> I feel any perceived longevity advantage of early buses over Vanagons is
> due to low cost of engine replacement.  A sick sixties bus can be healthy
> Interested in other opinions about best bus for the long term.
> B.
> 
Well as the longest Vanagon has only been around for what 14 or
15 years now it's a bit hard to tell, I agree though the price
of engine bits really kills an old Vanagon air or water cooled.
Hell a diesel is probably the best bet for an early one.
As for the body, I'm going to say it seems the early air cooled
Vanagons are not fairing much better that late loaves around here,
the rust problems under side and front window rubber persist and
the body seams seem to really go bad, maybe worse than a late
bus.  I recently stopped to look at a '82 or so Westy in a repair
shop and was apalled to see the rockers with rust holes as big as
my '76 had and a couple small holes all the way through under
the side sliding window frames.  Seems that undercoating or paint
or both must have really improved about the time they went water
cooled to me they show some on the seams but not as bad, course
could be because they are 4-5 years newer.  But  at least they
got the battery out of the tail to lick those problems on the
Vanagons a real positive step.

John
ja@coe.wvu.edu
'71 Westy, '90 Corrado G60