…and we should all be ok with that. Is it astoundingly dumb that a rusted, engineless shell of a 1960 15-window VW Bus would sell for so much money? Yes. However, that’s really only a good thing for us. Those of us owning anything close to this model might feel a trickle-down bump from the inflating prices of these vans, while the rest of us will just find something else that’s cheap and endearingly crappy.
Whoever’s bidding up this van knows that completely restored versions are selling for even more absurd prices at auction. He or she is doing the math on what it’d take to reconstruct what’s missing and shine up what’s there. Whether or not they actually make money on the endeavor is irrelevant; someone’s about to pour mid five-figure sums into independent automotive shops and parts suppliers to bring this thing back to life. Those dollars aren’t going to buy cheap sweatshop-made sensors and sending units via RockAuto for a more sensible newish car, they’re going to the Hanzel’s Auto Body Works and Canepas of the world. If everyone were cheapskates like us, the automotive aftermarket economy couldn’t support itself. If some nostalgia-drunk (or just drunk drunk) Baby Boomer with more money than sense wants to create their own personal stimulus package, more power to them.
In case you’re interested in practicing your body work skills for the next 100 years, here’s the auction. Bidding ends Saturday!
1960 Volkswagen Bus for sale – eBay Motors
