U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials announced that they just recovered a Volkswagen van that had been reported stolen in 1974.

The 1965 Bus was found in at the Los Angeles/Long Beach ports, in a shipping container bound for the Netherlands, Customs authorities said. They ran the van's vehicle identification number and discovered it had been reported stolen from Spokane, Washington in the year of Patty Hearst, Nixon's resignation and an OPEC-led gas crunch.

“This is a unique case that reflects our strategic approach in utilizing the best of intelligence, training and use of information in enforcing laws and regulations at our ports,” said Customs field operations director Kevin Weeks.

Spokane police said the case was still open and that it's current owner, an insurance company, would like the car back.

Lucky for it: The vee-dub is described as being in “pristine condition,” and it apparently starts and runs like a dream. No word on whether any of the era's accoutrements — you know, pot resin, a skunky smell, bell-bottom jeans, puka shells hanging from the mirror — were included in the find.

Patina or not, we've spotted cherry examples going for more than $10,000, so the insurance company might be making out like like hippie on payday.

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