We thought the title was pretty clever, but smoke and windows is probably more apt. Everything is not quite as it seems…
A few months back we were at a VW specialists to watch a new Samba roof clip being grafted onto what was a 13-window Microbus. The talk in the workshop entrusted with this task was that purists, and those lucky enough to own a factory-built 21- or 23-window would scream blue murder at the notion anyone would have the audacity to do such a thing. Fake! It’s not real! This sort of thing devalues our Buses, is the sort of stuff we imagined they’d say. Heck, we even know of one supplier of these roof kits who would only sell you one if you owned a genuine Samba to put it on. No fooling!
And yet, that’s not how we feel about this sort of thing. If we’re honest and we had a Bus that needed a roof swap, well why wouldn’t you fit a Samba panel rather than a regular one? As long as you’re not trying to pass it off as the genuine article then where’s the harm in it? Anyone looking to buy it would only have to check the VIN number and M-codes to see if it left the factory with roof windows originally.
If you feel differently, that’s perfectly okay. Opinions are like belly buttons in that everyone has one and some are more agreeable than others. So it might come as a shock for you to learn that the Bus you’re looking at here didn’t leave the factory as a full-blown Deluxe, but a vastly more humble Barndoor Panel Van. Yes, you read that right. It couldn’t be any further from what it is now unless maybe it was a Type 25 Double Cab…
Repeat prescription
The Bus you see here was built and is owned by Mike Riley. That’s a name that may ring a few bells with our long term readers. We featured his WFIL Radio liveried 23-window Samba in our June 2014 and prior to that, his gold Samba on Porsche Design 90s way, way back in 2009. So Mike is clearly a man who enjoys his Split Screen Buses and getting his hands dirty.
This story is from the June 2019 edition of VW CAMPER & BUS.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the June 2019 edition of VW CAMPER & BUS.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
T5 Buyers Guide
If you want a large, practical VW you can stamp your mark on and drive daily, perhaps it’s time you look at buying a T5? Here’s what you need to check
Germany Calling
Cycling and sight-seeing whilst taking in plenty of history along the way.
Village Bus
A RHD Barndoor Deluxe Bus is an incredibly rare and very desirable vehicle and Carl Elliott’s superb ’54 is perhaps the best example anywhere in the world!
Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit
As the saying goes, it’s only original once. Fortunately, this retired fruit pickers Bus had been left to ripen in a farmer’s barn
Family 'Wagen
What do you do when you have a kick-ass Ghia but a large family? Simple. You build a kick-ass Bay Window Microbus as well
Status Cymbal
When drummer Nick Robin’s AA card was taking too much of a beating it was time to visit VW Downunder
I Is For Industrial
While the best place for an air-cooled VW engine will always be in the back of a VW, the industrial variants have ended up in many unexpected places as well. Including a very big gun…
Still Doin' It
After a hard working life, three engines and two restorations, you’d think this Pick-up had earned its retirement. Not quite
The Freddy Files
Paul Knight whisks us along a fun-filled, 36-hour road trip to the Freddy Files show in Ninove, Belgium
Readers' Rides
Your pride and joy is our delight to share, so here they are
