four-cylinder was recently rebuilt. During that teardown, an upgraded camshaft, crankshaft, and carburetor were put in place to give the factory 1600cc engine a bit more muscle than its original 50 horsepower.
The real magic, though, happens inside of the Bus. It’s adorned with brown leather seats, tan and white door cards, beige textured headliner, a piano-black dashboard, and, of course, matching paint spilling in from the vehicle’s exterior. Passengers sit atop a saddle-brown bench seat, separated from the driver by a high-gloss wooden table that perfectly blends into the matching floor. This is the epitome of hippy-era style—far from boring, but not over the top.
Did we also mention that the Bus comes with a matching toy car? Because it comes with a matching toy car.
While not an exact replica in terms of window count or paint scheme, the cute copy does have some unique perks that make it rather interesting. For example, its seat is coated in a similar shade of tan, while faux-wood grain lines the floor. And to bring things together, a Wolfsburg crest is centered neatly in the middle of the toy car’s steering wheel.
Since this is an auction, we won’t know exactly how much the Volkswagen will go for. But, we do know that this same Type II crossed the block at Mecum in Kissimmee, Florida earlier this year where it received a high bid of $35,000. That wasn’t enough for the Bus to trade hands, though, as it didn’t meet the reserve. So if this particular deal seems fitting for your driveway, be prepared to cough up a healthy amount of dough when it’s shown at Barrett-Jackson‘s Palm Beach sale this April.
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