This 21-Window Volkswagen School Bus is Snow-Day Cool

BOLD RIDE

Copyright © 2015 Bold Ride LLC.

 

Posted by Zach Doell 

                               

 

In the mind of a school-going youngster, there are few things in life that can eclipse the splendor of a snow day. No class, no homework, and a whole day to go frolicking in the powder. It doesn’t get much better than that. But if your school district had one of these in its bus fleet…well, it might have been a holiday everyday.

 

Rare in its own right, this is a 1964 21-window Volkswagen Samba bus. It totes the requisite fabric sunroof, a pair of rarer-still double doors, and according to its owner, it was originally purchased to shuttle kids to class in what was once Delaware’s Alfred I DuPont School District. It recently turned up on eBay, and if it doesn’t give you nostalgia, you don’t have a VW bone in your body.

Whether you call it a “hippie van” or a “microbus,” the Type 2 Volkswagen Transporter made a big impact when it came to American soil in the early 1950s. The Type 2 could pack in nine occupants, which probably made it quite the nifty school bus, or with seats removed it provided a highly capable cargo van. The worldwide buying public loved it and interestingly the Type 2 remained in production in Brazil until 2013.

 

This one isn’t without its faults, however. According to the listing, after the school district no longer needed the Volkswagen, it was sold to a local family in the 1970s and used as personal vehicle. After a few years it was parked and would remain stationary until early 2015. Across those four decades the engine was removed…apparently replaced with a family of tin worms. The elements have not been kind to this Samba.

That said, there’s a lot to love on the rare school bus. The gauges are there—clock, speedometer, and fuel—as is the radio, soft top, original jack, much of the trim, along with each and every window.

 Originally the Volkswagen is said to have come from the factory with turquoise and bright blue paint, only to be repainted school bus yellow when pressed into service. If restored, hopefully this VW will retains its great “STOP – STATE LAW” warning and other period treatments.