Start of Bay Westfalia production?

busfreak · Jul 24, 2020

Hey everyone. I am currently doing lots of research about the earliest bays still existing and i do collect their production dates to learn more about when early bay production really started. :shadey:

Now i stumbled over a german club and forum - specialised in baywindow buses. On their page they are claiming that the production of Westfalia Campers started in January 1968, except for prototypes.
I googled, searched through forums and read through my books and specifications guides to prove that statement.
But with no results at all - i couldn't find any information.

But what i found are several owners of Westfalia buses claiming that their vehicles were already built in October 1967.
And right and hour ago, i also found a Westfalia produced on 8th of September 1967 - as the owner stated. He also provided information about his VIN number, which is lower than 15.800. And according to my collected statistics - this low VIN number would prove the early date of September 67.

Does anyone know more about this topic and the earliest built baywindow Westfalia?

Thanks in advance,
Alex

Clem · Aug 11, 2020

Production build dates are for the vans chassis' not complete buses. The dates supplied wouldn't relate to the 'finished item'.

All the 67/68 (and onward) westy conversion plaques are simply year dated. I guess there may be some that have further pencil markings on them that offer more information?
I'd assume most were completed reasonably quickly post production but no doubt there will be exceptions along the way.

67westy · Aug 11, 2020

Our westy has a production date of October 1967. We have two westfalia plaques one on the arch and one on the furniture. Both are stamped 1967

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Finoc · Apr 3, 2022

67westy said:
Our westy has a production date of October 1967. We have two westfalia plaques one on the arch and one on the furniture. Both are stamped 1967

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Hi There,

This is a little bit of an aside to the conversation above but I was wondering if you could please tell the exact locations of the original Westfalia vin plaques on the interior of your beautiful bus? I’ve recently purchased a 1970 Westy which has been restored-I’ve received the plaques with the vehicle but I’m unsure where to fit them. Any insight welcome. Thanks

67westy · Apr 10, 2022

Hopefully these help.

roobug67 · Jun 28, 2022

It's worth noting the plaques on the front wheel arch of a Westfalia were only fitted to buses originally destined for California when new. If it was delivered elsewhere it didn't have those plaques. The only plaque they all got was the one on the bed.

My bus left the factory 5th Feb 68, but it's still a very early spec Westfalia (smooth poptop, plastic sink, early style flooring, etc). My plaques shows it as built in 68.