Test Drive

I took a VW Minibus out for a test drive today. My supervisor at work is selling theirs, so I went to take a look at it. It's a 1973 edition. I was serious about buying it but then I had a look at it and it is not in as good a condition as I had hoped. If I buy one, I want to be able to actually go somewhere and not have the door fall off. There might be a fix for it, but it would have to be creative. The bottom track has rusted away.

So I started it up anyway and took A. and my supervisor's daughter for a test drive. The steering is standard, which was stiff, but remeniscient of my youth...my father owned a plymouth colt that was standard steering, and I certainly strained my arms on it time and time again. The steering wheel is big though, like a bus. There is no air conditioning, which is what expected, but with the engine in the back, there shouldn't be as much heat. I found the one in the pic on eBay, in Montreal. From the look of THAT one, it is worth the flight out to drive it back. Much better shape. Our test drive was interesting...the bus just moved to the neighborhood as it's owners just bought a house there. So we introduced it to the neighbors...put-put-putting and backfiring all the way.

Why am I looking for one? I have wanted one my whole life, and to travel for months in it. So it is something I am keeping in mind and will look at them more often now, with the goal of working in the north long enough to get rid of my debt, then I plan to hit the road and see some of the world, possibly down into Mexico and beyond, depending on how the van runs.