What year ? Is this right ?

[trebor]

Can someone tell me exactly what year they started with flared rear wheel arches ? I thought it was the late bays with the long rear lights, and larger grills at the back.

 

[BARKING MARK]

Hi Trebor
I believe the flared rear wheelarch appeared on August 1970[1971 model year] onwards Buses, several changes occurred at this point including the fitment of disc brakes and narrow 5 wheels.
My bus is a February 71,it has all the above and still retains the small rear lights.

 

[Trikky2]

As mark said ^^

 

[Fortunate Son]

For the 71 model year there are 2 types of rear arches - early 71s - Aug 1970 to around Jan / Feb 1971 have a flared arch with a rounded rolled lip. After that they changed to late bay rear arches with the flat lipped flare. (See Radish's Westy - early rounded flare OG arches - Sep 70 I think. Mine is an April 71 and has late bay rear arches (OG unwelded)

 

[trebor]

Just had my reading glasses on in the history section, I should buy a bay that comes along and worry about it afterwards but I don't want a mixture made out of parts !!

 

[BARKING MARK]

All manufacturers constantly update their vehicles so no matter what year you buy there will be some parts specific only to that year vehicle.
I love having factory disc brakes on my Bus and can live with the flared rear arches, as they say "The choice is yours"

 

[trebor]

Seen 3 so far. Walked away from them, just too much money and needing a lot more to sort them out. Ranging from 5 grand to 14. I think all I want now is a sound empty bay so I can fit it out myself, and spray when I can afford it.

 

[BARKING MARK]

If you don't mind left hand drive a USA import "can" be a good place to start.
Graham on here is from Midland Early Bay and imports Buses ,give him a try.

 

[ozziedog]

If you don't mind left hand drive a USA import "can" be a good place to start.
Graham on here is from Midland Early Bay and imports Buses ,give him a try.

I`d second that, because no matter how good a bus looks that`s been restored, mostly if not all of what you are seeing is a recent coat of paint. I know the bus looks ready to go to the grandest party in the universe, but So many aren`t all they are cracked up to be. If you buy an original but mostly rust free bus, you can see exactly what is required and get it sorted and then you have 100% confidence in what you has got. When a bus has lived forty odd years with salty roads and British weather, it`s not just the bodywork that starts to rust, it`s everything else as well and it all costs money. I have no idea how much I have spent on getting mine rust free and I`ve done most of the welding myself.

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,,,, Also second the Graham bit too :mrgreen:

 

[Toad]

A good general guide to buying a van is to stay well clear of one that has been sprayed in the last 3 years. Unless you know its history (and I dont mean what the seller tells you! lol). If a van has issues that have been covered up with a quick repaint it will be starting to show in 3 years or so.
Oh! And please go and look at it before you buy...lay on the floor under it and make sure that it is solid (or at least get an idea of what will need doing). and test drive the thing!!
I know this may all sound obvious to some but I have lost count of the customers that have spent 8k+ on an MOTd van that would and should not have an MOT....in a few instances I have had to tell customers to leave the van with me as its literally unsafe on the road!

 

[ozziedog]

A good general guide to buying a van is to stay well clear of one that has been sprayed in the last 3 years. Unless you know its history (and I dont mean what the seller tells you! lol). If a van has issues that have been covered up with a quick repaint it will be starting to show in 3 years or so.
Oh! And please go and look at it before you buy...lay on the floor under it and make sure that it is solid (or at least get an idea of what will need doing). and test drive the thing!!
I know this may all sound obvious to some but I have lost count of the customers that have spent 8k+ on an MOTd van that would and should not have an MOT....in a few instances I have had to tell customers to leave the van with me as its literally unsafe on the road!

That is what I was hinting at. As you say, some of the restos :shock: :shock: :shock: Our pal had one in at his garage and I got to say, I thought it was nearly brand new as it looked so good. This was undriveable it was so bad, with floor replacement panels `placed in ' not welded, and the list just went on and on and on, it had been re assembled but not very well (understatement) but the actual body (read spray job) looked fantastic, the old boy had bought it on line from a dealer, with a brand new MOT and all of it was not worth a carrot,,

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,,Rose coloured glasses will tint anything

 

[Trikky2]

Bays are like a lot of old vehicles. Unless you are very capable and can do a lot of the work yourself, to a good standard, buying one to restore is a false economy.

That's fine if you look at it as a hobby and don't mind the costs, spread over time, being higher than the price of a good one in the first place - but in the final calculation, looking at it from a financial viewpoint, the best value for money is to buy a really good one to start with since it will cost less in the end.

Obviously the cost will be relative to which model your looking for but as a rough guide, to get a genuine good camper, your budget would have to be 14k upwards. The very best ones sell for over 20k. You cannot expect to get something good for 8 or even 10k these days IMO.

 

[trebor]

Dam 8 or 10 is my maximum, I might have to go ratty patina but the missus won't like it !! She likes curtains and stuff like that, as long as I can make a cuppa tea and a bacon sandwich I'll be happy

 

[Fortunate Son]

There's a really nice 71 deluxe FS on here - it is in Aus though. He wants the equiv of £5900 for it, would be hassle and a wait but you could ship it for maybe 3500? Someone who knows more about shipping from Aus may shoot me down on that figure though.

It looks really solid (and is RHD)

Link here http://forum.earlybay.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=54327" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[trebor]

One bay I saw had rubbery paint on the floor under the rubber mat which is under the seats, is that normal ? I thought it should have just been paint.

 

[Graham L]

Should just be paint under the rubber matts under the seats, body coloured to 70MY and then white from 71 MY onwards

 

[trebor]

Made me think there must be pinholes under there. The rear shelf above the engine inside had rusty ridges, paint came off and was sticky to touch.I recon the wax oil was seeping through :shock: