I am contemplating buying a VW Camper Van for the Summer.(Any price,any age )
Can anyone offer any advice , recommendations , books or websites that will help me make my choice a successful one.
Which is best air-cooled , water cooled ?
Which is the most reliable ?
Which is the easiest to get spares for?
Which is easiest to work on ?
Etc.etc.etc.
All comments gratefully received.
Many thanks
Chas
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Hi Chas,
Had many happy years trundling round in various air cooled versions, both split screen and type 2's. Then I went sailing, and thats when it really got expensive!
I seem remember to having an argument with an MOT tester about the way the sort of sliding pillar worked on the front suspension of an early split as he wanted all the play removed at which point the suspension was locked. Solution was to find a tester who had a VW bus himself.
The last type 2 (1970 on a H, 1600cc Devon conversion) went round the clock twice with just one rebuild and one clutch installed at the same time as a precaution. Engine a piece of cake to remove, take the bumper and panel off and wheel it out on a trolley jack, crap heater though, heat exchanger as part of the exhaust manifolds. Van in daily use year round for work, commuting, some holidays, fetching stuff from B&Q etc. Family keep pestering me to get another, so I suppose it can't have been all that bad.
The biggest pain I had with it, which I never resolved to my satisfaction, was that the organ type throttle pedal worked a series of levers and rods which eventually pulled on the accelerator cable. Towards the end of its time with me the amount of throttle movement lost in taking up all the wear in the lever mechanism meant that I was constantly refurbishing things in order to get full power. Spares always easy through independant specialists.
If you are looking to get a water cooled, I have driven both petrol and diesel and would only consider diesel. The petrol I must admit was I think a 2.5ltr V6 with auto box, went like the bars, but everytime I fired it up OPEC cranked up oil production another notch.
try www.motorcaravanning.co.uk/
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Chas,
I like you had the same idea, looked at a few for sale and was immediately put off because of the extent of welding needed on all those I looked at, some parts of the bodywork had been welded that many times in the same place it would have been a "nightmare" to try and put it right.
I speak as an experienced welder so beware of any that may need a lot of welding.If what I have said has not put you off buying one you would be better off visiting one of the many VWcamper specialists in the country.
PS try- www.vwcampers.co.uk
Regards,
malcolm.
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If you want a "Bay Window" type 2, go for the 1.6 air cooled. The 2 litre is not much more powerful and is expensive to fix. Make sure it will run on unleaded - though new heads are cheap and easy to put in. Don't worry about mileage as these things have all been to the moon and back by now, but do check it's not making smoke once it's warmed up (a bit on start-up is fine).
Your main enemy is rust. Look under the front seats, in the wheel arches front and rear, the sills and the door hinges. And make sure (that's REALLY sure) that the chassis hasn't been patched up with filler. If there is ANY sign of a repair, such as a patch of new-ish underseal or such like, ask to see receipts or photographs of the repair and if you have any doubt at all walk away. There are a lot of rusty old heaps out there with gleaming new paint ready for the summer. If you can get one with an oil temp. gauge (the oil is also the coolant) so much the better. If not, it might be worth having one fitted. Later models (post-1972 I think) are better in a crash and have disk brakes, although many earlier ones will have had them fitted anyway.
Apart from that, all the body panels are easily sourced, and new engines can be had for a few hundred quid. You won't have a problem buying parts. But in any case, they go on forever. If you go for a Type three (box-shaped), go for the two litre water cooled or diesel (air cooled very underpowered because of the heavier body), which should be as reliable as any motor of the period, but bear in mind it's awkward to work on.
Best place to buy is a specialist (try the classifieds in Volksworld magazine or one of the motorcaravan mags.) because they have a reputation to defend, but it's also the most expensive by a large margin. Enjoy it. They are great fun to drive, a complete antidote to the go-faster mentality, and people will smile and wave as you drive past.
Cheers
Chris
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Avoid the flat four water cooled models. What happens is that the engine is held together by long steel bolts (like a Rover K series) but so much of the block is alloy these long bolts rust and begin to fracture. Nightmaresville to fix.
HJ
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Chas,
Consider a later model 1980 - 84 2 litre aircooled "Square" van. these are a good bit sturdyer and less likely to be rusty than the earlier "bay" models.
We had an X reg one for years and years ( until last year in fact ) and it was a splendid vehicle, it used to tow a 16ft caravan all over as well and never gave any trouble,
Things to watch for are the HEAT EXCHANGERS, rocker cover gasket leaks, seized front shockers, and rust. but really these dont have a lot of problems and parts are eaay & cheap to get.
The best conversion was Westfalia - which are quite rare, but there should be something out there within 2-3 Grand range which will still have plenty of life left in it, Don't buy a dog.
There were some better engines in the later models, turbodiesel and 2.1 litre petrol (injection) but you are looking at upwards of 5 grand to bag one of these.
Fuel consumption used to be quite a shocker ( 18 - 25 MPG )
Good luck !
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I saw in the press somewhere that you can get a new classic VW camper imported from Brazil. Think it was about £18k.
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