Way back when there were 3 buses in the club. All were from the first generation guys who had more cash and experience. By the time I got my bus we all pretty much went our separate ways.
Fly had a 67 21 window, baby blue and white with alloys iirc. Cant really remember what engine but was lowered a few clicks in the back and still ran rgb, with select a drop front end. No lowered spindles or steering box raises back then!
Shark had a sweet 59 23 window powder blue with white roof and ran alloys, phone dials and cookie cutters all rims were polished of course. He ran a DP 1776 with pict 34 and a small header. Lowered one click in the rear with rgb and pulled leafs in the front.
Rabbit had a 67 21 window, red with white roof stock rims and sometimes centerlines. Lowered one click with rgb and pulled leaved in front too. I think it had an 1835 but cant really remember.
All of the buses had limo tint on all the windows and all velour interior. Once the paint was done they would drive to TJ and get the seats, door panels and headliners done for $300 a bus!
They all rode a bit rough but if you wanted a lowered bus that was the price you had to pay. They werent "slammed" just lowered on 195/50s or 135s.
The plan I had for my bus was again a resto mod type deal. Repaint stock colors, lower one click in the rear and select a drop front. I had 16x6 alloys to fill the wells better with the mild lowering job on 195/55 fronts and 195/60s in the back. I was also going to put in the sunroof/skylight clip I sold last year but am SOOOO glad I didnt!
The engine I was building for it was a 2109 (76x94) with cast CW crank, rimco rods and a special web cam (ricky has that cam now). Brazil 041 heads, S&S 1 1/2 merged header with turbo tuck, Weber 44 IDFs. The shop floor build 1915 I finished a few months back is that engine but with a DMS 69mm crank and Engle 100 cam instead.
If I was to build a "retro" engine for a bus I would go with an 1835 but with modern parts.
Dual relief case opened to 90/92 8mm studs
Forged 69mm CW crank
Stock race prepped rods with new bolts
92mm pistons with thick wall cylinders with the cylinder bottoms cut down to fit the 90/92 spigots
CB los bandito or panchito heads if you can afford them
Engle 110 if using bandito or 120 if using panchito
8:1 with 110 or 9:1 with 120
Full weight 8 dowel german flywheel
Kadrons with 30 vent and upgraded linkage for the old school look and simplicity or
Weber/HPMX 40s for better performance especially if going with the panchito/120
A regular 1 3/8 header will do but a 1 1/2 would be better, merged would be best but you will have trouble mounting a stock rear bumper. Dual quiet packs would TOTALLY be old school but it would run better with a single turbo tuck type muffler.
You can check some of the pics in this thread as this was the style of the times but there are not too many buses in there.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=396415
