What to look for when buying...

[jimbobalero]

Hi,

I am a total noob but been lusting after a camper for most of my life and the time seems right to get one. I am goign to (hopefully) have a look at a '68 Westy at the weekend, came over from California in 2008.

Any tips on what I need to be looking for much appreciated.

Thanks

 

[KevH]

There are loads of guides on the web, this is just one of them.

http://www.volkswest.co.uk/camper_buying.html

My top tip is to take somebody with you who can make sure that you buy with your head, not your heart. Remember that there are lots of these buses about, and there is one that is just right for you. Don't get suckered in by tales of 'huge demand', and check out those claims of restoration or paint jobs, by asking for sight of receipts and photos of the work. If necessary, take pics, walk away, and post them on here for some expert opinion. It comes free and easy.

Or go through somebody like Graham L, on here.

Good luck.

 

[jimbobalero]

Thanks will read through the article. Being in a slightly more remote part if the uk (think haggis and kilts) local experts are few and far between.

 

[KevH]

Thanks will read through the article. Being in a slightly more remote part if the uk (think haggis and kilts) local experts are few and far between.

There are loads of folk on here from north of the border (I'll resist any Jock-related jokes ).

Where are you based? Somebody might be nearby.

 

[jimbobalero]

Just south of Aberdeen is where I am. I have joined aberdeen aircooled but there is not a huge amount of activity on there.

 

[Clem]

Take a load of pics and post on here and we'll have a look.

Simply, look for any rust, accident damage and cheapo repairs, if all thats ok then consider the mechanicals - engine, gearbox, suspension etc ... its all available but good and original parts arent getting any cheaper. Look at parts like bumpers that could be missing ... rear bumpers as an example are not easy to find. Then comes the interior, again, its all available one way or another, but og parts are getting rarer and dearer.

Good luck.

 

[gvee]

Take a magnet and cloth with you to check for filler. The cloth is to protect the paintwork
Get under it if you can.
Take someone else along with you (even if they don't know about buses) and have them watch the sellers reactions whilst you're poking around.
If something doesn't feel right then move on - you have no obligation to buy someone's bus and you've waited long enough - what's another few weeks or months of searching (ask Trebor!)

 

[jimbobalero]

Thanks everyone, we are currently interested in 2 buses one is a wreck of 70 Dormobile with little interior, no paint but is getting put through its MOT and getting welded up. The other is what looks to be a fairly immaculate Westy so fingers crossed we get something soon as we fancy a trip out before the end of the school holidays. Both vastly different prices and propositions.

 

[StuF]

My only advise is take an expert with you when you view - we did exactly that and it was the best £40 I have ever spent!
They have no emotional attachment to the sale and can look at the vehicle objectively.

The first one we looked at appeared to be "The Bus" however looking underneath there was an utter mess waiting for us!
This was despite the propex, leather, tv, cool paint, shiny exhaust and surprising 12months mot with NO advisories! (well dodgy)

Unless you have photographs containing all the information regarding bare metal restoration I wouldn't buy a shiny bus either.

Happy hunting and good luck - sorry to be cheeky but whats your budget?

You never know some peeps south of the border might be able to hook you up with a known goodun! 8)

 

[jimbobalero]

hopefully you can see the photo's here

http://s288.photobucket.com/user/jimbobalero/library/

looked really solid with a fair amount of surface rust. seemed to drive well but no comparisons to make. There was a hole in a pipe on the left side of the engine, not sure what but there is a picture. Easy fix?

What are your thoughts? What do you think a fair price would be?

Thanks

 

[trebor]

Take a magnet and cloth with you to check for filler. The cloth is to protect the paintwork
Get under it if you can.
Take someone else along with you (even if they don't know about buses) and have them watch the sellers reactions whilst you're poking around.
If something doesn't feel right then move on - you have no obligation to buy someone's bus and you've waited long enough - what's another few weeks or months of searching (ask Trebor!)

My ears are burning :lol: I spent ages looking, even the bus I got now is rust free 2 hours of looking and I still didn't see everything. Top tip beware of shiny paint unless there are pictures of the prep work with it. You want to see what it was like before it was covered over.

 

[shiplee123]

:lol:

Trebors right

If u can find some local friendly chap who's happy to help that's the best bet.
U just never know what's underneath till u get a motor home n on a Ramp !

 

[jimbobalero]

Has anyone had a chance to look at the pictures?

How easy is it to put in seatbelts? Is there a way to tell if she already has seatbelt mounting points from the chassis number? How easy it to put on a seatbelt for the buddy seat?

Sorry lots of questions.

 

[ozziedog]

RUST is the big enemy with these old beauties. If I had to start again I`d steer clear of a UK bus even if it`s just been restored because of the rust issues. Ninety nine per cent of the time you are a lot better off with an import that has not had so many years of salt and stuff from the roads in the UK. that is unless you like restoring the bus on a fairly regular basis. With the buddy seat belts, you should be able to use the same points that are utilised for the front seat belts. Most of these busses have stock seat belt mounts from new for the rear but it is a little ackward to be putting retractables in the rear without some sort of modification because the top mounts just below the window are a little low. If it`s a panel van or panel van conversion as a lot are, there won`t be any rear mounts as stock because it was built as a van. The way to spot an ex panel is to look for these seat belt mounts below the window, also the windows may be a giveaway but they can be easily changed as well, but the rear heater vents usually give it away, where the walkthrough to the back of the van is, there is a small 1" step that will have a vent but not on a panel, and the two heat pipes from the engine bay go into the van just where the cargo floor meets the slope that goes over the engine bay. If these are original they will be just the surface of two large pipes perhaps two and a half inches ish on a panel van but on a camper or bus they will have been opened up to allow heat to go into the rear and that`s usually under the rear seat / rock and roll bed. From the pics it does look like it`s been resprayed and the rust is now starting to appear (again) but the pics usually look better than in real life.

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Sorry to sound depressing :mrgreen:

 

[jimbobalero]

M plate says it is a Kombi.

M-Plate content
Model Type 2 (T2) mod. 231(0) :
- Kombi
- Sliding door right
- LHD
Chassis number 238153593
Serial number 153 593
Modelyear 1968
Planned production date May 08 ,1968
Type of engine Type 1 (B5) - 1584cc, 35 kW (47 bhp DIN)
Type of transmission Manual 4-speed gearbox
Paint color L87 - Perl White
Remark : Westfalia
Interior color (doorpanels and seats) - Westfalia Campmobile
Destination Picked up by first owner at the factory in Germany, meant for US-market



M-CODES
M-CODE Description Concerned models From chassis number To chassis number
426 Collection of M-codes: M 020/089/511/524 - 2x8 000 001 2x9 300 000
020 Speedometer and odometer in Miles 211-274

089 Laminated windscreen (1969-1979) - 2x9 000 001 2x9 2 300 000
511 Padded instrument panel (LHD only) 211-271

524 Sealed beam headlamps, dual circuit brake control, back-up light and side marker reflectors (LHD) without emergency light system 211, USA, Canada
241, USA, Canada
265, USA, Canada
2x9 000 001 2x9 999 999
524 Sealed beam headlamps, dual circuit brake control, back-up light and side marker reflectors (LHD) with buzzer for ignition-starter switch 211, USA, Canada
241, USA, Canada
265, USA, Canada
2x0 2 000 001 2x2 2 000 000
524 Sealed beam headlamps, dual circuit brake control, back-up light and side marker reflectors (LHD) 211, USA, Canada
241, USA, Canada
265, USA, Canada
2x2 2 000 001
507 Vent wings in cab doors 211-235
261-274
517 Factory prepared for campmobile interior - 2x4 2 057 729
518 Campmobile : Opening in roof with reinforcement for westfalia pop-up roof 231
234
2x4 2 057 729
525 Three-point safety belts front, left and right and lap belts in passenger compartment 211-265, USA, Canada
D67 SO67 Westfalia Campmobile interior 67D (1968-1970)
Equiped like Westfalia Campmobile 67 B (M-code B67) but with additional tent - 2x8 000 001 2x0 2 300 000



3 723 327
...

 

[babysnakes]

Destination Picked up by first owner at the factory in Germany, meant for US-market

This is a tourist delivery. Picked up by an American tourist, driven around Europe then shipped home. If the bus spent most of it's time in the West ( California,Nevada, etc...) it would be a good candidate. If it grew up in the N.E.( New York, Ohio, etc..) not so much due to the salt put on the roads in the winter. The pics appear to look good, the crack under the wind shield suggests filler, seems to have a newer paint job. The underside looks decent. Inspect where the frame meets the rear torsion tubes, this is a terminal area where flaking rust would be a deal breaker.

 

[trebor]

Forgot to say watch out for those spiders :shock:

 

[jimbobalero]

I did have a good poke around underneath and couldn't find any flaky rust. It did have belly pans though. Only been in the uk 6 years.

I take it there should be a firewall between the engine and the petrol tank though?

 

[ozziedog]

There were no firewalls on the very early ones. I think they started late 69.

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,,,, But definitely be 1970. :mrgreen:

 

[jimbobalero]

Cool thanks everyone