1971 RHD Sunroof Deluxe - Full Resto

[Dan]

So, here's my dream van as it started out, a rare as you like, UK supplied, 1971, RHD sunroof deluxe:

It's now at South Coast Customs getting a total re-build - in, out and under. Here are the stripped down shots taken this morning:

Here's the new roof section (the existing one has rotted out drainage channels)

I'm starting to get excited about getting it finished already, and SCC have only just started on it! It wil be similar in style to my old van, below:

 

[Ands1]

Nice one, but what happenned to the old van?? it looks a beaut.

 

[HotVWheels]

That Bus has SO MUCH potential, Dan! Congrats on the project.

I also became the owner of a 1971 Sunroof Deluxe a week ago, I just wish I had the *pick one - any one* time/patience/resources for a full-on resto now!

Daily driver at the moment though...

Please keep us updated!

 

[Dan]

Nice one, but what happenned to the old van?? it looks a beaut.

It really was - had never been welded either! I sold it in 2002 to go travelling - I've never seen it since, but it's still on the road according to the DVLA website!

 

[Dan]

That Bus has SO MUCH potential, Dan! Congrats on the project.

I also became the owner of a 1971 Sunroof Deluxe a week ago, I just wish I had the *pick one - any one* time/patience/resources for a full-on resto now!

Daily driver at the moment though...

Please keep us updated!

Cheers! I've had it for nigh on 5 years now, just waiting for the 'treatment'! Yours looks a TINY bit more solid than mine does right now!

 

[Justin & Muttley]

That rust under the windscreen looks bad! Good on you for taking the plunge to get it completely fixed up - keep those piccies coming... 8)

 

[Dan]

That rust under the windscreen looks bad! Good on you for taking the plunge to get it completely fixed up - keep those piccies coming... 8)

It is rather isn't it??!! It was stuffed full of classified 'contact' ads (so one can only guess what the previous owner was into...), then liberally doused with fibre glass before a light dusting of filler OVER the windscreen rubber!!! Still, it's such a rare van and while some long after a 23 window, this is the ultimate van to me, so well worth it!

 

[Danbury Doug]

Lovely bus! 8)

Our Danbury crossover that we had (new to our family) was that colour. Looks like I can see the original upholstery in the first pictures too. 8)

 

[Dan]

Lovely bus! 8)

Our Danbury crossover that we had (new to our family) was that colour. Looks like I can see the original upholstery in the first pictures too. 8)

Yes you can! - Pretty well every van I've had has been a Danbury - maybe it's some sub-conscious thing as my parents had a '72 crossover from about '75 onwards so I grew up with them!! I sold the whole interior from it as I'm doing something different but original looking incorporating a Westfalia Rock and Roll bed for comfort!!

 

[gninnam]

Good luck with the rebuild - looks like she will be nice if it ends up like your previous
bus 8)

 

[Guest]

how many of these were built? i cant imagine alot? if its half as good as your old van it'll be beaut!

 

[Dan]

Good luck with the rebuild - looks like she will be nice if it ends up like your previous
bus 8)

Thank-you!

how many of these were built? i cant imagine alot? if its half as good as your old van it'll be beaut!

Thanks! I'd love to know how many too - and how many survive!!

 

[Loxy]

It is rather isn't it??!! It was stuffed full of classified 'contact' ads (so one can only guess what the previous owner was into...), then liberally doused with fibre glass before a light dusting of filler OVER the windscreen rubber!!! Still, it's such a rare van and while some long after a 23 window, this is the ultimate van to me, so well worth it!

Sounds like some of the work you did on your on your old Dormobile

 

[Danbury Doug]

Lovely bus! 8)

Our Danbury crossover that we had (new to our family) was that colour. Looks like I can see the original upholstery in the first pictures too. 8)

Yes you can! - Pretty well every van I've had has been a Danbury - maybe it's some sub-conscious thing as my parents had a '72 crossover from about '75 onwards so I grew up with them!! I sold the whole interior from it as I'm doing something different but original looking incorporating a Westfalia Rock and Roll bed for comfort!!

Yes I think I remember you posted some pics of the interiors of your Danburys on another thread?
I'm much the same as you. Ours was new to us, and I remember clambering about in brand new Danburys in the showroom at our local VW dealership.
We had ours from 1972 until 1987. We went all around Scandinavia in ours in 1974, and until this day I've never had a better holiday.
I pretty much learn't to drive in ours, and it was my 'daily' driver for a couple of years... and at that time it was most 'un-cool' for a 20 year old to be seen driving a bay, but I didn't care, I knew back then I was driving a special kind of vehicle! 8)

 

[Danbury Doug]

Good luck with the rebuild - looks like she will be nice if it ends up like your previous
bus 8)

Thank-you!

how many of these were built? i cant imagine alot? if its half as good as your old van it'll be beaut!

Thanks! I'd love to know how many too - and how many survive!!

Well, as a life-long Danbury 'anorak' I can safely say I have NEVER seen another Danbury based on a sunroof deluxe, so they certainly must have been very rare indeed! It would indeed be interesting to see just how many were made and survive. I reckon you could count them on one hand!

 

[Haveacamper]

you've obviously ripped off enough people to be able to get professionals to your own van. lets hope that they dont cover up things like you have covered up, that i've been subject to rectify.

i've let it be until now. even when i've seen you advertise shitty vans that simply aren't worth the money you are quoting them for. you have even got the cheek turn around and complain when a buyer on ebay wont pay you when he sees his purchase in the flesh. you've even advertised these campers with the same bull shit story as you told me. "my missus doesnt even know i've bought this... i only bought this van so i could drive a bus while i worked on my deluxe.... however, the previous owner wasnt as honest as i thought he was"

however, when you rip into previous owner's botch jobs that just takes the biscuit.

i do hope that SCC do a proper job on the deluxe and that the van isnt butchered like some of your other vans.

NaFe

p.s. the extra work you have caused me

http://forum.earlybay.com/viewtopic.php?t=4067

 

[Dan]

you've obviously ripped off enough people to be able to get professionals to your own van. lets hope that they dont cover up things like you have covered up, that i've been subject to rectify.

i've let it be until now. even when i've seen you advertise shitty vans that simply aren't worth the money you are quoting them for. you have even got the cheek turn around and complain when a buyer on ebay wont pay you when he sees his purchase in the flesh. you've even advertised these campers with the same bull shit story as you told me. "my missus doesnt even know i've bought this... i only bought this van so i could drive a bus while i worked on my deluxe.... however, the previous owner wasnt as honest as i thought he was"

however, when you rip into previous owner's botch jobs that just takes the biscuit.

i do hope that SCC do a proper job on the deluxe and that the van isnt butchered like some of your other vans.

NaFe

p.s. the extra work you have caused me

http://forum.earlybay.com/viewtopic.php?t=4067

Nathan,

Thanks for the reply on a public forum - not really the place for it is it? As for your van – I didn't carry out any of the work on it myself, I paid a 'reputable' bodyshop to do the work on it, whom I thought turned out nice vans judging by recommendations. For the record, they started working on another van for me after yours, but I found them to have not fitted panels I'd ordered, paid for and delivered to them and generally bodged it while having sold off my panels to other 'customers'. I took the van from them, obviously without paying them, and took it to SCC and had it all re-done. I have found them to be thoroughly professional, with a high quality of work which is often magazine featured and have been using them ever since. If you have found hidden horrors on your van, they are as much of a surprise to me as they were to you and I can only apologise profusely. You should have contacted me about it rather than waiting 2 years – if there's one thing I am not, it's a blagger – I am sorry you feel that way about me, but really, you spent long enough talking to me to know me well enough to have called me when problems came to light. There was and is never any bulls**t story from me about anything, I was, and still am, nothing but 100% genuine. Stating that any vans I sell are 'shi**y' without even seeing them, and saying I take the biscuit at having a go at bodged jobs is ridiculous. Finally, the e-bay van you refer to was an auction by someone else - NOTHING to do with me - my e-bay user name is dan73dan - have a look for yourself, but I have certainly not stated that in an advert.

Dan

 

[Dan]

Sorry, it was 18 months, not 2 years.

Dan

 

[Guest]

im kinda lost here? what are you two talking about? :?

 

[Haveacamper]

personally i think the public forum is the place for it otherwise people dont get to know who is out to make money and who are selling vans for genuine reasons. i have read your story several times and so have other people. i know i spent long enough talking to you when i came down to visit but its easy for someone to chat to a novice and overwhelme them with information. ok it maybe have been my fault for not knowing enough about vans before buying one.

you say none of the work was yours, but surely a genuine person would inform the buyer of the pitfalls that the vehicle has. like outriggers and jacking points that have been so called "welded" in place and waxoyled, only to find that it is merely silicone sealant placed on like a weld. also, its convenient that the van was kept in a garage until i came to see it because the windscreen was fitted piss poor and caused masses of water to leak in. the list goes on.... and i can continue if you want.

with reference to selling shitty vans, i'm now paying for your the work that should have been done the first time around. you told me that you had the bottom half resprayed yet i find overspray from the top half on the bottom half??? all in all the work done was done on the cheap and shipped on to a first time buyer. the only honest thing you told me was the motor was good, which it is.

i never contacted you over it cos i initially thought maybe it was a coincidence and it wasnt until a few things were found and i was informed of you selling other stuff that the story you told me reoccurred. coincidence... i think not!!

johnny, i'm talking about i van that i bought off dan that has been riddled with problems!! so everyone be aware!!!!