advice req'd. is my bus a danbury

[andewilson]

due to the fact that my bus doesnt retain any of it original camping interier i can only guess as to its original conversion.
the only clues i have are these

hole by the nearside bulkhead rhd van next to the sliding door

above engine lid there are two holes supiciously looking like where a badge was once fitted.
i think i have seen a danbury with a badge fitted here.

the roof had originally been cut out for a pop top but someone had welded a cap on top.
the original hole began just after the first strengthener bar. and went not as far back as it does now in the pic. i have cut about an extra foot further to the rear as it was u/s due to rust.

i think all this points to a dan but not too sure. no other evidence exists or bulk heads. only the vin plate which was riveted to the drivers b pillar

 

[Guest]

those holes are definitely the right place for a danbury plate, and ive never seen anything else delibrately fixed there.

 

[Danbury Doug]

The hole in the floor has probably been put in by an owner, but the roof cut looks to be correct for a Danbury, and certainly, as Johnny mentions, the holes above the engine lid are indeed correct for Danbury.

 

[andewilson]

all good. do you guys have any pictures of decent original danbury's as if it fits what im after i may factor it into the final look of my van. i may even revert back to a pop top if it looks right

 

[Guest]

do danburys have a waste pipe drain hole in the floor? my devon does.

 

[Danbury Doug]

do danburys have a waste pipe drain hole in the floor? my devon does.

No they don't. The Danbury sink is just a removable box unit placed on the raer bench seat, with a drain into a container beneath.

 

[Guest]

that hole is in exactly the same spot as my devon drain off, strange :?

 

[Danbury Doug]

Here are a couple of interior shots of my van. What you see is all 100% original. The only thing missing is the sink unit (I'm still after one of them.)

The Danbury layout is basic, but quite versatile. The bed is made by slotting wooden boards together, either as singles or a double.
The cooker is a grill/hob which fits neatly under the seat by the sliding door.

Check out the VW Danbury website for more info and pics.

http://vwdanburycamper.wetpaint.com/thread

If you like the look of the original interiors, then keep an eye on ebay, as they do come up from time to time.

 

[Danbury Doug]

that hole is in exactly the same spot as my devon drain off, strange :?

It could be that the van had a Devon interior in it at some stage. Because the Danbury interiors are basic, and easily removed, quite a few have ended up with new interiors over the years.

 

[halfpint_fighter]

My danbury has a drainage hole under the sink!?!

I can't remember if it is in the floor or slightly up the rear wheel well :roll:

 

[Danbury Doug]

My danbury has a drainage hole under the sink!?!

I can't remember if it is in the floor or slightly up the rear wheel well :roll:

Oh? :?: I'm pretty sure the original concept was one container as a water supply, and the other to collect. In my folks' Danbury my dad took the sink box out and never used it. He mounted the tap on the lttle board/cupboard thing under the top locker.
I'm guessing in your van Halfpint_fighter, a previous owner got fed up emptying the container, and decided to just direct the waste straight through the floor, as seems the case with andewilson's bus too.

 

[mjknight71]

..............................mine has a drain hole just up on the wheel tub on the passengers side that the sink was plumbed into before I removed it :? It is about 3cm dia.....

.......I can take a picture of the inside of the pop-top and measure the hole etc if you want. Mines a '72 crossover

............two complete (ish) Danbury interiors have sold off e-bay recently one for £80 the other £150.....and i think there is a seller on there with another but at £250.... :shock:

 

[Danbury Doug]

..............................mine has a drain hole just up on the wheel tub on the passengers side that the sink was plumbed into before I removed it :? It is about 3cm dia.....

.......I can take a picture of the inside of the pop-top and measure the hole etc if you want. Mines a '72 crossover

............two complete (ish) Danbury interiors have sold off e-bay recently one for £80 the other £150.....and i think there is a seller on there with another but at £250.... :shock:

Sounds as if a drain hole was standard then? Will have to check mine, but I'm pretty sure there isn't one.

There was a fairly mint interior on ebay a couple of months or so ago, but it was removed from the listing before the end of the auction. I had my beadys on the sink box!

I've just won some more Danbury brochures off ebay. I'm quite pleased with one purchase, as the chap kindly threw in a second identical brochure and price list for free!

 

[halfpint_fighter]

I seem to remember my drainage hole has a rubber/plastic grommet rather than just a hole cut out of the metal, i also have a hose that screws onto the bottom of the sink, not that i have ever used it!

 

[andewilson]

my plan is to have the same sort of seating. but the rear is going to be a bluebird full width r&r bed base. then the two front seats will be an exact copy of the two danbury fronts (made by a company in poole) although mine will be facing backwards.

 

[Danbury Doug]

I've just checked in my van, and yep, the hole is there, in the same place as yours Halfpint_fighter. Mine has a bung in it.
You learn something new every day! :lol: I didn't think Danbury ran to the dizzy heights of putting in proper 'drainage'! :lol:

Just got mine back from the MOT by the way. The only thing that needed doing was a new numberplate light, so I'm over the moon with that!

 

[Danbury Doug]

my plan is to have the same sort of seating. but the rear is going to be a bluebird full width r&r bed base. then the two front seats will be an exact copy of the two danbury fronts (made by a company in poole) although mine will be facing backwards.

I look forward to hearing progress reports, and seeing more pics in due course.

 

[halfpint_fighter]

Have you started a resto thread in the gallery section...we need pics :lol:

Well done Doug on the MOT, i wish mine only needed a light for it's last one!

 

[andewilson]

my plan is to have the same sort of seating. but the rear is going to be a bluebird full width r&r bed base. then the two front seats will be an exact copy of the two danbury fronts (made by a company in poole) although mine will be facing backwards.

I look forward to hearing progress reports, and seeing more pics in due course.

i'm a little way off fitting the trim as of yet. i did actually buy the r&r bed two years ago when i thought it was going to be a simple resto. the plan is to get it ready for spray in the winter. if i hit bonus at work then i will have plenty of money to finish it, if not then i am going to have to sell my porsche alloy wheel collection to pay for it.