An advantage of not depending on a car for most of your transportation is the chance to try different vehicles as they may present themselves, especially when practicality and reliability would be open to question. These three were fairly cheap, costing between $100-400 US in 1971-4, started and ran reasonably, and were worked on and driven by me for a short time each. My father was forbearing enough to allow the use of his garage and tools, and they left my ownership in equivalent or better shape then when they were bought.
The first was called a Datsun 2000, at least by those of us who knew what they were at all —”Datsun Fairlady” is a term I only saw much later. I suspect that like a lot of translations there was a lot of meaning lost. The claim to fame of this roadster was the fairly new and unique 5 speed manual combined with a pretty robust, lusty, and apparently reliable 2 liter SOHC engine. The mileage was (as I recall) was in the 60K range—considered a lot for the time—and the convertible top was barely usable as a cover.
The body was white and pretty scratched up, but it ran quite well so a friend and I decided to try a bit of fix-up and resale. The top (courtesy of JC Whitney) more or less fit (had to work on that a while) and the compounding on the body along with some diligent use of elbow grease and carnauba wax left a passable looking sports car.
Both of us got it up over 100mph (briefly) and I considered keeping it as my main transport till my father and I watched my brother do a drift around the corner in our quiet suburb.My father turned to me and said “I think you’d better sell that car soon”. He was right (my Mustang was a better fit) – so we traded it for a newer VW Beetle and Suzuki Savage 250, both of which made a decent return with no further work.
The new owner had it for a long time afterwards and had a great time with it, though since he was the high school quarterback and a drummer in a rock band its hard to see how he could have a bad one. My short impression on driving it was that there was a lot of power there for such a light car, and the 5th gear was a great idea (gee-wonder if anyone thought the same?). Easily a better car than I was a driver, and our first Japanese car, although my father never did totally overcome that 1941-45 thing.
The next diversion was a “bug-eyed” Sprite of somewhat indeterminate age. This one was next to a garage near my home with a smashed hood, bad top and broken passenger side leaf spring. As a $100 challenge it would grace my garage about 2 months while I learned the joys of frozen bolts, lever shock absorbers and metallic-type bondo.
It ran surprisingly well after the broken bits were improved, but a simple ride on a “closed”section of I-84 convinced me that this was fun as a go cart, not as a Mustang substitute. Selling was pretty easy, although the buyer’s mother was irritated enough to ask whether I thought this was a good first car. Surprisingly I said “if you want reliable, buy an old Falcon-he is looking for something else”. I never got it past 65 MPH but at 6″ off the ground that feels like more than enough, and the tight gearbox/engine/suspension must have compensated for a lot of (automotive) sins because the new owner still was driving it when I left for grad school.
Last there was a blue 1966 VW Kombi bus. The body work had already been done with a fairly artistic level of pop riveted stainless steel; the interior was bare. Reverse gear had disappeared a while back but they knew someone who knew someone else etc. for parts. Anyway, the cult of the VW microbus was still strong and I was curious about the potential for such a four wheeled living room. As a vehicle it became something of an automotive Rorschach test—my brother and his friends recognized a rolling party and built a complete wood paneled interior (table and all) one afternoon.
My college friends saw a great way to venture off campus en masse just looking for things (you could see a lot of scenery at that speed). My father saw his garage filled up with…something. He came around to VWs later, but not never microbuses. From my perspective I saw a top end barely over 50 up-hill, nearly non existent defrosting and heating and the requirement to either procure a functional transaxle, park in strange locations straight ahead or keep 2 people with me at all times. Bless Jerry Garcia there wasn’t enough pharmacology around to keep that going. I broke even selling to my friend’s sister who never fixed any of it, and apparently enjoyed the whole experience
In retrospect I understand the enjoyment people had with all three vehicles. Any good afternoon at an antique car show is proof positive of that. The microbus cult actually resurfaced with a son-in-law a few years back. I not only held my tongue(regarding the 76 VW bus he acquired) but even bought a share of Ben and Jerrys ice cream stock for them to attend the Vermont shareholders meeting. Sadly, my daughter and him never set out for it.
(images not of my actual cars)
&^%$#W%!
I only have experience with the microbus.
As far as I’m concerned, the microbus has only one purpose in life…to drive over rough ploughed fields at full throttle chasing game while people in the back try to shoot said game without accidentally shooting me in the back of the head while I drive…then serve as a beer dispensory after deer are kilt.
Yes, I am American and my youth was ill spent in a time when laws were lax.
That sounds awesome. All we did was toilet paper people’s houses and then go home to argue about guitarists or superheroes and debate the relative merits and shortcomings of Taco Bell whilst consuming said cuisine.
Don’t worry, I imagine some parts of the country are still this way.
Where I came from (the Twin Tiers Region) some people hunt critters to supplement their food stamps since sometimes they want really expensive food and burn through their budget within a month. Others hunt critters because the critters taste good. Usually critters are poached with guns or crossbows, but sometimes vehicles are involved. Someone I know tried to get a Thanksgiving Turkey with their Caravan, but those birds’ feathers are like a bulletproof shield which is also why you need the right ammo to bag a Turkey. There are some places of higher education around there and the Deer walking about are really complacent due to lack of hunters so if you are really crazy you have a decent chance of bagging one with a crossbow, loading it up, then scampering as quick as possible.
I would be pleasantly surprised if you are correct.
I’ve never seen a Sprite before. My first thought was “Type 95 Kurogane” but comparing the two with google instead of my memory, they really look nothing alike. Maybe it’s how the front area of the fenders look vaguely similar and the headlights.
As someone who is head over heels in the Microbus cult as you would say, I don’t think there is anything close to a rational explanation as to why I like them so much. By all rational reasons I shouldn’t but I do. If I could only drive one car for the rest of my life (sentimental attachment aside) it would be a 1967-older Bus. They put a smile on my face like nothing else yet I cannot tell you why.
That’s one of the nicest photos I ever saw here. It should be on the wall of the Volkswagen museum in Wolfsburg.
+1
Last year we got a bit of snow which is a rarity where I live. It pretty much shut the city down. I went over to my best friends neighborhood, in which they were extending the road to build more homes and we had some fun sliding the bus around on the street.
Really nice. It looks like a 17th century winter-landscape painting with a time-travelling VW bus.
Speaking of Volkswagen, museum and Wolfsburg. Nearby is a privately owned museum for air cooled Volkswagens. With an appropriate name and entrance.
Website: http://www.wolfsburcht.com/
A wonderful photo indeed! It doesn’t just record a subject, but a whole experience.
Nice roadsters. I definitely understand the lure of the roadsters. They draw attention and are a great way of drawing attention to the driver and /or passenger. It never was my thing but I understand it. I used a pal’s Peugeot 204 convertible to bring back a keg of beer one time. In a way you are more exposed than on a motorcycle because you typically don’t wear a helmet. I still remember the attention I received. My brother crossed my way and he was so envious, he thought it was mine.
I had a Sprite, a couple of them actually. Tired of working on them, so I got a VW bus and tried to be a hippy. Didn’t work out so I went back to lbc.
Of these 3, the one I came closest to buying was a VW van. And that one was a panel van not a ‘bus.
Of the 3, I would have been happiest with the Sprite as a COAL.
I’d take the Datsun convertible and the VW Bus any day.
I like all three. Variety is the spice of life!
I agree. 🙂
Having something dead in the driveway is always a nice diversion, I bought this yesterday for parts
Had a rough ’65 VW Bus in high school and in the late ’70’s a really nice ’66 Sundial camper Bus. Had loads of fun in both of them. Threw a rod in 110 degree desert heat around Parker dam in Arizona, got towed home 400 miles by less than happy parents with their Winnebago. $75.00 engine out of the recycler newspaper and she was back in business. Sold it in 1977. Did I mention loads of fun and misadventure in that machine?
Oh boy ~ I can hardly wait for the stories to come rolling in =8-) .
-Nate
I started owning cars a little later, starting in 1977. You remind me of how much automotive education I cheated myself out of by buying $7-800 cars instead of $100 cars. Sure, I twisted some wrenches, but nothing like what you were dealing with.
Those Datsun roadsters were sweet, though rarely seen in my upper-midwestern area.
I was in the microbus cult for a while.
A female neighbor had one of those Datsun 2000 roadsters. I fell in love with the obviously British look combined with Japanese dependability. Meaning that I never had to work on it because it never broke. The driving experience, however, was a bit crude compared to a contemporary European sports car.