A former fire brigade van, today’s Nice Price or No Dice VW LT35 has been converted to camper duty, while still maintaining some of its former uniform. Let’s find out if its price gets us all hot and bothered.
There comes a time in every person’s life when they ask themselves, “Am I the kind of person who could be lured by the intrinsic qualities of a basic British sports car, or do I prefer a life with no joy whatsoever?” Few choices are quite as important.
I, for one, have spent my entire adult life surrounded by British sports cars. Heck, there are two of them lurking in my garage right now. Do they run? No. Am I ever going to get around to restoring them? Um, I’ll get back to you on that.
Because of my affection, or some might say, affliction, for old British sports cars, I was salivating to see last Friday’s 1973 Morgan Plus 8 roadster come our way. At its $23,500 asking price, I even contemplated its purchase, if only for a minute. We already have a Plus 4 in the family, so it would prove unnecessarily redundant. Unfortunately for its seller, few of you share my passion for oil leaks, weak electrics, and bugs in the teeth from miles of smiles that a British sports car provides, giving that Morgan a 62% ‘No Dice’ send-off to end last week.
Lasten-Transporter
There is, perhaps, no van more famous than Volkswagen’s Type 2 Transporter. Beloved by hippies and high school history teachers alike, the VW Bus has become an iconic—and shockingly expensive to buy—classic vehicle. But did you know that the Volkswagen bus had a bigger, harder-working sibling? Dubbed the LT for Lasten-Transporter, or “heavy load transporter,” this series of commercial vans and platform bodies entered the market in 1975. It was built across two series for the next 20 years.
This 1989 LT35 is a first-generation model, with a top 3.5-ton carrying capacity for the time. Like most American vans of the 1960s, the LT is a forward-control design, with the engine sitting between the seats, driving the rear axle. Unlike most American vans of the 1960s, the LT series was never offered in the U.S., meaning this one was privately imported. It does wear Smokey the Bear Oregon license plates, so one would expect that all the rigmarole involved in its importation and licensure is complete and put to bed. The ad does note that it has a clean title.
Red suspenders
Where did it come from? Well, based on the writing on the front doors, it’s from Ohlenberg, Germany, where it served in a volunteer fire brigade. That past life is also evident in the FEUERWEHR (fire department) painted on the nose, a pair of blue gumballs on the roof, and the dusky red paint the van wears. It’s kitschy and totally fun that the van still wears its fire service uniform, even now in its retirement.
Under all that is a massively roomy box of a van that, unique for its era, has sliding side doors on both sides. Other notable features of the exterior include an add-on roof rack with awnings, what look to be sirens, and a ladder on one rear door.
Power for the LT35 comes from a 2,383cc carbureted straight-six producing 89 horsepower. That’s mated to a four-speed manual driving the live rear axle, and the suspension is by semi-elliptic leaf springs all around. According to the ad, the van has 63,000 kilometers on the clock—about 40,000 miles—and is described as “a very fun, reliable camper van.”
Van life
That camper description is due to the updates and additions made to the interior. Those include a bed platform with storage beneath and a kitchen counter in the back. There’s no running water, ice chest, or built-in stove, but there is a stainless steel counter and even more storage. Ahead of all that, there’s a rear-facing jump seat and the two forward-facing seats in the cab. It all appears to be in good shape, but it would have benefited from the seller removing all their random crap from the dash and console before taking the pictures.
The exterior is remarkably straight given the van’s age and former vocation. Yes, the paint is faded, but that patina only adds to the intrinsic charm. One of the rear bumperettes is missing, but that seems to be the only AWOL element. On the plus side, the glass is intact, and the seller says the truck comes with brand-new tires as an added incentive.
Kayaks not included
There is something about old VW vans that, like puppies or garlic fries, just puts a smile on people’s faces. This LT35 is an oddball VW van here in the States, so it’s even more of a draw. It comes with all the camper gear, but not the two kayaks on the roof. For anyone not into the kayak lifestyle, that’s likely a moot point, but if anyone is looking to buy this VW specifically for the kayaks, well, they’ll be SOL.
For the rest of us, however, it is now time to consider this VW Van’s $12,000 asking price. Is that a fair asking price for so weird and wonderful a camper conversion as one is likely to find? Or is that too much for this former fire department van, even if you had the money burning a hole in your pocket?
You decide!
Portland, Oregon, Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.
Hat tip to Don R. for the hookup!
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