South African Westy - RIP

[HotVWheels]

4 Years ago I found this early Westy in my hometown George - beyond repair, rust everywhere, and with very little useful parts. (Note the blue 411 in the pic that I was driving at the time)

Went back there a week ago while visiting my parents (I am from Johannesburg, Gauteng) and it is still there! (Even MORE rust...) Unfortunately I did not have my camera with me for new pics, and it was also raining very hard at the time.

I did, however, manage to buy the chromed VW nose badge! :wink:

Pretty sure it is actually a Deluxe badge put on later?

 

[jabbo]

Check out that rear camber! :lol:

That bus looks about the same condition as my g/f's bus when I started it. Nothing's impossible!

 

[andewilson]

if that bus was in the uk it would fetch at least 500 notes on ebay. glass pop top etc its amazing what is salvagable. at least what is there is there, rather than covered yp with filler and baked bean tin

 

[HotVWheels]

Almost all our South African Split buses are being exported to the UK, because they fetch big bucks there. Bays are still fairly common, but the earlier ones are getting rare. A popular conversion for the black taxi industry, is to transplant a Toyota Hi-Ace engine to a Bay and hack a radiator in the nose. Government is however in the process of taking all older taxis off the road (mainly Toyotas, Nissans, Mazdas but Bays as well), compensate the owner, and then crush them. I've got a suspicion that Bays will be hen's teeth here in less than 5 years. Unfortunately, due to a 'replace, don't repair' attitude, metal surgery skills are limited, and you will probably won't find anyone willing to work on a Bus in the condition I pictured above

 

[Guest]

looks like you could have a good business sourcing SA earlys :wink:

 

[fig]

Howzit Pine!

Just found you on this forum for the first time.

Care to post pics of the death of another SA westy? Perhaps in a thread on towing safety? :wink:

 

[HotVWheels]

Eish! Maybe a bit later...

 

[junglemod]

4 Years ago I found this early Westy in my hometown George - beyond repair, rust everywhere, and with very little useful parts. (Note the blue 411 in the pic that I was driving at the time)

Went back there a week ago while visiting my parents (I am from Johannesburg, Gauteng) and it is still there! (Even MORE rust...) Unfortunately I did not have my camera with me for new pics, and it was also raining very hard at the time.
hi mate did a trip around there a few years back ,george ,knysna etc not done it since i was a lightie with the toppie and tannie . 4000 miles in 3 weeks in a mk 1 chico . top holidaY . drank enough castle and finnished enough steaks that i had a job too move

Pretty sure it is actually a Deluxe badge put on later?