Volkswagen isn’t the only one bringing its original Bus (aka Type 2, T1 Transporter, Vanagon, Minibus, or Microbus) under the spotlights these days. And while the carmaker does that via the brand new ID Buzz electric minivan‘s retro-themed styling, this 1971 Brubaker Box kit car that recently landed on eBay honors the Microbus in its own special way.
Back in the 1970s when the VW Bus had already become a global icon, an American designer named Curtis Box Brubaker felt inspired by all these Vee-Dubs and, together with Todd Gerstenberger and Harry Wykes, came up with a kit car version of the VW Bus.
And while VW had deemed the Beetle (T1) chassis too weak to support the OG Bus, the trio could use the former thanks to the fiberglass body of the Brubaker Box (this is crucial and you’ll see why below).
Following a wave of positive reactions at the Los Angeles International Motorsport Show, Brubaker decided to offer the machine as a ready-to-drive unit rather than a kit car. Alas, since he couldn’t convince Volkswagen to sell him separate chassis, he had to buy whole Beetles and strip them for production, which meant the operation wasn’t financially viable.
The designer eventually sold the design to Californian specialist Automecca, which offered the vehicle as the Sports Van. However, only a few dozen examples were sold, with most sources agreeing on a total of just 25 units.
This Brubaker Box used to be a stripped-out body baking under the sun in the High Desert of California
Sure, that fiberglass body might not appeal to everybody, but would a steel body have survived long years in the Californian desert like this example has? Regardless, over the past year, this Brubaker Box has gone from a stripped body to a fully restored machine, courtesy of Randy Carlson, aka @Carchaeology.
Randy, who believes only 10 Brubaker Boxes have survived, breathed new life into the one-stripped Automecca body by marrying this to a 1971 Volkswagen Beetle chassis featuring independent rear suspension and a ball joint front beam. The 1.6L engine is brand new, while the 4-speed manual transmission has been redone.
The period-correct approach of the minivan includes the wooden-look fiberglass bumpers, US Indy 4-slot mag wheels and tires, and the Jungle Green Metallic paint (this was the original hue). That generous sliding door reveals an interior featuring green shag carpeting for full 70s vibz and that’s not all.
According to the seller, this is one of the uber-rare examples that came with an in-dash ice chest, which is now ready for use, as is a Kraco 8-track player—you’ll find some slides of the restoration process in the video at the bottom of the story.
This 1971 “Volkswagen” Brubaker Box has only done 100 miles before hitting eBay. And you should know there are over two days left, with the highest bid at the time of press sitting at $50,100. Sorry, the “BUGNBOX” California license plates are not included.
All we can hope for is the buyer being the kind of person who loves to share the machine with the world. For one, the Petersen Automotive Museum has already contacted the seller on eBay, expressing its interest in displaying the Brubaker Box regardless of who owns the vehicle.
And since we mentioned the VW ID Buzz in the intro, wouldn’t it be nice to have a modern EV version of the Brubaker Box, as is the case with the Meyers Manx Beetle-based dune buggy?
