for sale 1968 Volkswagen Campmobile *SOLD*

[Matt Harwood]

 

SOLD! We call them the "bus" or "microbus" or something like that, but the real name for this 1968 Volkwagen is the Campmobile. We've seen prices skyrocket on the 21- and 23-window buses, so they're no longer a joke. Are these pop-up campers next? Hard to say, but they're unique, iconic, and almost impossible to duplicate so the supply is finite. And you likely won't find many nicer than this 1968 example. The VW bus was revised in '68 so it's bigger and more powerful than the earlier versions, which pays off in terms of usability and comfort here. The green paint is quite attractive and while it's not as funky as you'd expect for a '60s VW, it's also a bit more grown-up so you don't feel so conspicuous driving it. Someone spent a ton of money restoring it, although they didn't over-do it and you won't be afraid to drive it. Paint looks great, the bumpers are painted not chrome, and the pop-up roof works as advertised and has a correct new canvas tent that adds headroom inside.

 

And it's the inside that makes these special. The inviting dinette area offers seating for dinner and quickly converts to a bed, which, combined with the bed in cargo bay, means this VW can sleep four. There are clever storage cubbys throughout and it has a 115V power hook-up so you have have lights in the evening without worrying about the battery. Front seats are finished in tan cloth so they're all-day comfortable, and there are fresh door panels and new rubber floor mats, too. The bus-like seating position takes some getting used to (you're not nearly as close to that wall as you think you are) and since you're sitting atop the front axle, it feels a little floaty, but you get used to it pretty quickly. Gauges amount to a speedometer and gas gauge, but someone has thoughtfully added a modern AM/FM/CD stereo system that sounds pretty good. Everything works, too, so go out and camp!

 

'68 VWs got a bump in horsepower and top speed was now 62 MPH! It's actually pretty happy at 60 and doesn't seem to be working near its limits, although everything it does is fairly leisurely. The engine, transmission, and axles were all rebuilt or replaced and have very few miles on them, so it's fresh and ready for another few hundred thousand miles of fun. The 4-speed manual transmission is vague as hell, but that's standard with a VW and you'll figure it out soon enough, and the brakes are reassuringly strong given the VW's modest performance. The suspension rides softly and doesn't jostle you, which is probably why they are favorite road trip machines and it sits on a fresh set of 14-inch radials on the original wheels.

 

I haven't seen a nicer one than this and the camper is everyone's friend out on the road. Fully sorted, beautifully detailed, and lots of fun, this is a great way to see the countryside without it feeling like a hardship. At $34,900, it's still less than a modern minivan and nothing else has this kind of dedicated following. Thanks for looking!

 

 

 

 

Edited March 29, 2018 by Matt Harwood (see edit history)

[Matt Harwood]

SOLD! Thank you!