Hello all, hoping to get a bay window bus shortly, possibly an early one.

[Favguy]

Hello,

I'm Paul, looking at a 1971 crossover later today, so may be an owner soon! Going to get a bay of some sort, maybe early, late, or even very late Brazilian.

1971 seems a strange year, lots of different spec. buses all in the same year. The one I'm looking at has the old petrol filler location, crescent shaped vents, small rear lights, but with the later, smaller diameter wheel PCD and front disks.

The other bus I've been thinking about is a last edition Brazilian Kombi, 2014 with only 8k miles, but I'm a little torn on that one. There seems to be a general worry about parts availability and although this one is currently almost perfect at the moment, possible future rust issues over time. (Yes, I know that's true of all, but I've seen some pretty new Danbury Brazilians with hideous rotted out areas after less than 10 years from new!)

I'll let you all know how it goes later.

 

[ozziedog]

Hi Paul, let us know how you get on with this crossover. It’s not just the crossovers that had one year only parts. Just about every single model had
‘improvements’ and changes and more economical measures to build them. VW brought gradual changes in almost on a monthly basis back in the day when they were being made. I’m not especially keen on the brazzers as I’ve seen virtually the same as you’ve seen at my mates garage. I just don’t think the Brazilian finish is adequate for the U.K. conditions like salta and rain etc.

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,good luck on the search

 

[Favguy]

Hi Paul, let us know how you get on with this crossover. It’s not just the crossovers that had one year only parts. Just about every single model had
‘improvements’ and changes and more economical measures to build them. VW brought gradual changes in almost on a monthly basis back in the day when they were being made. I’m not especially keen on the brazzers as I’ve seen virtually the same as you’ve seen at my mates garage. I just don’t think the Brazilian finish is adequate for the U.K. conditions like salta and rain etc.

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,good luck on the search

Looked at the bus tonight, quite a nice overall bus, but far too much rot on it. I don't want a body resto. project beyond minimal stuff.

They get plenty of rain in Brazil, it's the road salt we use they don't like, but in fairness we forget, most 70's German VW's were well rotted after 10 or more years of UK climate when actually used as intended! My Granddad's brand new 1972 Beetle, used normally was utter scrap by 1982 after only about 60k miles! You'd never seen anything like it, the entire bottom 6 inches of the car were virtually none existent. In contrast I did 72k miles in a new 1985 Mexican Beetle, which I sold in late 1994, almost still as new looking! I think 1972 Beetle steel was a bit iffy!

I'm still keen on a low mileage new as possible Brazilian with zero rust to start with, my bus will be garaged when not in use and not used through winter anyway, as frankly no vintage VW's stay rust free if used through UK winters. With a comprehensive Dinitrol treatment to all cavities and the underbody, Brazilian rust proofing can be brought up to a much higher level of protection. The trick is starting with one that's not already got rust! Hey, but that's pretty much true for all of them, I've seen so many buses have a fortune spent on a really good restoration only to have a full cavity rustproofing to finish off the project totally overlooked, and then they're back to rotting through again less than 10 years later.

The search continues...

 

[ozziedog]

There was an importer of Brazzers but I’m not sure where if I’m honest, that allegedly brought in these vans and re sprayed them and wax oiled them from new. If in fact this is true, they could be the holy grail of type 2s. If it’s an urban legend then it was still a great idea. I think the only way to find out for absolute certainty is to possibly have a nose around on a specific Brazillian site as they may hold the answer.

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,The search can be part of the fun

 

[Albie5]

Agreed - any bus over 50 years old in the UK (not garaged) will have some rot and require work.

 

[Favguy]

There was an importer of Brazzers but I’m not sure where if I’m honest, that allegedly brought in these vans and re sprayed them and wax oiled them from new. If in fact this is true, they could be the holy grail of type 2s. If it’s an urban legend then it was still a great idea. I think the only way to find out for absolute certainty is to possibly have a nose around on a specific Brazillian site as they may hold the answer.

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,The search can be part of the fun

Danbury brought in hundreds of new, late model, white Brazilian minibus Kombi's. They sprayed them various colours and converted them to motorhomes. Unfortunately they added a few new areas for rust to get a hold by drilling all over them without even dressing and painting the cut hole edges and then did no cavity wax work. As a result. Ten years later the Brazilian forum, set up mainly to cater for the VW Danbury motorhome crowd, is full of people moaning about how their buses that cost them a small fortune are all now rusting up terribly! In fairness they're generally not "hands on" enthusiast owned and tend to be used and left outside on the whole, so hardly surprising.

I'm not aware of any other specific Brazilian bus sites apart from the one mentioned above, which isn't very active at all. I'm personally aware of someone with 3 brand new last edition Brazilian buses, built in December 2013, tucked away with the delivery plastic still on the seats! He won't part with one for less than upper £30k's though!

I'm in on/off/on discussion with someone else who has an 8k mile from new last edition, still a minibus, that's still almost perfect as it's been garaged from new, but haven't been able to agree on a sensible price yet. (But getting close!) I've noticed the VW scene in general, but especially the bus scene is full of quite greedy people who have been driving prices of both buses and parts absurdly high for years now. I sometimes wish I was interested in old Comma buses or something where prices are still based in reality!

 

[Walt]

There was an importer of Brazzers but I’m not sure where if I’m honest, that allegedly brought in these vans and re sprayed them and wax oiled them from new. If in fact this is true, they could be the holy grail of type 2s. If it’s an urban legend then it was still a great idea. I think the only way to find out for absolute certainty is to possibly have a nose around on a specific Brazillian site as they may hold the answer.

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,The search can be part of the fun

As Favguy said, importer wise Danbury brought in loads up to about 2013.
Think they were selling back then brand new for about 25k for the Danbury camper converted ones.

Not so much an importer but years ago there was a camper hire business called Snail Trail Campers, who had the "new" brazilian's for hire;

Think they were selling a few off every year or so - Might have been advertised in Volksworld or Camper & Bus back then.

 

[Favguy]

As Favguy said, importer wise Danbury brought in loads up to about 2013.
Think they were selling back then brand new for about 25k for the Danbury camper converted ones.

Not so much an importer but years ago there was a camper hire business called Snail Trail Campers, who had the "new" brazilian's for hire;

Think they were selling a few off every year or so - Might have been advertised in Volksworld or Camper & Bus back then.

You're a little off on the price, Danbury were selling them at around £35k at the time!

 

[ozziedog]

Hi and yes totally agree. The guys over in Chipping Sodbury were importing and converting right up and to the very last ones. They were also converting to right hand drive at the same time but leaving the slider on the ‘wrong’ side. This conversion was just out side of Bristol about ten miles or so from me. I used to drive past their vans for sale type car lot every so often and see lots of motor homes and a few Danbury conversions in amongst them. I’ve not been past for a couple of years but it might be interesting to see if they have any up there for sale, I’ll look on the weekend and see what they got.

Ozziedog,,,,,,,I remember seeing them for more than mentioned above

 

[Favguy]

Well the search is over, I managed to see eye to eye with the chap I'd spoken with previously regarding a last edition Brazilian Kombi, so I'm buying that, Built December 2013 with just over 8k miles on it. So I might not be able to contribute here much after all as it's not got much in common with an early bay!