NPCP: Volkswagen LT-35 Service Bus With Trailer

"Reborn Pyrrhic" (pyrrhic)
07/14/2014 at 18:02 • Filed to: NPCP, audi, quattro, rally car, volkswagen, van, bus, for sale, mobilede, germany, sale

Being a race car owner isn't easy: it's not like they will let you drive your race car to the track, or rally of your choice down public roads. First of all, race cars are usually not very road friendly: harsh suspensions, stiff seats, hard clutches, dog gear boxes... leave them for the track! But how do you get that Audi Quattro Group B car you always wanted to the track, now that you've made it and can afford the five-cylinder beast?

Worry no more! Here is the vehicle carrier for you! This Volkswagen LT-35 van with trailer is the perfect set up for carrying your race car to the nearest track. Sales details are minimal: good condition for age, former police van, used for eight years as a race tow vehicle, 86,900 km. Its 90 hp gasoline engine will probably last a life time but certainly won't win any races itself. It does however come with real life experience pulling some of the world's best and most historic rally cars up and down Europe, a pedigree that can be matched by few tow vehicles.

The van come s bedecked much like an Audi Quattro rally car, showing the team's yellow and black colors on white background. The little bus is equipped with a very sturdy looking roof rack, looks like it will carry a few engines and a dozen wheels up there.

The current owners, !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , are a company in Germany that specializes in (duh) Quattros, will and will sell, build, or rent you an Audi rally beats to go racing with. I imagine this van was responsible for carrying the company's most illustrious cars, the notorious Group B monster, the Audi Quattro. The front of the van even comes autographed by some of rallying's greatest rally Audi drivers: Stig Blomqvist and Walter Röhrl.

Available for !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , this van could be your race car carrier. It's already over 25 years old and legal for US residency. So what is it? Nice Price for a piece of rally racing car carrying history, or Crack Pipe for a too slow bus with fancy colors?

DISCUSSION (17)

duurtlang > Reborn Pyrrhic
07/14/2014 at 18:10

Don't tempt me. Put this on US Ebay and market it a bit to get the word out, and you'll double your money. That's assuming it's mechanically and structurally sound.

Reborn Pyrrhic > duurtlang
07/14/2014 at 18:12

That's what I am thinking! Imagine showing up to a Cars and Coffee in the US and steal the show away from the look-at-me supercars with a 5,000 VW Bus...

I would totally daily drive this for a bit, use it as a camper van, then sell it...

Besides, that roof rack alone must be worth at least 2,000 Euro!

duurtlang > Reborn Pyrrhic
07/14/2014 at 18:18

Furthermore, isn't the US based VW fan club a little bit nuts? They go crazy for obscure-to-them stuff. This van in its normal state would've been worth its asking price to them already, in its current condition with that roof rack, history and the autographs it's worth even more. Had it been a Ford Transit or Fiat Ducato of similar vintage and condition I'd expect a much lower price.

That, at least, is my interpretation as an outsider.

Reborn Pyrrhic > duurtlang
07/14/2014 at 18:23

Yes, you are correct. Look at the prices that Go Westy ( http://www.gowesty.com/ ) charges for their vans, then compare to a similar van in Germany.

For example: $75,000 for a 1991 Camper!! http://www.gowesty.com/sale_details.p…

Syncro Dokas also go for insane amounts in the US.

Reborn Pyrrhic > duurtlang
07/14/2014 at 18:44

I secretly lust after the Wartburg 353. The two stroke engine sounds amazing, and the four speed shift on the column is cool. I have driven one before and loved it.

What do you think of this one? http://suchen.mobile.de/auto-inserat/w…

RallyWrench > Reborn Pyrrhic
07/14/2014 at 18:56

WANT. I think my 4000Q would sit nicely behind this.

Reborn Pyrrhic > RallyWrench
07/14/2014 at 18:59

This Audi 80 Road Rally car (Euro 4000), would do too, I have been lusting after it for a while: http://suchen.mobile.de/auto-inserat/a…

Reborn Pyrrhic > RallyWrench
07/14/2014 at 19:03

Question, how much parts commonality is there between the 4000 and the VW Passat or Fox?

duurtlang > Reborn Pyrrhic
07/14/2014 at 19:08

I somehow lust after some of those Soviet era vehicles as well, although Wartburgs aren't my favorite. It must have been caused by the Ladas my parents had in the 80s, when I was a little kid.

At the moment I'm too afraid to buy one though. Sadly my wrenching ability doesn't reach far beyond changing bulbs.

RallyWrench > Reborn Pyrrhic
07/14/2014 at 19:13

GoWesty is about a mile from my house. It's Vanagon Mecca. Nice vans, but the money they get still amazes me. Their pricing has driven the entire North American Westy market, so even total beaters are listed for $20k.

I lust for a Syncro Doka, and there's one here locally, pretty rusty but a good driver with a GW 2.4L, for the low low price of only $17,000. And that's a cheap one! Same truck in Germany is 2,000 Euros.

Reborn Pyrrhic > duurtlang
07/14/2014 at 19:13

I am a helicopter mechanic and have tools that are under used. I hate living in a home without a garage, all my tools are in the basement!

RallyWrench > Reborn Pyrrhic
07/14/2014 at 19:17

Nice! Mine's done LeMons and already has a nice cage in it. I used to have an Urq, loved it but to me the 4000 is actually funner to drive, and I can hammer it without remorse.

Reborn Pyrrhic > RallyWrench
07/14/2014 at 19:18

I return to the US from Germany next February. I can bring one car for free. Part of me wants to bring a car to drive, the other part wants to bring a car to sell.

If I was guaranteed to sell a Syncro Doka for some good money I'd even pay to ship one next year. I have gotten quotes for as low as $1200 from Germany to Baltimore.

RallyWrench > Reborn Pyrrhic
07/14/2014 at 19:19

None with the Fox. The VW Quantum/Passat shares mechanicals with the 4000/80 up until the B3 went transverse. The Quantum Syncro wagon is basically a 4000 Avant.

Reborn Pyrrhic > RallyWrench
07/14/2014 at 19:21

I got the impression a few parts were common with the Fox, as they are based on the same platform, and a Fox tuning site mentioned using a bunch of Audi 4000 parts for upgrades.

RallyWrench > Reborn Pyrrhic
07/14/2014 at 19:44

The US Fox? Maybe I'm wrong, but I've never seen or heard of any direct Fox/4k crossover. Similar architecture, but I don't think anything major is shared. They're 4x100 hubs too, if I'm not mistaken. The 4000 is 4x108.

I'm sure you could bolt an Audi engine to the gearbox because everything VWAG built in that era used a similar box, and they're all K-Jet, so a swap wouldn't be hard.

RallyWrench > Reborn Pyrrhic
07/14/2014 at 19:53

Tough decision! I was just over there at the N24, one of the teammates wants to swap me a Doka for an old Mustang because they're cheaper here.