Few folks would take into account VW’s unique Beetle as an appropriate base for a home-away-from-home, however that’s simply what immediately’s Good Value or No Cube Tremendous Bugger is. Let’s see if its worth is simply as audacious.
When given to a roadster, the identify Spider (or Spyder, within the case of yesterday’s 2003 Maserati Spyder GT) remembers a type of four-wheel Phaeton carriage that turned widespread within the late 18th and early nineteenth century. These horse-drawn carriages earned the identify because of the truth that their tall wheels and usually brief wheelbase made them resemble our pleasant web-spinning arachnids. Few of you have been too pleasant towards our Maserati Spyder, nonetheless. And that was regardless of its being outfitted with the rarely-optioned six-speed handbook. A $29,250 worth was deemed an excessive amount of for even that to sway opinions, although, because it ended up with a 63 % No Cube loss.
Campers—the machines, not the folks—are not often if ever, described as cute. A singular exception might be this 1974 Volkswagen “Tremendous Bugger” home-built camper as a result of it’s… properly, cute as a bug.
The Tremendous Bugger was supplied within the Seventies by an organization known as, fairly naturally, Tremendous out of Costa Mesa, California. It supplied each turn-key campers and DIY kits. This one leans extra closely towards the latter and is all of the extra distinctive because it has wooden siding reasonably than the extra conventional fiberglass or aluminum. It additionally lacks a few of the facilities of the official Little Bugger design, as there is no such thing as a slide-out range/sink unit, closable storage, or an icebox.
In its favor are a Subaru engine, photo voltaic roof, and a pair of Thor’s helmet winglets on the aft a part of the camper physique. These appear definitely worth the worth of admission alone.
The vendor doesn’t be aware precisely which Subaru pancake has been flipped into the camper however boasts that it has knowledgeable wiring harness, begins proper up, and doesn’t leak. It additionally advantages from the camper conversion having a Kim Kardashian-esque booty, which implies there’s loads of room for a rear-mounted radiator, holding all the things good and tidy.
Different mechanical adjustments embrace sway bars in entrance and rear, together with air shocks within the again to account for the wood physique’s added weight. It seems that the four-speed handbook remains to be the transmission of selection.
The bodywork seems to be home-built however not ratty. There does appear to be an absence of climate sealing on the doorways and rear hatch, so it’s questionable how rain-worthy the camper is, however apart from that and a few rust on the entrance bumper, there’s not a lot that appears incorrect with it. It can also sleep three within the cabin—two within the again and one precariously perched within the overhead above the seats.
These seats, by the way in which, swivel to allow them to be used for eating or dialog when on the campsite. As acceptable for any older camper, the upholstery and curtains are suitably garish. In response to the advert, it has 76,000 miles on the clock—though it’s additionally famous that the odometer is damaged—and comes with a clear title. On the draw back, it doesn’t have its unique blue and gold California plates. The asking worth for this Tremendous Bugger is $17,500. That’s on the low finish for a real-deal Tremendous Bugger, however this being “Tremendous Bugger-adjacent” implies that lodging are doubtless being made by the vendor.
The query for you is whether or not or not anybody ought to accommodate that $17,500 asking. What do you say? Is {that a} honest worth for this cute ‘lil Bugger? Or is that an excessive amount of to ask of a house constructed that appears prefer it was constructed out of a part of anyone’s home?
You resolve!
San Luis Obispo, California, Craigslist, or go right here if the advert disappears.
H/T to Mark Durrant for the hookup!
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