Anyone out there getting a bit to prescious with there Buses? I,ve got an unrestored Westy that I,ve had for I think 7 years when I first bought it it was pricey but far cheaper than anything around today and I quite happily used to use it a lot through winter when it rained through summer etc. One of the reasons i bought it was the condition of the under carriage and particularly the under arches which have lovely shiney original paint gleaming out which are far to nice to be covered in waxoyle or any other treatment but there in lies the problem you start to get far to picky about when the Bus comes out to play and then theres the genuine early Fuches I,ve put on which as much as I love them do take some lookin after and these days I,m far less inclined to spend hours minting my Bus up. So heres the dilemna I think I,d rather have a shabby but solid bus which I could take out every day rather than the Bus I own now which only comes out when it,s dry but I find myself unable to let go of my bus because I won,t find better of course if I lived in California it wouldn,t be an issue it,d be driven every day

Just "use" it bud, it's what they were made for

Too prescious? Yep.

Needs to be used - YEP! Other wise what is the point??
Beauty with out the freedom is like a bird in a covered cage...


feck me - where did that .... come form!

Still true though!

I've been debating this since buying my one.
I'm paranoid about where I park it at the best of times, god only knows what I'd be like if I had it fully restored

Thats why I'm happy to leave it as is and enjoy it whilst I can

im happy with my Ratter all the dents dings and scuff just adds to its charm


Sean

In my years in the scene I've found on most occasions that people with mint/restored buses sell them within a few years. I think it's all down to the heartache of watching the rust and scratches appear. I am always out and about the northwest in mine over the winter but i must admit the rust is appearing year by year.

nope, mine is a mean mofo that hurts me at every opportunity, plus ths is why i left my paintwork well alone, as it is i dont mind if scratch or ding it, just as long as i keep on top of the rust.

i feel this about mine , not a minter but good nick with polished wheels
i dont bring it out in the winter now after last year when the wheels went white
so this year ive bought a average bug to use as the daily so i can keep the bus tucked up
until the salts have gone

Thats the reason i sold my last van, i only used it 4 times and didnt want to leave it at shows ..

Not the crewwie i will use and abuse it ....

Hi
I had the very same dilema,
bought my 67, as it was very very solid,with mostly og paint.
probably with aftersight,i should of left it as it was,but being new to the scene,i decided to restore with new shiney paint and bling.
Then i got out to a few shows and felt out of place,i was proud of my acheivements(i still am)
but noticed,all the attention was being given to unrestored,og buses.That was when i realised maybe i had made a mistake and should of left it as it was,dont get me wrong i am NOT an attention seeker,but i now understand the beauty of an og bus.
On reflection i would now keep every thing as it is,but as i obviously couldnt reverse the works and we use the bus for weddings(a little extra income helps).
I really enjoy driving the bus but as others have said,am very cautious when out and about,if there is a gap with oncoming traffic i tend to give way to others.
Then i was lucky enough to find some spare funds,and bought another a 66 og ,solid no welding,but lowered,i put in a bigger lump,left as is and i drive her every day(unlike the other which comes out only in the summer).
Needless to say when i am out in the later,its NOT me who gives way
Its a hard choice,and yes they should be used,not wrapped in cotton wool,But now i have the best of both worlds.
Good luck
Tont C

I love both my cars too, see below, but I have more fun with the bus because its so useable in all weathers, never had or will have a picture of the beetle in the snow, cough cough it doesn't even like the rain. Its too perfect.

Although I've now nearly done every panel except the roof on the bus, its been done to be usable just so it doesn't end up being left in the garage.

Ollieb7

Beauty with out the freedom is like a bird in a covered cage...

likin that mate been out and about taday as the sun is shining

I get twitchy and very nervous - even worse now had the new interior.

Emily says I need to calm down and let the diazapam kick in before i let the kids in!

Scratch my bus, i punch yr face!!

vwbuzzers wrote: I think it's all down to the heartache of watching the rust and scratches appear.

Part of the reason I sold mine key....even though my painter gauranteed the paint as long as I owned it...he gave it a once over before I past it on...came up like new

zippy wrote:Just "use" it bud, it's what they were made for

nail on the head... used and abused mine....only polished it once doing the same with it's replacement
My new daily hack...Just hope Delkeys not reading this


should look like this

Mines pretty shiny, and it's got a custom magnolia leather interior. I use it most days, all weathers (excluding black ice). Dont possess so much as a seat cover.
Dont have an idea how long it'll stay shiny etc.
When it wears through, I'll start again...