Just a Bunch of Lovely Old Volkswagen Buses to Enjoy

Let’s kick off this VW Type 2 celebration with this, a faithful recreation of The Light Bus that went on display at the famed Woodstock music festival. As with the original, this replica bus was painted by artist Dr Bob Hieronimus.

You might think this was just a celebration of all things VW, but it was in fact a competition. And, as is always the case, competitions must have a winner. At the Amelia Concours d’Elegance, this 1951 Volkswagen Deluxe 15-Window bus won top marks.

Sure, it’s fun seeing an immaculate Morgan, a pristine Corvette or even a Ford GT in the flesh. But, nothing sparks joy like a well-kept VW bus. Just look how happy all those people seem.

I’m of the belief that you can paint a VW bus any color and it will still look awesome. Sure, I’d opt for a white over orange combo for my dream Type 2 bus, but this beige example with its polished chrome details is still lovely.

This psychedelic bus dates back to 1959 and is one of VW’s 13-windowed models. With the Type 2, VW offered all manner of layouts for the bus, including a four-door van, five-door minibus, two-door pickup and even a crew cab truck.

As well as fire truck VWs and a replica of the iconic Woodstock bus, the Amelia Concours d’Elegance also featured the VW bus from Fast Times at Ridgemont High, which you can just see peaking out in this lineup.

The VW Type 2 pickup is the only truck that should be allowed on the road, in my opinion. It looks cute as heck, has space for all my hopes and dreams in the back, and never goes quick enough to cause much damage. Perfect truck.

One of the stars of the show, for me at least, is the Half-Track Fox that you see above. This 1962 example came straight from VW’s own commercial vehicles collection.

In total, nine historic VW buses were on display at the Amelia Concours d’Elegance, each ranging in age from 1951 to 1967. The vehicles on show included one converted into a fire truck, as well as other meticulously-restored buses.

This panel delivery iteration of the Type 2 was painted blue and finished with the logo of Telefunken, a German radio company. When it was built in 1954, the Type 2 used a modified version of the Beetle’s floorpan and the same 30-hp flat-four engine.

The ID Buzz will launch in the U.S. later this year, bringing with it the next generation of VW’s iconic bus. Here in America, we’ll be treated to the long-wheelbase model of the all-electric bus, which will go on sale some time in 2024.

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