The classic VW bus with a wood stove is surprisingly good at overlanding
When you think of an old VW bus, you don’t normally think of an intercity machine. Of course, you can modify pretty much anything to go off-road, but this 1966 split-window model is mostly completely stock. That doesn’t stop its owner from exploring hard-to-reach destinations, and when he gets there he even has a wood-burning stove to keep warm on chilly desert nights.
We get a full walkthrough of classic VeeDub, courtesy of Drive the globe Youtube channel. It’s a bit rough on the outside, but owner Peter Vollers loves it the way it is. It still sports an original shade of Velvet Green that has darkened slightly over the decades. Rust spots were actually treated with the same color and blended to match the patina, while Vollers also had Safari windows installed in the front.
The air-cooled engine in the rear delivers around 40 hp, which is sent to the rear wheels via a four-speed manual transmission. This is where the overlanding aspect comes into play, as Vollers explains, the bus has a portal axle at the back with surprisingly good linkage. Combined with a slow first gear and a set of 27-inch off-road tires, the old Volkswagen does damn well in off-road situations, and we mean it off-road. The video below shows the old bus negotiating a rock-strewn trail in Moab.
The interior is also largely original, right down to the bench seat, which can be folded out into a bed. The wood stove is an attachment mounted behind the passenger seat, with the chimney running right through the roof. The stove features a flat cooktop and, according to Vollers, generates more than enough heat to keep the van warm on cold nights. An additional butane gas heater mounted between the front seats replaces the standard heater for warming up while driving. Other parts like speedometer, horn and radio are the same as in 1966.
Classic VW buses like this split window have increased in value significantly in recent years. Vollers says his van could be worth anywhere from $50,000 to $60,000, but we suspect his cross-country adventures behind the wheel are downright priceless.
