>The "bay" window buses ('68->'79) are usually the best values you can find.
>They are not yet in high demand, and there are plenty of rust free ones out
>there. The camping interior is almost identical to the older split window
>versions (Westfalia models), but with more room up front, taller pop top,
>etc. The biggest difference between these two groups is the ride. The bay
>windows got IRS and ball joint front ends which make the ride ten times
>smoother.

PLEASE, PLEASE! *ALL* REAR-ENGINED VWS HAVE IRS. Swingaxle IS IRS.
Period. If one wheel moves independently of the other side wheel, it
is IRS. Doesn't matter whether it's a CV-jointed unit as with Bays or
a swingaxle as in most Splits (I believe some of the last Splits had
4 CVs).

>  The '68->'71 buses used an upright air-cooled
>motor. Easy to work on, cheap to replace, and pretty trouble free if you
>take care of it. The '71->'79 got upgraded to a "pancake motor" with fuel
injection starting in '72.

The 1600 Beetle engine remained an option in vans right up to 1979,
though this wasn't offered in USA; these vans didn't have an decklid
hatch. The" early" Type 4 engines (1.7, 1.8) available were
carburetted, at least to 1975.
--
Andrew Grebneff
165 Evans St, Dunedin 9001, New Zealand
<andrew.grebneff@stonebow.otago.ac.nz>
Seashell, Macintosh, VW/Toyota van nut