If you’re comparing a 21-window and a 23-window VW Bus, the first useful question isn’t “which one has more glass?” It’s which era and configuration you actually want — and whether the listing can prove it.
Quick answer
Both are Samba-class Deluxe Buses with eight roof skylights and a big fabric sunroof. The difference is the two curved rear corner windows. Classic split-window Sambas built through model year 1963 have them, which gets you to 23. From model year 1964 through 1967, Volkswagen dropped the corner windows, so the Samba became a 21-window. Two windows apart, and more importantly, two different eras of the same dream Bus.
What “21-window” and “23-window” actually count
Window counts sound like trivia until you’re reading listings. The convention enthusiasts use — explained well in Bustopia’s 21 vs 23 window guide — builds up from the basic Bus:
- 11-window: standard Kombi or Microbus. Each front door counts as one window, however many panes it has.
- 15-window: Deluxe before 1964 — adds a side window on each side plus the two curved rear corner windows.
- 13-window: Deluxe from 1964 to 1967 — same Deluxe, corner windows removed.
- 23-window: Deluxe with the Samba option before 1964 — the 15-window Deluxe plus eight roof skylights.
- 21-window: Deluxe Samba from 1964 to 1967 — the 13-window Deluxe plus eight skylights.
The big canvas sunroof isn’t counted as a window. For the full picture of what defines the configuration, read what a 23-window bus is.
Side by side: how to tell them apart
| 23-window | 21-window | |
|---|---|---|
| Classic split-window years | Samba option, through model year 1963 | Samba option, 1964–1967 |
| Rear corner windows | Yes, curved, one each side | No |
| Roof skylights | 8 | 8 |
| Fabric sunroof | Yes | Yes |
| Quick tell from behind | Glass wraps around the rear corners | Solid rear corners |
Stand behind the Bus and look at the corners. That’s the fastest honest check. Then count the skylights and confirm the sunroof — on either layout.
One thing a window count can’t tell you is whether a Bus left the factory that way. Plenty of Buses have been converted over the decades, some beautifully. That doesn’t make a conversion a bad Bus, but it changes what you’re buying and what you should pay. Our guide on what to check before you buy a 23-window covers the details to ask about, and how to request the photos and video that answer them.
Classic T1 Samba vs restored Brazilian Bus
Search results for both layouts mix two very different things. Collector guides and auction coverage talk about classic German-built split-window Sambas from the 1950s and ’60s.
Every Bus in our inventory is a Brazilian-built Bus restored in Brazil. When you see “23 windows” on one of our listings, it describes the layout of that specific Bus — the skylights, corner windows and sunroof you can see in the photos and video. It isn’t a claim that it’s a 1950s German Samba, and it shouldn’t be priced like one.
If you’re still weighing body styles more broadly, our best vintage VW Bus models guide and the classic VW Bus buyer guide walk through the bigger forks.
Which layout fits you?
Neither is the “better” Bus. Pick by what you want to live with.
- You want the wraparound look. If the curved corner glass is the image in your head, you want a 23-window layout. It’s the silhouette most people picture when they hear “Samba.”
- You’re after a specific classic year. Collectors chasing an original 1964–67 Samba are, by definition, shopping 21-windows. Originality and documentation matter more than the window count.
- You want to drive it, not just show it. Then the restoration matters more than the count. Ask for a cold start, a driving video and close-ups of the floors and rockers. Our guide on how to judge a restoration shows what to look for.
What we have right now: BNB1911
Our current 23-window example is the 1973 VW Bus 23 Windows (BNB1911) — $47,800, Available in October. It’s a fully restored orange-and-white Bus, VIN BH310486, with detailed photos and a video walkaround available. Ask for them before you decide anything — that’s what they’re for.
Every purchase can be completed through Escrow.com if you’d like that protection: funds are held and released only after you receive and approve the Bus. We deliver nationwide.
If you’re specifically after a 21-window, check our Bus 21 Windows category for current status, or browse the full inventory. Inventory changes fast.
FAQ
Which has more windows, a 21-window or a 23-window VW Bus?
The 23-window. The two extra windows are the curved rear corner windows, used on classic Sambas through model year 1963.
Is every 23-window a Samba?
In classic VW terms, the 23-window is the pre-1964 Deluxe with the Samba option. But the name gets used loosely, and conversions exist. Confirm features and documentation, starting with what a 23-window bus is.
Is a 21-window less collectible?
Not automatically. It’s a different era of the same Samba package. Condition, originality and documentation drive value more than two windows do.
Where can I see 23-window Buses for sale right now?
Browse 23-window buses for sale — including BNB1911, available in October.
Found your layout? Browse 23-window buses for sale →
