Can You Daily Drive Your Aircooled VW?

This week we address the age old question, Can you daily your air cooled VW. I drove only my bus for a week in the Texas summer to see if it was even possible. The results might surprise you!
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[@JPromoveo]

Back in the day I would drive my 60 beetle as a daily driver in Florida. Called it my vw diet plan...soaked in sweat driving home. Still enjoyed the actual "ride" itself... my daily therapy.

[@redsorgum]

My 66 beetle is my daily/work vehicle. I’m a window cleaner here in Southern California, I have a 24ft extension ladder, and a 6ft step ladder mounted on a roof rack. I drive from one job to the next. I’ve been driving it for fourteen years. So, yes, it can be done. I also had a 67 VW van that I did the same with.

[@OldVolksTV]

Awesome!

[@nattankress]

Here in mexico the phone company had VW beetles for the technicians up until the early 00s when they got Ford Rangers and you used to see them around the city in the white and blue beetles with ladders longer than the cars.

[@blue65nova]

I drove my bus daily for about a decade, but in Oregon. I think that's a little different. I got a little spoiled when my wife got a newer car, and I got her hand me down (it has a.c., and power steering and windows lol). I'm going to try and start driving my bus a lot more again. Thanks for the inspiration.

[@OldVolksTV]

I used to drive my bus up and down the CA coast on surf trips, definitely different than TX. But traffic is traffic no matter where you are and that's no fun.

[@dannyboy8060]

Almost been a year since your post but, I have a newer truck and an old Bug, I drive my bug daily, have regular L- plate. Live in Fl. today was 106 no ac, they do get hot including the motor, I find I need to tinker on it every couple weeks, still have points in mine and vac advance, and do some adjustments to it but she keeps going.. I had noticed the same with people not seeing my brake lights well, added a 3rd eye brake light high center, it did the trick!! As long as I can keep her going will drive her daily.. The motor has never been rebuilt have no clue how many miles on her.. 1600 DP asperated.. hope will be able to enjoy her for many years to come!!

[@OldVolksTV]

Fantastic! I love hearing about people enjoying their cars!

[@oldvolksbus1]

This is the first ever video of yours I ever watched. I was hooked!. I must have watched this 7 times now!😂

[@OldVolksTV]

Wow! Thanks!

[@sumofl]

i had a 68 bay for about four years, bought a thing about two years in so i could have another vw to daily if the other didnt wanna run that day

[@chadchristensen3839]

Of course you can, one of us does it everyday in Oregon 😉

[@hellohun7331]

It’s been my experience that new VW guys worry about heat too much. I’ve got three VW s with two 2110s and one with an 1835. All have dual webers with modified cams but with 7 to one and 8 to one compression. All have thermostatically Controlled external oil coolers that rarely come on. I’ve driven them all in 100 degree temps. I’ve never had problems that most of the junkyard guys have had. Build them the way Gene Berg recommends and you won’t have any problems.

[@OldVolksTV]

I agree. The only thing I worry about is the other drivers and the visibility of my taillights in traffic.

[@stevelozano9523]

About 3 decades ago, I use to daily my 57 kombi for about 5 years. I loved it even with it being like warm. I just popped open my safari's. What also helped a little was mine came with a blower motor for the vents (same passage as the heater tubes) which I never seen before but was glad mine did. Then I added to my cars a 65 camper. Did that for few months until I went back to the 57. 🤷‍♂️ if I could only do that again, I would 😫

[@OldVolksTV]

Awesome! Driving around in a 57 must have been great. Nothing beats a nice day with the safaris open. Thanks for watching!

[@tjaysughrue]

I used to daily drive mine, for about a year it was my only vehicle.

[@jmjm4664]

Me too

[@GarageMisadventures]

Nice, I daily drove a Baja bug for a while in high school. Now I drive my bus and thing just for fun. Not sure that daily driving either one of them, especially in the winter would be very fun. Ha.

[@OldVolksTV]

You never know until you try 🤣🤣

[@gustavopadilla9176]

Yes that's the fun part of owning a vw nice video

[@Jethrosgarage]

You are tougher than me! Have not had an air cooled v dub since the mid 80's to mid 90's. Had a 70 bus with a 1600 dual port- even in the age of the 55 mph speed limit, it took all it had rowing the gear box and red lining the little mill to be at 50 or so by the end of the on ramp...but usually I'd have someone in big old American car with a V8 in front of me creeping around the on ramp as they were terrified of the G forces or something, but THEY could punch it and go from 30-60 quick... meanwhile I was trying to merge getting flipped the bird and horns a blaring! Sold my last VW to finance a move in the mid 90's and never got back in to them. I have looked recently and the prices are absurd. Also see folks spending thousands in metal work on cars I would have (and did) strip and scrap back in the day as I deemed them too far gone to fix. Does that bus have a stock mill in it?

[@OldVolksTV]

It's a 1600cc now, with dual Kadron carbs. I have a 2180cc EFI motor almost ready to go in. I'm just waiting on a few small bits.

[@trevcessna1723]

Bro, you wouldn’t drive a regular car without air conditioning so why expect it would be different in your bus? A/C would only cost you about $1800us installed. I live in Canada and for the 2 whole months of hot summer I am going to install a/c @$2500 me installing but it will be worth it when I put my baby back together this fall! Nice van!!... and you can put a price on the smiles!!! Thanks!

[@christopheralonzo7233]

my plan is to drive my 1978 bus automatic trans. drive it as my daily driver when i retire 10 years from now here in long beach ca.

[@TheSearaider]

in africa on bad roads hot weather these are daily drivers for generations

[@OldVolksTV]

Exactly! We're spoiled with AC and automatics. 2000 miles in my bus is nothing for me. Even in the dead of summer!

[@salemcripple]

WHY COULDN'T you daily an old vw? I mean they're not meant to be toys (please note I love air cooled VWs). They were literally designed for daily use, and people used them as such for 40+ years. If they could do it then, why not now?

[@OldVolksTV]

Because people have gotten soft and need modern conveniences like heat and AC. If I didn't need a truck for work I'd drive mine every day!

[@Studio47SanJose]

Any idea where i should post my 1974 vw bus for sale

[@barrysteinlage6888]

Looks like fun,I only have a 5 mile commute

[@OldVolksTV]

It was fun!

[@pacificovw9522]

Dude, I don't see the problem: drive with your shirt off in the summer, and in the winter wear a jacket or ask your honey to get closer to you. Move your head more, and don't trust the mirrors, and play your 60's Rock and Roll.

[@OldVolksTV]

All good advice!

[@jerem0621]

Awesome video. I really enjoyed it.

[@OldVolksTV]

Thanks! I had fun making it.

[@vinr6867]

I would like a classic car but not having AC is a deal breaker for me.

[@OldVolksTV]

You can put AC in them. My pal Kevin has a ghia with AC. He says it's colder than his brand new truck!

[@logothaironsides2942]

I don't get why you would wear a Black polo shirt over a white T shirt/ singlet on the way home if it is really that uncomfortably hot. I mean why not have just one layer and spray it with water and let the evaporating effect help cool you down? Do love the VW though:)

[@OldVolksTV]

Work uniform. Guess I didn't think to drop a layer 🤷‍♀️

[@59vaughn]

Led strip lighting...all over her body....😂

[@Splashdown99]

I'm binge watching these now! Is there any solution for weak wipers? In Washington State, RainX alone isn't going to cut it.

[@OldVolksTV]

I use a 6v wiper and recently put a rheostat on it to adjust the speed. Works pretty good with rain-x

[@mitchabshier568]

You “don’t have the power to go around anyone” YET. 😈

[@nurburgflip1188]

I used to daily a 914 about 110 miles a day. It was during this commute as I was jamming through a tight on ramp that I heard the twin towers were hit. Everytime I drive over that spot the memory is as clear as the day it happened. buzzkill

[@OldVolksTV]

Wow. That's crazy how some memories stick like that.

[@AirkooledKustoms]

I am more afraid of the other drivers than my dub

[@OldVolksTV]

Me too! That's why I upgraded my lights and my brakes!

[@MainDrive]

Great stuff!

[@OldVolksTV]

Thanks for watching!

[@tonyl6203]

Did you have any issues with the engine getting too hot in traffic?

[@OldVolksTV]

Nope, I have every little piece of tin and it all fits nice and tight. I bump the idle up a little in the summer to give me better air flow in traffic. And I run "summer oil" (10-30) to aid in the cooling.

[@airkewld7605]

Is that a Marshall blue tooth speaker? I need one.

[@OldVolksTV]

Yeah, it's a Marshall Kilburn. I love it. Gets pretty loud and last for days.

[@59vaughn]

Just needs new tech upgrades....

[@markgrunzweig6377]

Take your shirt off or even your t-shirt! Lol!

[@OldVolksTV]

🤣

[@raymondnoya5653]

I used to drive my 66 VW bus everyday

[@OldVolksTV]

It's not so bad. Unless it's raining lol.

[@Fisherman-hs1nt]

I bet your 2020 breaks down be4 my 69 beetle does.. 😎😎

[@coilstreeservice9398]

I and Millions of people used to drive their Air cooled vdubs everyday. But that’s back when we didn’t need cry rooms and safe spaces🤦‍♂️

[@OldVolksTV]

🤣🤣

[@brianchisnell1548]

Of course you can. Were you not here in the '60s? Haha. There was one in every driveway.

[@VochoTalacha]

Well, it was all about suffering from heat. I expected you to talk about something else about the car. Anyway, these engines can withstand the heat with no problems. They won't overheat or anything like that. I've daily-ed my 1998 mexibeetle for 9 years and now my 1981 mexican baywindow for 1 year and the hot weather has not impacted anything at all at the engine. I live in Monterrey, Mexico. It's about a 2:30 drive from Laredo, TX. The weather here is also nice and hot in the summer. It's pretty much like in San Antonio, over there in Texas. But at the Houston area, the temp is usually lower than Monterrey's, but the sensation is hotter because of the humidity. I've been to Houston and drove around in my bug for several days and yeah, it's crazy hot, but meh... I've never ever owned a car with A/C, so I guess I'm really used to my aircooleds. Now with my bus, given the fact that the door window is much bigger and that there is a fresh air ventilation system on the dash, I think it's better than my bug. Still, I find my VWs much cooler after sitting in the sun than the average modern car. I blame that on all the plastic and sound-dampening materials that cause modern cars to be ridiculously hot in summer after sitting in the sun.

[@OldVolksTV]

I was trying to show that it could easily be done. Driving an old car in today's traffic is definitely a challenge.

[@oldvolksbus1]

@@OldVolksTV you certainly did. It’s a hell of a lot colder over here and the max temp we get to is 34 degrees C!. And that’s a heatwave lol. Main temp in my area ( Lancashire, England ) is around 21-24 degrees C

[@DewZtreamer]

hence why you buy a old school bus fan

[@jillianvanliew]

I did daily drive my '74 Beetle for 6 years in Southern California (mostly San Fernando Valley 80-110 F in the hotter, summer months), and YES, it sucked when it was that hot. No major mechanical issues other the than vapor-locking when I had my engine swapped out for a rebuilt engine. I loved that car had replaced just about everything on it & ended up selling it. Wished I still had it...

[@OldVolksTV]

Awesome! I bet we all wish we had kept the cars we sold when we were young...

[@edthompson4185]

I daily my single cab in the uk, do a 20 mile commute, it’s December and freezing but I’m sticking with it, I’ve just got a heated seat which helps🔥

[@OldVolksTV]

That's awesome! I'm looking into the heated seats and the diesel heaters. We dont get many cold months, but it would be nice to have heat when it is.

[@ICU2HI]

Drove our 1966 Bus from 1992 to 2005 daily in the Georgia heat. It was still 6V. Put well over 100K miles on it. 3 speedo meters, 3 motors, & 2 transmissions, I would average around 50K on stock motor. Many Dead shows when I first got her. Drove from GA to CA twice. At least 25 states. Delivered pizzas out of it. Still have it and am very slowly putting it back on the road. Will be 12V with ball joint front end & disk brakes Highway flyer tranny and Rajay Turbo 1600DB. Got to be able to keep up with traffic to be safe. Not many on the road today for sure. Best car ever made. I always say "you can go 110 MPH in your Porsche or 65 MPH in your Bus same Thrill!"

[@OldVolksTV]

Fantastic! I love that you still have it!

[@86Hilux22R]

Cars from this era were designed to be daily driven. If it was good enough then, in my opinion theyre good enough now.

[@RuckRitz]

The music is really trully awful, and even if i liked it, it doesn't suit such a nice vintage car... 😮

[@59vaughn]

Turbo vw diesel conversion..

[@yoshinoyajones8924]

since 1979.

[@markgrunzweig6377]

When going home, do what you gotta do to stay cool....

[@OldVolksTV]

Sometimes tt's a fine line between cool and wet 🤣

[@Daniel-wx3qn]

40 min traffic each way, no AC in a 100 F degrees, manual transmission, old car liking break fluid. Welcome to normal life in South America

[@SkaterStimm]

I installed a 12v school bus fan into my bus. Best thing ever.

[@OldVolksTV]

Good idea!

[@silkvw9452]

I drove my single cab from Elgin into Austin (30 miles) to work from '96 to '04. Yes, it was hot coming home in the summer. A little diverter for the air from the overhead vent helps cool you while you're moving, at least. Your dash compass works as well as mine. : )

[@OldVolksTV]

Haha. I really did enjoy driving the bus, but I'm glad to be back in the work truck with AC and working wipers.

[@kodiakbear3519]

Why dont you just install a vintage air conditioning system? I mean it seems like that would be a no brainer right ? I can not believe that you did not mention that not one time. As hot as you were sitting in that super hot van and the thought of vintage ac never even crossed you mind? Really ??

[@OldVolksTV]

I've definitely thought about it. There's really no good way to do it that looks good and nowhere to plumb it. You always end up with a big plastic thing under the dash that doesn't quite fit. And with such a small motor there isn't much horsepower to spare to power the compressor.

[@kevinhines4240]

Wow I need to comment on one thing I dig these buses but if you getting hot In that VW think a A/C kit upgrade other than that you're cool dude

[@OldVolksTV]

There's not really a good way to put AC in a bus without it looking clunky and out of place. If you skip ahead to the New Mexico Bus Bash, you'll see us driving in 112* heat for 16 hours. Not fun, but doable. We actually had to close the Safaris because it was like driving into a hair drier! Thanks for watching!

[@Mantis858585]

If you wax your windshield it really helps not needing wipers

[@OldVolksTV]

Good tip!

[@Doubleodude]

I really enjoyed this. Great content!

[@OldVolksTV]

Thanks! Always looking for suggestions for future episodes, hint hint.

[@maewesty7143]

I have the trailer ready. I got your back. 😂🤣

[@OldVolksTV]

As long as I get to drive Mae it's all good!

[@angel.montanopeabody2012]

This was so helpful

[@OldVolksTV]

Glad to be of service! Thanks for watching!

[@fast5572]

👍

[@mitchabshier568]

FIRST!

[@OldVolksTV]

That's my boy!