5 Things You Should Know About Driving an Old Volkswagen Bus

The Type 2 I drove used a 1.5-liter flat-four that put out about 53 horsepower when brand new. It had a bit more oomph than the ‘64 Beetle, but the van weighed around 1,000 pounds more. As a result, the VW Bus takes a while to pick up speed and struggles mounting hills.

The steering would be unacceptably floaty by modern standards; shifting was an adventure; and the brakes made me rue the number of leg days I've skipped. Sitting on a springy chair right above the wheel, it felt a bit like traveling over water at high speed.

The best way to maximize cabin space within a small footprint is to build a box. And that's what the Microbus is. It seats eight comfortably — maybe more if you aren't particular about lap builts. It still has substantial room for luggage. And believe it or not, the VW Bus is a foot shorter than a modern VW Jetta. Need more space for gear or luxuriating before a Phish show? Take out a row of seats.

The VW Bus was designed for carrying people and things — nor providing a comfortable space for the driver. I'm 5'11," and driving one made me feel downright Brobdingnagian.

You sit high in the VW bus because you're above the wheel well. Eye-level for me hit the top of the windshield; I had to duck to see traffic lights. The steering wheel is horizontal because a vertical one wouldn't fit above your knees. I even had trouble depressing the clutch fully because my size 10.5 left foot was too big for the space allotted.

The VW Bus is a conspicuous crowd-pleaser, especially in two-tone orange. It gives off all of the good vibes. You have to like the attention, because you won't be able to avoid people smiling at you, taking pictures or gesturing for you to roll down the window to converse.

I often found myself having to feign that everything was groovy from the waist up while desperately searching for first or second gear down below.

The Bus has a reputation for being a deathtrap. That seems more or less accurate. Forget crumple zones, airbags, an engine or even a hood: you're sitting in front of the front wheel and behind a headlight that juts into the cabin. There's nothing but thin sheet metal between you and a frontal collision.

My loaner had a piece of tape asking me not to exceed 55 mph after a previous incident. I’m not sure I would have felt comfortable doing so anyway.

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