The VW microbus celebrates its 65th anniversary this year. Over 5 million type 2 VWs have rolled off the production line since 1950 — many of them ending up with loving hippie and stoner families. But what is it about these vehicles that made them such icons of the stoner community? How did these simple cars become part of the culture?
VW buses were cheap and dependable, they looked cool and they had lots of places to hide your drugs… These are all fairly commonsense reasons why this car fits so well into the stoner life. But none of these virtues truly explains why we love these cars. Anyone who has ever had a VW in the family (you don’t own them, by the way, you take them into your family) can tell you that they become more than just a mode of transportation, they become full-fledged family members, just like your dog. We share our lives and experiences with our VWs, we celebrate milestones with them and we mourn for them when their time comes to an end.
Millions of identical buses rolled off the production line since 1950 but once they arrived with their families, these cars became unique reflections of their owners. Each one ends up as a loved piece of mechanical art — each as singular and special as the person who owns it.
In honor of the Type 2’s 65th birthday, here are some images of highly stonerized hippie haulers.
