Pros and Cons. Bus vrs Bug

[dansam]

Ok I love bugs. I love the looks and I love the handling and the mechanicals are awsome. BUT I dont like the small size (Im not a small dude) I dont like the lack of comfort when others are with me. I HATE that I have to pass up on cool free parts (those free GTI seats from last year Haunt my dreams to this day, they just would not fit in the car!!). SO anyway I once owned a 71 bus and except for the geriatric power I liked the veh. Mind you I dont like the lines of them too much (there are only four of them ) but I like the idea of chillen at shows. I was toying with the idea of getting a westy then putting ally's engine and trans it it so Id have a bus that could actually keep up with traffic. So what are the pros and cons of this Idea??? Im open to suggestions.

Pro's
------

Lotsa space, even comes with the perverbial kitchen sink

can have that big screen tv I always wanted so I can play all my Herbie movies at shows ;D with help from my generator of course.

Wife might actually come with me places in it (she is scared of Ally) then again it may be my driving

easier to take the engine out.

can get more jiggy with the interior.

Get to start a new project!! All the possibilities.

Is considered more of a rare veh than the bug (dont know why though)

Look at all the freakin room in the engine compartment!!! (turbo kinda room ;D )

Would look good slammed with Allys wheels.

Suround sound with BASS

can sleep at work during lunch ;D

Can have a nice cold sanwich and drink at shows without paying.

Will have a new place to store my colman stove and other camping crap.




Cons
-------

I really LOVE ALLY (sniff sniff)

will miss the kick ass performance/handling

Lovin the lines man

have a d**n lot of money in the susp/ and stuff that goes with the veh.

I really have to start all over?

Being called a Hippie.

Being Hasseled by THE MAN as there HAS to be drugs in there somewhere! ;D

Autocrossing a bus is to commical to contemplate (might do it anyway)

[dansam]

Oh yea another pro, the IDF's fit in the bus better than in Ally.

[vwfanatic]

why not have both ?

[dansam]

Cant do both and stay married. The only reason I can even THINK of doing the switch now at all is the wife is in the middle of getting a puppy (something Im against) so I also can at this point use this to my advantage to get a new pet of my own on house money (what little of it there is).

Ah the games we play

Im Still at a 2 car maximum. Plus picture this, Cassie gets the new beetle next spring and my wife is getting a mustang in Feb. I have the suburban and then the old vw. So 4 cars is pleanty for our setup. Any more and it will look like a used car lot.

[vwfanatic]

I hear ya. we have 3 cars and we also have 3 dogs. Some day I am getting another bug. I would love a camper(vw) but I think I would get rid of my 62 and I am just not ready to do that. A westy I feel would just be a better fit for a family fun type vehicle. maybe a thing !

[Happy Camper]

Don't under estimate the beauty of taking a nap at work during lunch. The not being able to keep up with traffic thing is a hassle. Lots of room to carry stuff to the shows! Beetles are cool, but nothing turns heads like a bus "Man". I finally just gave up on fighting the hippie thing and just give everybody who waves a peace sign. Sits nice and high to see good in traffic. It's kind of "homey" in there.
thevwbusblog.blogspot.com/
The bus is just plain bigger. They are more work because there is just more of it. Parts for the bus are a bit more expensive.
I like them both, I will be sad to see the bus go someday, but I know myself better than to think I can keep it. I have loved my Beetles as well.
Sorry, no help here.
Camper

[steve71westy]

I've never had a beetle so I'm kinda one sided on this debate, but besides the pros and cons that you already listed and those are huge. I love driving my bus it is just a totally different ride/experience sitting on the front tires and mostly in front of the whole turning radius, plus you are sitting upright with your feet and legs below your waist, just super comfortable for me but then again it needs to be comfortable for as long as you need to be in there to get where you're going LOL
I definitely vote bus, but like I said I'm kinda biased
Steve G

[dave]

The other difference that I have been told is the gas mileage is worse with a bus but I have never paid any attention to it so I don't know for sure.

[dansam]

I'm sure gas mileage sucks gASS

not sure where this may end up so I'll keep wrenching on Ally till it's time to switch, I have parts that should be arriving any day now.

[MadMike]

It's simple: Move to a bigger place to store all the cars ;D or sell/scrap the Cheby and get the Bus ;D Keep Ally the way she is 8-)and build another stroker 90.5x 82 for the bus ;D ;D ;D

[dansam]

Nah 2 air cooled is not the answer. I may do a bus or not. Im going to take a mental break for a bit. I found a 73 camper in muskegen but its a hard top. very cheap but needs lots of body work. Too much research over the last week. Im mentally exhausted. Then I go out to the garage and Ally is just sitting there waiting to go for a drive. I should see some parts (new breather, high pressure lines ect) later in the week and then Im going to get my hands dirty and hopefully stop the leaking.

[steve71westy]

Yep the same motor pushing almost twice as much vehicle with about double the drag equals roughly half the gas mileage. I'm getting around 18-20 depending on driving conditions with a stockrebuild 1600 dp
Steve G

[dansam]

Thats about what I get with Ally OF course i have a 2276 with lots of carb.

[ghiastein]

Here are my thoughts

Most importantly I feel that you would be better off with an early bay 1968-1971 or a split window bus if you have the coin.

The reason is because you already know a type 1 engine. Bay window buses change engines in 1972 to the type 4 engine. You would have to learn a completely new engine.

The type 4 is actually a better engine than the type 1. More power larger cc's and a cast aluminum block. The down size is the price to have a type 4 engine rebuilt correctly is very pricey. They also have issues with the valve seats coming loose when the engine is over heated.

Yes the engine compartment is bigger but good luck on working on any thing because you have a small hatch that is far from the engine. It is sometimes easier to just remove the engine to work on it.

Buses are more expensive to work on and purchase than a Beetle

I know for a fact that Ally's transmission will not work in a bay window bus. They are IRS and the mounting is totally different. The gear ratios might be off too because of the weight of the Bus.

With my engine setup I get about 18-25 mpg in my Bus

Expect to get more attention in the Bus. I get more waves and honks in my bus than my Ghia

Honestly I would not get rid of your pride and joy to purchase a Bus. I would find a way to keep the Beetle and get a Bus.

Just do what I did purchase a Bus and piss off the wife. Spend your weekends and evenings working on it pissing the wife off more. All while reducing the bank account and further pissing off the wife. When the Bus is done take the wife out for a ride and possibly a camping trip. Soon you will find the wife picking out curtains for it and wanting to ride in the bus everywhere you go.

Or you can do what Bren did......

[dansam]

Ive found out that a type 1 motor fits right into a 72 and later bus no problem but needs different tins. My new super trans would have to be sold. Did you know that overseas they used the type 1 standup motor into the type 2 till 79!!?? Anyway I may just stick with the bug. I would one day like a bus however. Cant really have both. what happened to Bren?