19 minute read
Go West
S
o, you’ve decided it’s time to buy a Bay Window Camper. Welcome to the fold, there are many thousands of happy Bay owners out there, but almost all you come across will have a cautionary tale pertaining to the purchase of any new project, especially for the rst-time buyer.
To get you red up, we’ve used pictures of one of the best Bay Window restorations we’ve ever seen by Dutch Type 2 specialists, Kieft ’en’ Klok. is Tiger Green ’77 was a rust-free import from the States, but has since been fully overhauled to the highest possible standard in Europe. It’s just about as good as they get, and an archetypal example of the classic Volkswagen Camper.
Of course, not everyone can a ord to have a Camper built to this kind of speci cation, but there are enough horror stories around regarding cheap Campers that it doesn’t hurt to aim high. Budget rst
e very rst thing you should do is to work out what you can a ord. Don’t guestimate this, and don’t kid yourself either. Get your nances in order before you look at anything.
Now, are you looking to buy a ready-to-go Bus, or a project that needs a little, or even a lot of, work?
We’ve lost count of the number of times we’ve heard of projects that have spiralled out of control, ending up a costly nightmare and most certainly not the fun ‘hobby overhaul’ the owner hoped it would be.
From the beginning, VW’s advertising campaigns for Westfalia Campers sold the outdoor dream. Back then, though, these were new cars. Today, they’re at least 54 years old
Universally acknowledged as the best camping conversion around, we show you how to go shopping for a Westy
Words Paul Knight Pics Dokke Sahertian, Kieft & Klok
What to look for
This is the Type 1-based 1600cc engine. All motors are prone to abuse due to the heavy weight of a fully-laden Camper, so check crankshaft end play, oil pressure and look for leaks
The larger capacity Type 4 engines (this one is the big daddy 2.0-litre) are undoubtedly better, but return less mpg and can be harder to find parts for
INTERIOR
This is tricky, as Campers vary so much but, as we’re talking Westfalias here, it simplifies things a little. Do you research first so you know what you’re looking at and then check to make sure everything that is supposed to be there is still fitted and functional. • Does the bed operate correctly? • How about the fridge, cooker and tap? • Ask about the electrics, especially if it has an older hook-up system or internal power kit. • If there’s an auxiliary heater, be sure everything operates properly. • Ask when any gas pipes were last changed
(they should be done regularly, no points for 50-year-old originality here!). • Make sure all the fixtures, fittings and soft furnishings are present and up to scratch. • Open cupboards and lift cushions and seats.
Is it reasonably clean in / under there?
You’ll pay a premium for a Westfalia, regardless of condition, but they were high quality builds in the first place so should still be in good order.
Even if you decide they’re too expensive for your pocket, look at some anyway to see if you can live with what’s missing, or not so convenient, in other conversions.
To go with the vivid outisde colours of the late ’70’s models, interiors came in a variety of equally startling check (plaid in Amrican speak) trim. These materials have become a bit of a Westy trademark, and are now reproduced
Convenience, functionality and quality are all Westfalia bywords
BODYWORK
As you approach any potential purchase, look past the twee curtains and inviting interior and concentrate on the exterior of the Camper. You’re looking for nice straight sides, with no ripples or unusual looking areas. Look for the vertical body seams, are they all visible, or hiding under filler? A small magnet can be your friend here as, even if it’s been skilfully hidden, it won’t stick to a load of filler. Don’t be afraid to ask questions either. Has the Bus had any bodywork repairs? If so, where, when and by whom? • Look carefully at the rear lower corners and around light apertures etc. for bubbling paint. • Peer closely at the sills. Are they nice and straight, or buckled and wobbly? Don’t forget the ends inside the wheelarches. • How does the lower section of the front panel look? • How about around the windscreen – any bubbles? • Open and close the pop top, does it operate smoothly? Check the edge of the roof where it seats, and have a good nose around in the rain gutters while you’re up there.
MECHANICAL
The best way to get a feel for a Bus is out on the road. If you can’t drive a prospective purchase, and it’s your first Bus, we’d advise walking away, or at least taking along a friend with good specialist knowledge.
Check for:
• Obvious wear in suspension balljoints and dampers. • Excessive play in the steering (could be worn track rod ends, steering box or idler pin in the centre of the front beam). • Brakes should be quiet and firm, with only short pedal travel until they lock up, any pulling to one side, or sponginess, suggests a problem. • Check gearbox for fresh leaks and whines (possible worn differential), though they’re generally pretty robust units. • Listen for worn (clicking) CV joints. • If you encounter an automatic transmission, ensure it engages smoothly up and down through the gears. • Check Type 1 (1600cc) engines for excessive end float (you’ll know it when you feel it!), low oil pressure and rear oil seal leaks. • Check Type 4 motors for oil leaks and signs of general poor maintenance. Bear in mind that this style of engine can be more expensive to rebuild.
There’s a certain amount of model snobbery in the VW scene, and with Bays it comes down to Early and Late. The position of the front indicators is one of the most obvious giveaways. Late Bays, like this one, have them high up on the front panel
• Do all the doors fit neatly in the holes, and open and close with a decent clunk? Check the sill area around the loading door carefully. • Front wheelarches and cab steps are notorious rust spots.
Lift the carpet / rubber mats and check the cab floor, too. • Finally, look at the seat belt mounting points just behind the seats, and check the condition of the belts themselves. • Now open the engine lid and check the battery tray and opposite side tray. • Armed with a torch, slide underneath and check the main chassis rails, then the outriggers that extend out towards the inner sills. If there’s lots of sticky or recent looking underseal, check very carefully for hidden rust. If there are large sheets of steel between the chassis rails, known as belly pans, it’s not possible to see all these areas, but make sure you’re happy with what you see.
It’s worth noting here that some evidence of welding or repairs isn’t necessarily a bad thing, provided it’s been done properly. However, an obvious plate that sits proud of the surrounding metal suggests a quick bodge. It’s all about learning to recognise how things should look following a repair, and having an experienced eye with you can pay dividends here.
Our advice is to be realistic about the level of work (if any) you are capable of undertaking yourself, and the space you have to do it. e loan of a friend’s lock-up without power for six months is not going to get a full restoration done, so try not to bite o more than you can comfortably chew.
To be perfectly honest, if you’ve never restored a VW before, we wouldn’t recommend starting with a Camper. e sheer scale of one can fast become soul destroying.
If, however, you are con dent about going down the project route, try to have any vehicle you consider assessed by a competent, knowledgeable friend / enthusiast who you can trust to keep a level head. e basic principle when looking at any project is not to buy on a whim. Take your time and try to add up what you think it might cost in your head. If you don’t know the price of parts, nd out before you take the plunge. en double the gure you arrive at. Seriously. Double it. Hmmm, that nished Camper doesn’t seem so expensive now, does it?
If that’s the way you choose to go, we’d always suggest buying the very best example you can nd, though that doesn’t necessarily mean the most expensive.
Bay Window prices can be a little di cult to get your head around as some models / years command considerably more than others, but it’s worth remembering while that cheap Panel Van or basic Kombi window Bus may seem like a bargain, it’s a long way – and a lot of work and expense – from being a Camper. Model options
If you’re only looking for something for very occasional camping, a Day Van (essentially a Kombi with a rock ‘n’ roll bed) might well su ce, and will give you something to ferry the family around in during the week. And check out the Deluxe models with the large, steel sliding sunroof. ese are great fun in the summer although, as with any sunroof, they can be expensive and di cult to x.
If it’s a proper Camper you’re after, you can narrow your search further by deciding whether you’re bothered about having an early or late model. It can make a big di erence to the price.
Early (T2a) models with the more rounded bumpers, smaller tail lights and low front indicators command a fair premium over a similar condition T2b model, with its chunkier bumpers, larger lights and high front indicators. at’s fashion for you. at said, when it comes to Westfalia Campers, good late models hold their value well, so the correlation between price and age becomes a bit more blurred.
If you’re planning a lot of driving, the comparison between an early, single-port 1600cc Bay on drum brakes and a late model 2.0-litre automatic with discs and servo brakes is like night and day. ese are factors you need to consider carefully, as function is a major factor if you’re planning a serious road trip.
Check the operation of the sliding door, and the state of the lower rail it runs along carefully
The chances of finding a Bus that looks like this underneath in the small ads is remote, but it’s a great example nonetheless. Make sure all the heater tubes and cables are present and in good condition. You definitely don’t want to drive a Camper without heating!
The Bays from Brazil
One anomaly you’ll come almost certainly across is the Brazilian Bay Window. Production recently ceased, but there are a large number of these in the UK, many having been converted into Campers.
Early Brazilian models were fitted with 1600cc fuel-injected motors, but later ones have a VW Fox-sourced, 1.4-litre, water-cooled engine and options such as power steering and brakes. With around 70bhp on tap, these perform better and return greater mpg than their older brethren, but the front-mounted radiator is a turn off to some. Also, because they were built for the Brazilian home market, check bodywork very carefully.
As for price / value, they are a different entity entirely and so not really comparable with a traditional Bay Window Camper.
LHD vs RHD
This is only a problem if you’re adamant you don’t want to drive a left-hand drive Bus. If you’ve never driven LHD and plan to use your Camper regularly in the UK, you’ll definitely want to test drive a few examples first. It’s not a problem, but it is different.
Due to the huge number of US imports in recent years, RHD examples are considerably less common, and you need to look especially closely when inspecting for rust.
It’s fair to say most UK-market Bay Windows will either be rusty, or will have been treated to a fair amount of rust repair over the years. There are exceptions, of course, but they are rare.
You’ll find a few Australian RHD Bays on offer, which may well be less rusty, but have often covered colossal mileages, in which case check any service history and / or maintenance plans carefully.
It sounds silly, but make sure you are comfortable with the driving position. Forward control style can take some getting used to
Note steering idler in the centre of the beam – this is a key area to assess when checking for vagueness in the steering
ankfully, all Bay Windows will have a 12V electrical system, and most Type 1-engined versions (1600cc) will return mid-20 to low-30 mpg gures if driven conservatively. Move up to the 1700, 1800 and 2.0-litre Type 4-powered models and, whilst you might appreciate the additional bhp on tap, you probably won’t welcome the extra fuel consumption that comes with it.
Some very late T4-engined Buses (usually US imports) were tted with factory fuel injection. Yes, they’re nice to drive, but parts are di cult to nd, and consequently many will have been converted back to carburettors.
Gearboxes are either a four-speed manual or three-speed auto’, which was available in some later Buses. A good auto’ ’box is a joy, a well-used, or not-so-well maintained, one can be an expensive headache.
Moving on to brakes, it’s important to note that early models were tted with so-called ‘wide 5’ drum brakes all round. ese are okay when well maintained and adjusted, but check for leaks and brakes that pull to one side or fade.
Later models gained disc brakes at the front, which are an obvious improvement, though the pedal will still very heavy when compared to modern vehicles. If you’re lucky, you might stumble across a model tted with servo-assisted brakes. ose feel much more ‘modern’ and are the best standard option available. Stock or not?
Talking of standard, be aware that you’re likely to stumble across a lot more modi ed Bay Windows than factory stock ones, but we’d strongly advise you drive a few ‘stockers’ before venturing into the world of modi ed VWs. is neatly brings us to lowered Campers. A large percentage of those featured in this magazine have been lowered and otherwise modi ed. Sure, they look cool, but there are de nite downsides if you plan to go touring around Europe in one.
A bumpier ride and reduced ground clearance (which can be a major issue on ferries etc.) are just two of the things to consider, especially if you’re buying it for the family. Buses are also designed for high pro le, commercial tyres, so those tted with low pro le car tyres will drive very di erently.
Personal imports
We’ve all heard tales of ‘rust-free Californian imports’, but this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t still proceed with caution. Far from it. As the value of Campervans has increased, so has the number of people importing them, hoping to make a bit of money along the way, and most of the good ones were snapped up years ago.
The good news is that so many of the Campers on sale in the UK and Europe originated in America (remember not all states, and not even all of California, is ‘dry’, so don’t believe everything you read in adverts) so you’re just as likely to find a good candidate for sale here, that you can go and view in person, as you are thousands of miles away that you have to rely on pictures of to make a decision.
Shipping and registering a Camper in the UK is not as cheap as it once was either so, if you’re planning on bringing one in yourself, make sure you do your homework and work out all the additional costs first. That cheap one on eBay in America may not be so cheap by the time it’s here and driveable in the UK.
Where to look
Check out the vans for sale on eBay or on websites such as www.autotrader.co.uk here in the UK. You should also look at Facebook groups and websites such as www. vwt2oc.co and www.earlybay.com, as well as the websites of VW traders and advertisers that specialise in Type 2s. www.type2detectives.com is one that comes to mind.
If you’re happy to look a little further afield, you could try the guys that built this Bus, www.kieftenklok.nl, or the likes of www.autoscout24.de and www.bugbus.net. A firm favourite in the USA is www.thesamba.com.
Good traders, such as Kieft & Klok, can organise shipping to the UK and even help locate a specific vehicle if you know exactly what you’re after. Or, as in this case, undertake restorations to stock, or your personal spec.
You may pay a little more, but you’re already spending a chunk of money and the help and advice of a trusted trader can be invaluable, not least because there are so many scams on the internet these days. We wouldn’t hesitate to recommend giving good guys such as Maurice Klok a call.
WHEN TO LOOK
You may not have considered this, but off-season (October to April) is the best time to buy a Camper. You’re not paying the summer is coming premium and some people will prefer to sell later in the year rather than leave an old VW sitting outside getting wet and dirty over the winter. There will be fewer potential buyers out there, too. Unless they’ve all read this guide of course!
And finally – if a Campervan for sale seems too good to be true, keep your wits about you as it could be a scam...
As a ’77 model, the Bay shown here the Bay shown here features factory disc features factory disc brakes up front and brakes up front and drum brakes at the drum brakes at the rear. Servo assistance rear. Servo assistance makes a big difference makes a big difference in driving feel in driving feel
Check all engines carefully for leaks carefully for leaks
In summary, a good VW Camper should be a pleasure to own and drive, not a chore, so the most important thing is to consider your proposed use of one carefully, and then drive a few di erent examples – ideally di erent engine / gearbox combinations if possible – to get a feel for them before diving in.
Do your research rst, be honest about budget and take your time with any inspections. e better the Campervan you buy, the easier and more fun your life will be. How much mister?
All Bay Window models are fitted with IRS gearboxes. This is a 2.0-litre unit, identified by six ribs on the bottom of the case, which features taller gearing
Early Bays may have the looks, but Late Bays benefitted from useful upgrades such as disc brakes. This one has had every possible service part renewed, but most won’t have, so check everything for obvious wear and tear and leaks
We’ve deliberately not put any prices in this guide as Westfalias, in particular, vary so wildly. But, to put things in some sort of perspective, the bottom end of the market comes in around £3,000, though that will only get you a rusty project that will cost a lot more than that to put right. Up around the £20,000 mark, you’ll be able to nd a good, ready-to-roll Westfalia that you can be straight out on the road in.
If you want one as good as the one picture here, your budget will need to be two, three or more times that. Hence why we’d suggest checking out a few websites and viewing as many as possible before you commit.
Good luck, and happy shopping! ■
