early bay wanted please

[robins]

hi,new to site!can anyone help us find a good early bay for us first time buyers .We have funds up to 5k for the right van thank -you

 

[Guest]

£5K should get you a good solid runner :wink:

 

[Araon]

welcome and good luck with your search...may help if you hint at what exactly your after.. panel van, microbus, conversion, bare shell etc....

 

[Simon Hall]

First time buyer.
Government Wealth Warning.
All that glitters is not gold.
Stay Away From Fresh Painted RHD Welded Up Patchwork Quilts.


LHD imported buses in this price range will not be shiney and may need cosmetics etc but a SOLID bus is the only way to go!!!!
Battery trays, front floors all easy repairs on a solid bus as you are not chasing the rust!!
It will save you £000s in the long run.
Good few people on here have ideal first time buses, inc me

:lol:

 

[easy]

Hello and welcome

When you go to have a look at a bus, dont be afraid to get right under it and have a poke around, especially at the joins of all metalwork as these are likely places for rot.

Look at the panels under the driver and cab doors, there should be a shallow seam line running down from the edge of the door to the bottom where the arch meets. If you see this seam dissapear or smoothed over, then its full of filler and probably hiding some nasties!

LHD imports are good as they are usually solid, you can get some nice aussie RHD bays from various companies around the UK, always worth going to as they have come from sunny climbs that drive on the correct side of the road! :wink:

Good luck and any advice just ask everyone on here 8)

 

[pete nice]

Yep, as above. My van came from Arizona. It needed a battery tray, but no big problem as it was solid all round it. It is mint underneath which is where it counts. Body was good & original with a few battle scars.

Look closely at what you buy & take another pair of eyes with you. Don't let your heart rule your head!

 

[robins]

thanks for all your advice we are after 71 or older microbus tin top or pop top for our family we have not much knowledge so please only good solid vans are a must.I enjoy very much reading comments and advice and hopefully we will soon know what to look out for and have a bus of our own thanks

 

[issit]

you got a pm mate :wink:

 

[Loxy]

Where are you located? perhaps someone on here can show you their bus - areas to look for rot etc or maybe even steer you in the right direction.

As per Simon Halls advice be vary wary of any freshly restored RHD vans, its amazing what a fresh paint job can hide if you arent looking in the right places.
You may also have to pay a premium for a never welded/restored RHD van as there arent that many around.

 

[Haveacamper]

Where are you located? perhaps someone on here can show you their bus - areas to look for rot etc or maybe even steer you in the right direction.

Just to follow up on from that, it may be handy if you can take someone along with you that knows their stuff when viewing a van. that will help you tremendously in two ways. it will mean that you are likely to look in all the areas that are hot spots and will help you get a neutral/more honest view of the bus.someone just to keep your feet on the floor when you see that lovely bus

NaFe

p.s. Good Luck

 

[scott wilson]

As simon said a lhd dry bus is probably the way to go on your budget. It`s much more expensive to import from rust free rhd countries hence the extra cost involved in the purchase. Just as dry but more expensive. I have several rhd buses that meet your year requirement, but wouldn`t meet your budget. Theres several really good lhd buses advertised on this very site from reputable and conscientious people

 

[robins]

hi we r in somerset (street) not to keen on westys we will consider lhd if they r better buses thanks

 

[flynster]

watcha bud i got a 71 microbus from sunny cali latter part of last year solid as a rock just a small repair to the battery tray and that was it ..exactly 5k too they are out there . have a good hunt about and just trust your instincts .take ya time fella enjoy the hunt and welcome

 

[Araon]

To be honest I didnt enjoy the hunt my heart was beging to sink after viewing so much bodged ***** out there almost to the point I was on the verge of buying a piece of overpriced rust and go for the full resto....

just dont let your heart rule on this one always go with a list of what you know/think repairs will cost you that way you'll have a little bargaining power....and if its a dealer they may get some of the work done for you on the cheap to close a sale...

 

[Simon Hall]

Pity you cannot get into the westys, the only camper offered by VW, much sought after, always hold their value and some good ones out there!!

 

[robins]

ive looked for a good three years now, as for the westys its just the roof simon everything else is fine,thanks for the pms and imfo :?

 

[Simon Hall]

What is your email address, i will send you some photo files of a couple of early bay original paint tin top westfalias i have, but the downside is they are not 5k though.