American Picker’s 1962 Volkswagen Bus
This 1962 Volkswagen Type 2 Vanagon has featured in a number of magazines alongside its current owner. That owner is Mike Wolfe, of “American Pickers” fame. Mike has decided to part with the vehicle, so you will find the Volkswagen listed for sale here on eBay. It is located in Columbia, Tennessee, and is being offered for sale with a clear title. At the time of writing, bidding has reached $15,100, but the reserve hasn’t been met.
The Vanagon is actually quite a solid bus, and I guess that its appearance is in keeping with the show’s theme of recycling old objects. The only rust of note is some on the roof seam. The floors and frame are all solid as a rock. One feature on this that I really like is the swing-out windshield glass. I also like the fact that this is the Double-Door version, as it offers great versatility with loading and unloading objects.
The interior is standard Volkswagen fare and is in pretty reasonable condition. The seat upholstery looks really good, the paint on the dash looks pretty reasonable, and the door trims are intact, but showing the wear that you would expect from a 56-year-old commercial vehicle. Exactly what you would choose to do with the interior would depend on whether you intended to restore the vehicle. If you intended to leave the exterior as it is, then I wouldn’t touch a thing inside. One really nice thing about the interior is the fact that the original divider between the cab and the cargo area is intact, and seems to be in good condition.
Powering the VW is a 40hp engine and a T3 transmission. The engine has recently undergone a rebuild, so should be good for a few years now. The transmission has also recently been rebuilt. The vehicle retains its original 6-volt electrical system, and the suspension has also been lowered. The vehicle is said to run and drive well.
When you are considering making a purchase, whether it is a car, a boat, a house, whatever, it can be very easy to get caught up in the moment, especially when that item is, or has been owned, by a famous person. That claim may influence the value of the item now, but will it have the same impact 10 or 20 years down the track? Therefore, I’m going to look at the value of this Volkswagen purely as a vehicle that has never had a celebrity owner. One thing that I will say is that finding original Double-Door Delivery Vans is becoming increasingly difficult. This was largely the result of a dramatic reduction of commercial Volkswagen imports into America following the 1964 “Chicken Tax” tariff war between the US and European countries. Therefore, vehicles like this one are in short supply, and unrestored examples such as this one are regularly commanding prices in excess of $30,000, while an immaculate example can fetch $60,000 or more. It will be interesting to see whether the fact that this vehicle has a celebrity owner will influence the value. So far, 15 people have placed bids on it.
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Comments
VW van
Picked $2,500
Asking,,way too much
Mike wins again..love the show Mike, but you’re killing it for us Johnny Lunchpails.
To be fare Howard he did sink some money into it. And the water only runs into it on rainy days. I say with the mechanical work it’s worth maybe $10k. However with out that engine and trans it’s back to being $2500.00 on a good day. This van is on the verge of being to far gone it’s still savable but not for to much longer. That so called patina is starting to make some holes. I personally couldn’t care less that it is Mike’s van. In fact consistent to his style auto body maintenance is not his thing. Its probably for sale because Mike know it’s reaching a critical state and wants to unload it while it’s still worth something.JMHO.
Ah HoA…trurh…..had a few busses myself . Perhaps instead of Mike Wolff being characterized for ruining OUR hobby we should be envious of his turning our hobby into a career…and you gotta admit in the beginning of his show when they are finding their was it was fun to watch the wily sellers try to outwit him. Now it’s pretty formulaic …..mo
I need to stop drinking when I use my iPhone to answer posts on BF
I would say he is selling it because he drove it farther than down the street recently. A friend had a ’67 window bus in the early ’70s that 3 of us drove to NHRA drag races all around Ky and east for a couple of years. The steering box was worn so bad that the you had to turn the wheel at least 1/2 turn to start turning the wheels so it was an experience to say the least. Once we left the Springnationals in Columbus late Sunday afternoon and the went to sleep and left me to drive about 7 hours home, It starting raining before we got out of the racetrack and it had vacuum wipers that only worked when you let off the gas which you did not want to do because with 40 hp it took a while to get going up to highway speed. It was a long way home and would wear your arms out keeping up with the steering wheel. When I see one of these for sale I shudder. lol
Sad flashbacks.
Whatever Mike’s number ends up being; I’d rather have the Nash he’s got parked in the flower bed of this establishment. Good luck new owner.
I don’t see any trim on those door panels.
That’s a hefty premium to pay to name drop for a show that nobody will remember in 10 years.
Not a Vanagon. That the the third generation starting with the 1980 model year. The tilt out windows are “Safari Windows.”
This is a split-window bus not a Vanagon.
Better yet, it’s a Type2 bus with Safari Windows. Vanagon was only in the US. I worked at a VW dealershop from 1974 to 1983 and will never forget seeing the car hauler arrive with a load of new VW’s. Mostly Rabbits but there were 2 new Vanagons. One 2tone brown/tan and the other 2tone blue/light blue. We hadn’t had a new VW bus to sell for months and had customers were chomping at the bit. Both were unloaded and both had AUTOMATIC transmissions but they still sold very quickly.
They say one is born ever minute. Bidding over 15000 dollars for a 1000 dollar piece of rust. I owned 2 of the camper specials. I never planned on going camping over 20 miles away. That’s so the tow bill back home wouldnt be to high. These are absolutely the biggest pile of junk to ever hit the road.
“Perfect Patina” That’s not patina, that’s rust! Underneath it looks good for the age of it, but the edges of the body, and the holes in the roof, need immediate work. The rust in the front floor looks like it’s ready to fall through. Something I’ve been very familiar with in the past.
Could someone enlighten me on what are door trims? Do you mean door panel, door handles, or door trim, such as chrome strips and the like?
When you’re unfamiliar with something, and perhaps don’t know the name of a certain part or item, you make up your own terminology.
What some writers here call a door trim are what others would call a door panel. It must be a regional thing. Until I started reading BFs I had never heard the term door trim, we always called them a door panel.
How about the term ” Door Cards, makes me shake my head.
The interior panels
Nice, but not $20.000.00 nice
You guys are in La la Land on early bus values. Check the Samba for real world prices.
Quit watching American Pickers just as I have Pawn Stars and some of the Car Reality shows on Velocity. They are not real and they are causing the problems we face with buying and selling our stuff. I’ve been to Mike’s place in Iowa and I would not pay the prices they are asking especially when I know what they paid .
I bet you have no problem buying something at Walmart for $50 buck that only cost them $1.99 to produce.
VW buses, old Porsches, old Mopars, ALL are way over valued. There are too many better cars out there to justify their asking prices. BUT I will admit that there are people out there willing to pay the prices for these cars so I guess the high selling prices will continue? I just don’t get it.
Keith… The folks buying these rigs are the ones who owned them “back in the day”. Look at the age of the folks at Mecam auctions buying up the cars they wish they had never sold. As for the comment above, we went through a ’77 camper and a water cooled Vanagon camper because we were camping our way around the country but needed a daily driver. Never had a lick of problems with either one of them. Towed race cars with the Vanagon. By the way, my first VW was a ’55 like this one. Agree on the prices but markets rule.
He pays a shop in Columbia, TN that specializes in older VW stuff. Any VW stuff he gets he sends through them first.
I used to work at a Dodge dealership a few miles from the VW shop.
I was going to ask why the van is in TN when he is in IA.
Miguel – Because the pickers from Iowa don’t really live there! Mike actually lives in Tennessee, and Frank lives in Illinois.
Wow! Nothing like a rant of positivity to make me remember why I subscribe to barn finds! Lol
Whatever happened to saying something positive about cars here on bf’s? Seems like everybody rips on the posts, flaws, prices etc more than they say positive comments anymore…
Now we’re wishing death on people who own a certain type of car?? Over the top commenting.
Damn bro. Breath. It’s gonna be ok.
all you jerks are just jealous of mike and frank. they are living the dream and getting paid to do it. how much fun is that!! i like the show, its cool seeing these collections. i do this for a living too and it would be fun to be on tv and have people calling me all the time to buy their collections. the only thing i dont understand is why dont they buy the entire lot instead of just a few pieces here and there. thats what i would do, but i guess thats tv for you. good go mike and frank, you are my heroes.
You need to lay off the Kool aid, George. THis stuff is all fake, these guys ar.e crooks, You are doing yourself a disservice by buying into this. They have ruined the collectibles market. Try buying a rusty old sign to hang on your barn for cheap And Scotty- these people are ripping folks off on a regular basis. Calling your self a picker is an insult.
This is my opinion. I try stay away from Negativity here on this great site. So many different opinions here make it fun. Lets keep it fun!!
Cheers
GPC
Frank Fitz pleaded guilty to DUI in March, so I wouldn’t want to ride in any car he’s driving.
The show is scripted, and Mike and Frank definitely cheat people.
Darn! First it was the Drug Dealers and then it was the Flippers and now American Pickers. No wonder this hobby is getting ruined
Man, for that and driving the wrong way on I-80 you pay a fine of $625 plus court costs. I might have to relocate.
Kudos to Mike and the Bearded Charmer/The Bundler/Frankie/Frank for turning their love and hobby of antiques and picking into a major tv show and into what has to be a very lucrative income. Yes, they have more money than most of us do but I don’t understand how that’s a bad thing at all? They worked both hard and smart to get where they are now, nobody handed them anything. Not one person here would feel guilty if they were in their place. They found a need and filled it, it’s up to every one of us to do the same thing instead of ripping on someone else for getting there first.
I hate that you had to say that.
Believe it or not of all people to quote Madonna said it best, reality show celebrity might get you in the door but it won’t get you in the room. This is cheep to produce entertainment by people that are not actors and as far as I’m concerned they have ruined television. There badly scripted and totally fake, all these picks are setup in advance of the camera’s. When they first became popular was as filler during a writers strike one the writers guild no doubts regrets having. I bare no grudges towards Mike and Frank all they did was climb on the gravy train, but enough already with the unreal reality shows. They have soooo over stayed there welcome. Its time for the networks to start giving us some quality programming.
You mean “quality”shows like Real Housewives of etc.?
Netflix, man. They have more great shows than you can possibly watch.
I find it odd that Mike and Frank are not even really partners. Antique Archaeology is 100% Mike’s business. Frank has a store called Frank’s Finds. The show never mentions that.
I must be odd, because I like the reality shows. Kindigit Design, Pickers, Gold Rush, all are entertaining without needing to think too much. They are really well produced, I cant imagine how you take a 2 year car build and condense it into 45 minutes, or a couple of guys rummaging around for junk and make it flow. We get to see the inside of really cool barns, ( I liked the steam collector in Oregon the best) and it is something both my wife and I can watch together. For the guys that don’t like them, there is always the remote.
“without needing to think too much”
I generally choose programs that challenge my intellect. I don’t know which one is more annoying, Mike or Frank. I’d guess I’d have to call it a draw, since everything they say is scripted anyway.
And no, I’m not jealous of their success. I’m annoyed because they’re destroying the hobby for the rest of us.
They’re destroying your hobby? What hobby would that be, misanthropy?
The market for these is across the pond. That is one reason they are high $. Doubledoor makes it really cool too!
Frank and Mike have their own Ebay account to sell things from their store. I wonder why they don’t have this van listed there.
Somebody wants this real bad Build It Up over 29 G! That’s a lot of money for a little rust!
I would rather have Jon Voight’s Le Baron.
It’s my understanding Frank does not do the show anymore, I think Mikes brother took his place but I’m only going on what I’ve read because I don’t watch the show anymore.
I think Mike’s brother would make a great replacement, as well as that silver haired guy that does a lot of work for Mike.
Did he really pick it for $2,500? If true, wow.
Just passed $30,000 – with 67 bids!
I am considered by most a wealthy ol’man, however I would never pay that kind of money for a piece of contemporary lawn art! Especially just because a tv guy owned it! Crazy world we live in!
I believe that Mike and Frank found that van in Texas?Great episode,father and son used the van for jack lighting coyotes on there acreage.Way to much money for that rust bucket…Wheres all the high dollar rusty mopars instead.
Homeydodat,
Nope, not the same VW, the coyote ‘dub had doors only on the curb side, and had windows on the sides as well.
Just passed 30k? In 1971 after I got out of the Marines, I bought a 67 bus Lomé that one for $400. Regardless of the scarcity, there is no way I would pay that kind of money for a scrap heap. I could buy a late model jag XK convertible, or a Porsche 996 convertible with 10 k left over.
Damn, I hate that spell assist. Lome’?
BONGO …. you are spot on …. had one for 3 years and my first car which we loaded up and went surfing each weekend … gutless is a word that describes these early buses …. picked up a couple of hitch hikers just out of Torquay one day and as we were trying to negotiate a small hill one of them asked if he could get out and walk as he was in a hurry …. cracked me up … nervous when driving as passengers would say “whats that noise ”
Tank …. aussie
Those Safari push-out front windows are rare. But, don’t get behind these on a hill. Very slow, and spray out oil on you!
Bowtie Boi, can you actually wrench on a car?
Love their show. Hate this rusty bus. It was low end transportation when new and now it is a rusty worn out low end transportation. Mike owning it adds no value.
I had a 64 window van bought for myself as graduation present in 69. It was that or a 64 Caddy convertible; always wonder who I’d be today if I bought that! I cut the van up for scrap in 74. Different body, engine, trans. Nothing matched the title. All had been replaced. Had 205/15 rubber. JCWhitney sway bars front & rear. Air scoops on the side. External oil filter. 009 distributor. I could drive it faster than the 6V lights could shine.
Actually George – no – and actually what they paid for the items has not always been truthful. And that’s coming from the people they bought from. It’s a show like many others and one that’s driving the price for all that enjoy their respective hobby.
Mike is flipping it, that’s what he does for a living.
I had a ’64 and it was rusted to the point where a few things had fallen out of the cargo area through a rust hole in the floor. We were making a stone and Portland cement walkway in front of my dad’s house and ended up with a few quarts of leftover cement. I had read about ferro-cement sailboats and thought this was the perfect opportunity to try the technique. I grabbed some chicken wire, crunched it into a ball, stuffed it into the hole, filled and plastered it with the cement and tooled the surface to replicate what was missing. Voila, no wind noise, no lost items and at no cost. A win win win all around. The van cost me $230 IIRC and came with a gas heater that I sold for most of that. Hard to understand why they are getting absurd prices now for such a primitive and horribly designed vehicle. Air cooled VW’s were unreliable at best. Remember following them at night with the flames shooting out between the head and jugs? There is one I see that has a burnt engine cover that has a “honk if I am on fire” bumper sticker. I saw one that caught fire and the owner was running around distraught. A good Samaritan pulled out a fire extinguisher and ran up to the car, only to decide it was not worth discharging his extinguisher. By the time the fire department got there and put out the fire, the car was toast. Maybe its all the love lost in the back seat and the current rarity because they all burned up or rusted out.
Back in the day? Please explain. I have fond memories of my many VW’s, burning hot in summer freezing in winter, trying to find heater boxes at a junkie, or heater box cables, and then trying to work on them in my driveway or in the street, back in the day. I now have multiple cars with no issues in my garage, and have gone from not having two nickels to rub together to living in the moment.
Rebuilt many of these engines and noticed it would be nice if the fuel filter was installed the correct way.
The VW’s were renowned for blown head gaskets, and you were lucky if you took off the oil cap and didn’t see cappuccino yellow foam. I expressly remember when gas was nineteen cents a gallon, and I pulled into the Merit gas station in Watertown square, was approached by the attendant, who asked what I needed, and I replied “a dollar’s worth of regular, please”, to which he replied, “anything you say, Rockefeller.” Remember that like it was yesterday.
Ended: Dec 03, 2018 , 1:36PM
Winning bid:US $35,100.00
[ 78 bids ]
$35,100? I’ve got some land in Florida. With 35k I could buy two late model super cars with money left over. I wish the winners well.
Lordy–is the price due to being owned by a nose picker>?? Good luck to the new owner!
Cheers
GPC
So this is TOTALLY OFF TOPIC but I am watching pickers now. Mike just asked what a FEED & SEED STORE is??!!! For someone who claims to be a picker for 20 years, that has got to be the DUMBEST question EVER!!