1969 Arctic Explorer

[snow_pikey]

Hello there my names Matt and this is my 69/70 Bay Westy Camper,

Her name is Missy she has been a great bus!!! Originally from California I bought her in Canada and used her over there for a few years and have now shipped her back to the UK with me.

Me and Missy have been on various adventures all over Canada including a summer driving right up north above the Arctic Circle into the western Arctic and the North West Territories (NWT)

This isn't a fair weather bus she is a daily driver including 3 Canadian winters in the Rockies driving about in temps below -40 even with genuine heat exchangers you need 2 coats and 2 hats (canadian's thought I was a bit mental), I have been driving round more than a couple of times and my coffee has frozen in the cup before I've drank half of it.

Missy drove to the ski hill most days, was always fully loaded, I have driven tens of thousands of Km's on dirt roads and logging trails up in the mountains and is yet to let me down

Here's a few pictures for now...............

 

[snow_pikey]

SO...............

Now she's back in the UK I have started giving Missy a tidy up!

Things done in Canada:

>New pop-top tent
>Recon 1641 with new carb dizzy etc....
>New brakes
>steering components, tie rods, couplings, pin etc...

Things to do now back:

>Repair dented front panel
>Weld up sill for MOT
>Weld up RH wheel tub for MOT
>New balljoints
>Register
>Think I will respray to help protect the bus from the English weather (Salt)

Other than that she's a solid reliable Bus, I made a start last weekend

Crazy!! to think this is what was hiding under the arch mat and my passengers where sitting on air :shock:

Picked up some original seats and a stool much better than the 80's whatever's that were fitted

New front, I wont use all of it but enough to sort out the dent as I don't want it full of filler

Anyway much more to come hope people enjoy the pictures - Matt

 

[sparkywig]

8)

Nice pics

 

[gninnam]

Great story and pics 8)

Puts us wimpy people in the UK to shame: -40 deg indeed.....

 

[Geeze]

Maybe it's the romantic in me, but just love the shots of your bus out in the wilds! 8)

 

[user 765]

Cool story .............. literally !! :lol:

 

[lard]

Wow - love the shots - looks like you've had some amazing adventures!

 

[froggy]

Glad to see your gving her the treatment she derserves, and to think we're concerned about a bit of salt on the roads

 

[mattd1984]

Great to see your van being properly used. Love the shot on the boat covered in mud! 8)

 

[rallye dale]

As others before , top pics buddy

 

[Cali_bay]

SO...............

Crazy!! to think this is what was hiding under the arch mat and my passengers where sitting on air :shock:

:shock: That's a bit hairy.

Sounds like a great trip 8) , hope the resto goes well. More Pictures please.

 

[sparkywig]

SO...............

Crazy!! to think this is what was hiding under the arch mat and my passengers where sitting on air :shock:

:shock: That's a bit hairy.

Sounds like a great trip 8) , hope the resto goes well. More Pictures please.

That's nothing compared to a 1969 UK Dormobile.

 

[snow_pikey]

Glad you like it

Here are a few more pictures of Missy out and about....

 

[snow_pikey]

I also got a bit more done to her today,

R/H wheel tub Is safe for passengers now no more water coming in or risk off falling on the tire!

Has anyone had trouble fitting the Just campers wheel tubs? I was well hyped to see they sent a genuine VW panel but the inner lip was the wrong profile, took a fair bit of clamping and dolly work to get it right to weld.

Other than that I am happy with the repair, I also cut the front off :shock:

As you can see the front is pretty smacked up! thats why the bra was on the front.

Crappy to cut off a solid panel but this wasn't going to tap out.

Started converting the late front panel to early wish I had seen the front clip thats for sale on the forum before I bought these panels, would have saved alot of agro.

Then came the big chop!! well I know what I will be doing tomorrow :lol:

All nice and solid behind the outer skin

 

[gninnam]

Correct about the JK panels
In fact most new panels are hit and miss - need to keep an eye out for NOS

Doing a grand job and look forward to seeing the front on :mrgreen:

 

[mister]

Wow amazing pictures snow_pikey, really inspirational, they have got me wanting some road trip adventure in a big way!
good luck with the resto

 

[Doris]

great shots, what a well travelled bus! there is not many vehicles I would be confident in doing so many miles in such varied & remote climes, but this just proves the strength and reliability of a basic old air cooled VW. that's why we love 'em!

got any 'shoe string repair in the middle of nowhere' stories?

 

[leon]

Nice journey, nice pics and nice to see it being used. Missy is a very lucky van. :mrgreen:

 

[Trikky2]

Good to see theres still some buses out there being used as originally intended

I love the pictures of your northern exploration trips, thanks for posting them up. They brought back fond memories of my 4 month trip round the US and Canada in a beetle, many years ago.

Good luck with your repair work - it looks like it will be a nice solid bus again soon

 

[hogseye]

Glad you like it

Here are a few more pictures of Missy out and about....

PADDLE FASTER I HEAR BANJO'S