virgobugs
Active member
- Joined
- Sep 27, 2022
- Messages
- 29
- Reaction score
- 27
- Location
- Cornwall
- Year of Your Van(s)
- 1971
- Van Type
- Microbus
| VW Early Bay Window Deluxe Day Camper Van/Bus with lovely Patina throughout. It's time to move this lovely bus on to a new owner. I've absolutely had the best time doing my thing to it over winter and covered a fair few miles over the south west with it but genuinely need a newer bus to follow the growth of our Events Business. So the bus was imported from California back in 2014 having previously being owned by Ian Rousell of Full Custom Garage fame a show on discovery in the States. When it came over here it was still in Ians guiss full matt black and some questionable body mods including his trademark piecing in the rear quater. Anyway forward wind to the next owner in the UK who painstakingly reveilled the original paint under the mat black and undone Ians modifications. It's had a couple of owners since then and clearly the love was lost with it, losing its westy interior and the deluxe windows etc. So back in May 2022 I stumbled across this Tintop Deluxe Bus quite Local to me and although a little unloved at the time I knew it had the right elements to be a cool bus. It had previously been lowered on a 3" narrowed beam and the chassis had been nothed at the rear but when I bought it it was sat on standard steelies and riding high....! Due to work commitments I never got stuck in with it until the start of this year. The headlining and interior was awful and really had no option but to start here. It's been sound deadend and fully insulated inside and we bought fresh plylining for the ceiling panels and side panels. Headlining fabric covers the roof panels and brown suede covers the interior panel. The rear seat is a brand new Rusty Lee full width Rock and Roll Bed and the front being a Tins Kustoms full width Flip Bench Seat that I modified to fit the Bay using late Bay Seat Runners. New upholstery throughout by Hollies House Devon who made a fantastic job...new front rubber mat and rear flooring and sunvisors too. New static 3 point seatbelts. Engine is believed to be a 1641 which I have had out to give a cosmetic refresh as it is a stong engine compression tested at 120 per cyl and performs strongly on the Twin Kadron Carbs. Exhaust is a empi single quiet pack. Has no heating as is running J tubes with fan housing blanks.. Has a butty bits throttle peddle Linkage too. Has brand new Late disc brakes and Calipers on the front as had to go down this route to add the new dropped spindles. New Speedmaster style wheels are brand new with new tyres to suit. I replaced all the rear window rubbers as previously mentioned the bus had lost its 3/4 + quater lights at some point so I sourced replacements and fitted with New German Quality Rubbers and deluxe trim. New front and rear screen rubbers replaced again with deluxe trims. Also new tailgate seal and sliding door seal. Has Jail bars on tailgate. I'll include a full set of 8 thermal window blinds. Bodywork is pretty sound classing as patina defo bot ratty. A few dings here and there but not a rusty BOS. Not original paint as I know the first uk owner gave it a blow over after receiving a disrespectful comment about fake patina was mentioned to him, however it flattened back well and really shines to this day. Front panel defo has some filler as a bit is chipped off but personally love that character. Underneath I'd say pretty sound, has had work to drivers floor previously that If I was keeping I'd do properly. Outriggers, cargo Floor and sills etc all sound. I replaced the seatbelt mounts when doing the seat runners as started to look a bit suspect. The bus drives well, brakes are great , strong engine, sound gearbox and apart from catching the wind now and again the bus runs pretty straight. Everything works as should covered a fair few miles in it across the southwest for festival work and seem to spend more time sleeping in it than at home these days, hence why I need a modern VW now. Bad bits... No sounds, never have got around to this. No Dash Vents or heater controls One window rubber and 1/4 still need replacing. Have all the gear for this but don't have the time now. Also one of Ian Rousell,s mods was to cut the rear Vents ears open... have the body cut panels to replace these if it bother anyone enough. The vehicle is located in Mid Cornwall, I will only accept an offer if you've physically had a serious conversation with me in person or over the phone and ideally looked at it and driven it in person. I will not swap or exchange I need cash value only that's fully cleard before collecting. Many thanks for looking...!  |
