1972 Bay Purchase....help please

[davidoft]

I think you will be hard pushed to buy much in the way or an early bay on the road mot’d etc for £6500, of course it will have issues it’s not £20k, looks ok for £6500 worth of van

 

[has-dude]

One thing to watch out for, if it had a dormobile roof, then the roof support (connecting the b pillars) may have been removed, dormobile got away with this by fitting a thick sections of angle iron frame round the roof cutout which held it all together. Without this the overall strength of the van may be impaired. But it may have been put back when the sunroof was fitted.


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[Yobyekim]

How would I find out which roof it had originally? Is it just a case of looking at the original fixing points? Or can you find out from the M plate etc?

Thanks

 

[has-dude]

Not sure tbh, I’m only familiar with the dormy, so other then fixing points there is usually a dormobile plate on the dash board to the left of the glovebox as you open the passenger door. I think it’s unlikely to be on the M plate as most left the factory as microbuses - but I’m not 100% certain on that as there might be some details coded up ‘for delivery to converter’.


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[bubba dubba]

Hi, I have seen this van when driving past it a few times,i very nearly stopped and asked if it was for sale a year or so back as it was up on ramps and didnt seem to move at all.
I think from what you say it sounds like you can't really lose. I think though like others have said you will end up spending on it but if you can do it as and when you can afford and use as is for now.
First job is to get an m.o.t test and see where you are (Im pretty sure it will need brakes looking at as it has been sat for a good while).
Your biggest gamble is rust as expensive to fix properly and that could be hiding some as a Uk bus that been "restored" before will more than likely have some hidden......mechanicals are easier to sort.
Hope that doesn't sound too pessimistic........If it was me i'd go for it.

good luck........Kev

 

[Yobyekim]

Hi, I have seen this van when driving past it a few times,i very nearly stopped and asked if it was for sale a year or so back as it was up on ramps and didnt seem to move at all.
I think from what you say it sounds like you can't really lose. I think though like others have said you will end up spending on it but if you can do it as and when you can afford and use as is for now.
First job is to get an m.o.t test and see where you are (Im pretty sure it will need brakes looking at as it has been sat for a good while).
Your biggest gamble is rust as expensive to fix properly and that could be hiding some as a Uk bus that been "restored" before will more than likely have some hidden......mechanicals are easier to sort.
Hope that doesn't sound too pessimistic........If it was me i'd go for it.

good luck........Kev

Yeah the lady who owns it is my best friends mum. No it doesnt sound pessimistic, ive restored cars before and have good friends in the trade so I know what could be involved, I appreciate the help. I pretty much came on to gain knowledge about these buses because its good to know the common things to look for etc.

I think the plan would be buy the bus, get it MOTd and enjoy it this year for a few trips with the family and then fully restore to a high standard over the winter. Not really fussed about making money because id be doing it to keep. The owner paid £6500 ten years ago and would like her money back on it, just wanted to make sure it was a good deal :msn4:
I think its a cheap way into ownership.

Michael

 

[Yobyekim]

I bought the bus...ended up getting it as a non runner for £5500.00

Bought it home and the push rod in the lift pump had broken away the plastic seat in the cheap aftermarket one , replaced this and she fired right up!

Just a question...its got a full length rag top... but how would you know for sure which roof it would have originally had with the original conversion from a kombi?

Cheers

Michael

 

[lemur]

Can't help you with the roof, sorry....but congratulations on the bus! especially with the price reduction for an easy fix!! nice one

L

 

[Yobyekim]

Can't help you with the roof, sorry....but congratulations on the bus! especially with the price reduction for an easy fix!! nice one

L

Thank you, we are very pleased with it

 

[ozziedog]

I bought the bus...ended up getting it as a non runner for £5500.00

Bought it home and the push rod in the lift pump had broken away the plastic seat in the cheap aftermarket one , replaced this and she fired right up!

Just a question...its got a full length rag top... but how would you know for sure which roof it would have originally had with the original conversion from a kombi?

Cheers

Michael

Brilliant, if you want to pop up a few pictures, there may be some clues about what sort of bus it is. Usually there is some sort of badge somewhere detailing who the conversion was done by. The standard issue is that a lot of these busses were not worth too much money ten or fifteen years ago, so it was commonplace to change or add things from one bus to another. If it was a Devon pop top originally, the opening would be from behind the roof rib above the cab seatbelt fixing bolts, if it was a Dormobile, I think they were a little more forward. Mine for instance came as a panel van conversion with cut in windows but with mostly a Westfalia Malaga interior, and a Canterbury Pitt type pop top that was so immense that it blocked and rusted out the gutters. Now it’s got proper windows fitted and a later Devon pop top and a home brew interior consisting of a full width rock and roll Rusty Lee bed and a very very large cool box plus a portable cooker. :mrgreen:

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,, make it work for yourself :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

 

[Yobyekim]

I bought the bus...ended up getting it as a non runner for £5500.00

Bought it home and the push rod in the lift pump had broken away the plastic seat in the cheap aftermarket one , replaced this and she fired right up!

Just a question...its got a full length rag top... but how would you know for sure which roof it would have originally had with the original conversion from a kombi?

Cheers

Michael

Brilliant, if you want to pop up a few pictures, there may be some clues about what sort of bus it is. Usually there is some sort of badge somewhere detailing who the conversion was done by. The standard issue is that a lot of these busses were not worth too much money ten or fifteen years ago, so it was commonplace to change or add things from one bus to another. If it was a Devon pop top originally, the opening would be from behind the roof rib above the cab seatbelt fixing bolts, if it was a Dormobile, I think they were a little more forward. Mine for instance came as a panel van conversion with cut in windows but with mostly a Westfalia Malaga interior, and a Canterbury Pitt type pop top that was so immense that it blocked and rusted out the gutters. Now it’s got proper windows fitted and a later Devon pop top and a home brew interior consisting of a full width rock and roll Rusty Lee bed and a very very large cool box plus a portable cooker. :mrgreen:

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,, make it work for yourself :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

Oh sounds nice

I decoded the m plate and it was a kombi originally so i guess it had windows. Would have just been nice to put the roof on it which it would have had originally. Either way a good idea will be for me to look at a few this summer whilst using mine and get a feel for a few others :mrgreen:

 

[Yobyekim]

I will get some pictures up as soon as i can

 

[Yobyekim]

So it seems to be quite a bit further forward from the seat belt mounts?

 

[ozziedog]

So it seems to be quite a bit further forward from the seat belt mounts?

I’d almost guarantee that’s had a dormobile roof on it at some stage. Unless someone comes up with another idea, I’m swayed to say, yes Dormy. If you have a look at some of the rebuild threads on here, you’ll see what I mean, there’s plenty of different rebuilds going on but I can’t think of another off the top of my head that has the opening that far forward. Westfalia use a sun roof van for the factory opening, Devon used a tin opener and a chainsaw to do their opening, but Dormobile I’m not too genned up on. But there are plenty of Dormobile sleuths on here.

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,, more pics please :mrgreen:

 

[ozziedog]

The first one in the gallery funny enough is a Dormobile and the picture shows how it would look with the Dormobile top.
http://forum.earlybay.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=60460

OZZIEDOG,,,,,,,Nice innit. :mrgreen:

 

[Yobyekim]

So it seems to be quite a bit further forward from the seat belt mounts?

I’d almost guarantee that’s had a dormobile roof on it at some stage. Unless someone comes up with another idea, I’m swayed to say, yes Dormy. If you have a look at some of the rebuild threads on here, you’ll see what I mean, there’s plenty of different rebuilds going on but I can’t think of another off the top of my head that has the opening that far forward. Westfalia use a sun roof van for the factory opening, Devon used a tin opener and a chainsaw to do their opening, but Dormobile I’m not too genned up on. But there are plenty of Dormobile sleuths on here.

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,, more pics please :mrgreen:

Did they do any full length rag tops from factory? I know the bus is a uk and was originally from Ramsgate...not sure if this poses any significance?

 

[Yobyekim]

yeah that dormobile is niiiice

 

[ozziedog]

So it seems to be quite a bit further forward from the seat belt mounts?

I’d almost guarantee that’s had a dormobile roof on it at some stage. Unless someone comes up with another idea, I’m swayed to say, yes Dormy. If you have a look at some of the rebuild threads on here, you’ll see what I mean, there’s plenty of different rebuilds going on but I can’t think of another off the top of my head that has the opening that far forward. Westfalia use a sun roof van for the factory opening, Devon used a tin opener and a chainsaw to do their opening, but Dormobile I’m not too genned up on. But there are plenty of Dormobile sleuths on here.

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,, more pics please :mrgreen:

Did they do any full length rag tops from factory? I know the bus is a uk and was originally from Ramsgate...not sure if this poses any significance?

No they didn’t as far as I’m aware. Most of the rag tops you’ll find nowadays are from an outfit called Paris sunroofs. There was a sliding sun roof option on micro busses and this is the shell that the Westfalia used because of the factory opening. This was a steel sliding roof and you’ll see a very limited few about. Generally speaking the rag top was a way of sorting out an iffy pop top :roll: or some just fell out of love with the pop top and went raggedy, just because every so often, sunroofs are the in thing :shock: if you look carefully along the gutter on the offside or drivers side you may see where the hinges were attached because the Dormobile pop top was side hinged.which eventually became a bit of a weak spot with the weight that was hinged there. :msn4:

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,, very few are as they left the converter :mrgreen:

 

[ozziedog]

http://forum.earlybay.com/app.php/video?mode=view&id=27

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,one Dormobile of stature in action :mrgreen: :mrgreen: