Background to the 21 window VW Deluxe Samba
It’s all about the windows. Each Bus was specifically named based on the windows. The basic 11 window bus was called the Kombi or Microbus. The 13 window bus was named the Deluxe Bus from ’64-’67. Prior to ’64, it was a 15 window bus. In 1964, the first 21 window Samba was produced until 1967. Prior to ’64, the 23 window Samba had 2 small curved corner windows in the back of the bus which were deleted in ’64 and replaced with a large canvas sunroof on the roof of the Deluxe Bus. The Samba/ Alpine buses have 8 additional skylight windows embedded in the roof for extra viewing, which were specifically marketed for touring the Alps, hence ‘Alpine’. Today, the 21 window Samba Deluxe is now the most highly sought after and most collectible VW Bus in existence.
