So why an Early Bay?

[Justin & Muttley]

I'd always prefered Bays to Splits and couldn't resist the lure of a bus made in the same year that I was born! I've also never really been keen on late bays so a Crossover was the bus for me!!

I don't regret it for a moment!...

 

[Loxy]

^^WHS^^

My crossover is just over a month older than me & the missus.

 

[8ballbug]

well me and the missus got a loan to buy a zafira to cart the kids round in and then her cousin turned up in his bus he'd just bought, for me to fit the stereo and that was it, aready got 2 bugs thought sod the zafira. then hunt began always liked splitts but when i started looking i went off them and saw an early bay it just looked so much more appealing and that was that
plus on our first run which was to bug jam18 saw loads of dubs flashed my lights they flashed back but i saw some splitts and not one flashed back, infact they looked away NOT SAYING THEY ARE ALL LIKE THIS IT IS JUST SOME THAT BOUGHT THEM FOR THE COOL FACTOR AND LOOK DOWN ON OUR SUPERIOR BUSES

 

[Araon]

For a decent split the missus wasnt gonna let fork out the sheckles...

and for the bay it had to be the early pre 72 ....

It has a nicer face to it also like the rear end small lights and moon intakes etc....

Plus with a deluxe I prefer the early chrome trim position on the swage line.....

 

[Danbury Doug]

A love affair with bays for me that started in approx 1970 (when I was only 4) when my parents hired a brand new Dormobile for a day trip to Bristol Zoo. I remembered the layout inside, and the colour of the units, (no photos of that day to confirm what conversion the van was, just my memory) so it must have struck a chord even at that age!
Two years later my folks bought a brand new crossover Danbury tin-top which we kept until I was 21. I grew up with that van. We went everywhere in it... Norway, Finland, Germany, Sweden, France, Spain, Belgium etc. I mostly learnt to drive in that van, and it became my daily runabout. Very un-cool for a 20 year old back then to be seen driving a bay, but I didn't care!
My 30th birthday present to myself was a late bay Devon. It was a lovely original van, but I missed those round bumpers and low indicators of an early bay. I sold that about two years ago, not intending to buy another late bay, however, the chance to own a bay in mint condition with only 6,000 miles on the clock (even though it was another late bay) was too good to miss, so I ended up with that. I sold that van a month ago, and my next bay will definitely be an early bay! 8)

 

[Guest]

it was pure chance for me, just went down bought it and started doing the research. I guess it was the EB site that made me a diehard EBer, i would touch anything else, gone off splits (there too common now) and lates look a bit ugly to me.

i got lucky with the brakes as i have a 71 with disc brakes but still has the early lights at the back. but i have to say its definetly the bumpers that does it for me. it just sets the van off and gives it that early classic look, I mean ive seen late bays with early bumpers and it makes it look so much cleaner and more classic.

 

[maddog]

Pure luck for me too!!!

Started looking for a bus in '93. Couldnt afford a split at the time (even in those days they were beyond my reach ).
Spent 3 months looking for a Bay - originally i was looking for a late Bay.
I had no idea at the beginning about the differences, i just thought that a later Bay would be better and maybe more reliable. Hahaha.........i was young then...........

Eventually after looking at many busses, the '70 that ive still got came about. It was original and i loved its interior (Dormie). 14 yrs later she's still going strong

I do remember looking at a '68 tintop and if id known then wot i know now!!! Hmmm...........

 

[easy]

Loved em from when i was tiny (i was once!) and spent ages playing in my mates dads van. Then as I got old a friend of mine got one from his dad to work on at the age of 14, so i gave him a hand where i could. I then left em alone for ages until I as in me early20s and bought a crossover of a mate, for holidays etc. Then some 7 years ago i bought my current van and she is gonna be with me forever now. :wink:

The best type of van in the world for me, look ace, loads of room compared to those weird ones with the V on the front :wink: and i think they just rock in every way! 8)

 

[Guest]

Fat chicks rock! 8)

 

[concrete hippo]

Mechanical updates compared to splits

+

You get a much better condition of vehicle for the same money

+

They have the same rear corner panels as a split (Why i don't like late bays or crossovers)

=

Early bay the perfect VW van

 

[*sparkle*]

Oh.. its a childhood thing for me... we had a 71 ex-builders van with the floor covered in concrete and a seized engine (it'll be needing oil then....) that my Dad turned into a camper... I know these days its sacrilege, but in 1980 it was £200 well spent and family holidays. I remember my Mum having rubbed off her fingertips getting rid of the red paint/black signwriting while we played in the garden before my Dad painted it white...

I never liked the 'newer' square vented bays as 'they' tended to look down on the poor family in the converted van with VERY basic interior (seat, table, curtains) that dared to camp near them

Ive forgiven the later bays now, but will always love earlies... and I'm trying to cling onto my dream of having a running and sorted '68 to compliment my '68 bug :lol:

 

[Rosko]

Always liked vans when I had a Beetle and bought a 79 Devon Moonraker when the chance and cash coincided. Had lots of good times but sold the van while short of cash in the run up to Christmas a few years ago. We all regretted it...
This spring moved and extended mortgage in order to get a nice new bathroom and then saw my crossover for sale in Edinburgh. Look great from the front, tintop, very original, went to see it, walked up and down going, "low lights, big lights?" for a bit and then remembered about '72 vans. I loved my old van but earlies have much better interiors- too much brown and orange about by 76!
Bathroom is still crap but you can't drive a bathroom!

 

[Guest]

Bathroom is still crap but you can't drive a bathroom!

:lol:

 

[bananacustard]

I saved up enough cash 4 years ago to get a rough split and found one within my budget at a VW restorers in Essex. I went to have a look and it was so rough inside and out but they assured me it could be MOT'd and mine for 6.5k. They also had a fairly solid 68 Devon which I could have painted and MOT'd for 6k.
No-brainer. Needless to say I bought the early-bay and I find with all it's unusual 68 only features it's far more interesting than your average pimped-up splitty. It's still been an expensive 4 years due to the unscrupulous bodge merchants I bought it off (and my naive enthusiasm in buying it) but we're getting there and I love this van now. I am so glad I didn't buy that Splitty.

 

[no 6]

My Dad had a '72 Devonette from nearly new (due to not being able to keep his old chap in his trousers and therefore needing a large car). Loads of great memories of days out, van full of family & mates, camping etc etc. Passed my test in her (at second attempt). He eventually got fed up patching her up and sold her on to a passing surf dude.

So, the subject came up a while ago. Wife wanted a HiAce (as she had one many years ago in Oz), but I had a word and she saw the error of her ways. Obviously, went looking for a crossover, but earlies are just so much nicer. Test drove a right shed of a '69 Dormobile, loved it and bought the next early Dormobile that came up. Probably paid too much, but when you find what you want...

Turns out to be reasonable, will need a little welding for the next MOT, and there's quite a bit of filler, plus some rust. When I find a better one, I'll consider trading up.

PS: I think the single cab is the lovliest of the lot, and judging by prices on TheSamba, a lot of people agree.