VW Campers

[phorbiuz]

OK OK don't all shout at once - I know it's not about my Surf!

I'm thinking of buying a 70's bay window VW Camper for weekend stuff as I'm getting a little fed up with setting up my tent, especially when it rains.

Do any of you fellow Surfers have any experience with these VW's? I'm not sure what I should be looking for, but I don't intend spending many thou's on one.

Any advice appreciated.

Cheers.

[ozzig]

Might not be much help, but Men & Motors are currently running a series
"Run To The Sun" all about the big VW thing down in Newquay - there's been a lot of camper renovations covered.

Roy

[Tallyman]

I had a J reg 1600cc for about 5 years until a 7ft wall fell on it during the 1990 storms. It was great fun to drive and was easy to convert to sleeping format in about 2 minutes. I built a sideboard unit for it myself based on the designs of the later models, having a two burner hob & sink, masses of deep storage for clothes and plenty of pan & food storge. Even space for a small television.

The engines are fairly strong although mine did throw a rod and screw up one of the cylinders but sourcing and fitting a replacement was fairly simple. Also had the gearbox go but, again, sourcing and fitting a replacement was easy.

Only really bad point I found was the brakes were a bit weak when running the van fully loaded but if you drive them sensibly then that should not be a problem.

[keef]

A masochistic freind of mine has owned a couple of these VWs.We have got engine removal down to a fine art as they tend to destroy 1 cylinder, I think overheating is the problem.Some one may correct me but this seems to be mainly a 1600 thing. The heat exchanger rots and is a creation of the engineering devil!.The guttering has also rotted on his most recent one.Also,it's very easy to drill through the fuel tank when modifying cupboards!!!
From my (unpaid) experience I would look at either paying more and getting a refurbed 1800/2000 one or buying a good welding kit.
All the best.

[Pete]

OK OK don't all shout at once - I know it's not about my Surf!

I'm thinking of buying a 70's bay window VW Camper for weekend stuff as I'm getting a little fed up with setting up my tent, especially when it rains.

Do any of you fellow Surfers have any experience with these VW's? I'm not sure what I should be looking for, but I don't intend spending many thou's on one.

Any advice appreciated.

Cheers.

My brother in law has one, and in all honesty, if you are not looking to spend much money, I'd forget it, and get something to tow behind your Surf. He's had his engine in and out more times than I can remember, had loads of welding done, bought a new roof (£1200) after patching the old one up several times. They rust for fun. I could go on and on.
Pete

[Smurf]

I would have to agree with some of the above ideas and recommend that you buy something to tow behind your surf that has no engine to break down, doesnt rust, and doesnt have to be taxed/mot'd. We pull a 24 foot caravan behind our 2.4 surf and it manages fine. Also when you get to a site you can unhitch and stil have transport, if you have a camper arrangement you have to pack everything up to drive somewhere.
If you look around you can get a perfectly good caravan for around 2k.

[mark burrows]

I had one of these two years ago,they are great fun in the summer,if you do get one,get the westfailier conversion,it is the only one recognised by VW. Also you will need to spend at least three grand to get a decent one,make sure you get one that has had all the welding done,open the engine bay door and there is a pully with a belt on it ,try to pull this back and forth if it moves don't buy it as the crank may be worn,but then again you can buy a new engine for less than the price of a blown surf head.Don't plan on using it in winter,the heaters are USELESS you would get more heat from a candle.

[Greyhound]

We had a bay for 8 years;and sold her in April this year.

It's easy to get hold of parts,panels and everything else for them.Have a look at Just Kampers web site,they have a forum there where you'll read all about the highs and lows of VW campers.

We sold her for a very good price,and she's since been driven up to Scotland (where she now lives) and has been around France for a fortnight.

We got the Surf 9 days ago,and went camping 2 days after picking her up.Only got back yesterday.It's been great,no regrets about selling the camper.

There's no comparison between the 2 vehicles.Okay,so you just have to pop the roof up in a camper;but you do have to tidy everything away whenever you want to go anywhere.The only thing we missed about the camper was the fridge!So we bought a 3 way fridge for when we go camping.

If you really do want one,bear in mind they are 20-30 years old and will most likely have been neglected for a large portion of that time.We were lucky,ours had been looked after before we got her.But when you have to do welding every year just to keep it on the road,it gets to be a pain in the rear.

Alison

[Woodie]

VW campers, I had one, they are pokey m8, pokey is ok when you are 19 and supple, I had a CF250 Bedford converted van that I fitted the vauxhall overdrive to, it was the mutts nutts @105 mph! I also had a normal VW van but sold it fairly quickly, they are fashionable but I dont rate them.

[da SLUG man]

they're the most awful thing to drive and you gotta be a skinny student to fit behind the wheel!! (i don't!)... i overtake them all day long during the summer and they're a pain in the ass!

[andy]

I would rather have one of these.

http://www.australia-hotels.net/rentals/cryst111.htm

[whippet]

Why not stay with the Japanese Imports and have one of THESE.

[phorbiuz]

Cheers for all the comments - something to chew over.

I already have a caravan which is towed by the Surf, but its a fair size and quite decent. It's a bit of a pain to get it out of storage to shove on a muddy festival field for just a couple of days though, especially where some elements can't be trusted, so I though a little VW Camper for these events would fit the bill. It would only be used in Summer, being stored the rest of the time.

From the info so far I think I'm going to buy a fairly run down one in a couple of months when the prices start to lower. I'll then drop it off at a specialist bodywork shop near where I live for a full body and electrics stripdown/rebuild. I'll handle the interior and mechanical side.

Ozzig - nice one for the Men & Motors pointer.
Andy - they are good, but that would not fit in the garage
Whippet - bit too 'quirky' for me
Everyone else - thanks

[Streetluge Chris]

What do you need to Know

I used to work for John Maher Racing.co.uk
These not much I dont know about these Have a 140bhp one for sale
If you wont to give me a call you can it taken to long via email

0151 353 1246.

[Greyhound]

If you get a pre- 1972 one they're still tax-exempt ,but still full of rust!