How hard can it be to find the right van?

During my daily trawl of the web to find a van, I came across a company called Karmann Konnection who are advertising a few LHD Westfalia imports. Anybody had an experience of their restoration work?

 

if you do buy a LHD buy an extra steering wheel, get a partner to drive and pretend to steer. share the gearstick and smile when people pass you....they will, everybody passes us ha ha.....good luck in your search my friend....

 

Stevie, not sure if they do Restos or whether they just import. They do have a good reputation even if they can be a bit pricey on parts. They have been going for probably 20+ years so they must be doing something right.

 

Thanks for the info Lofty. According to the advert, they could do a restoration. I'll give them a call and find out.

 

How did you get on ? If you are coming this way to view anything at Karmann's, you might like to check out VW Campervans UK Ltd in Hockley and VW Downunder. Both sell buses for (IMO) quite high prices, but the work I have seen at their workshops looks good. You could easily do all three in one day.

 

I called them and told them what I was looking for. They were going to price up what they could do and then call me back. So far, no phone call!!
Sounds like a good idea to look at a few in one day.

 

If I was to start over again I would still get a dry state LHD, for the minor in convenience of LHD and the total lack of rust, coupled to a 2.0 engine it really is a no brainer IMHO of course.

The one thing I would avoid, or use as a bargain tool for slower price, is a mountain range gearbox. Mine had a 4.7:1 or so gearbox, so I was at high cruise revs at 55, the freeway flyer box is now amazing!!

 

Only benefit for RHD is for seeing past to overtake?

Ha ha ha Never happens in my van!

 

Second That Fancy Bug. Type 4 Engine is the way to go better cooling and more torque. Don't discount the 1.7 or 1.8 Type 4 either though. Steer clear of the 1.6 unless its got Twin carbs and a spin on oil filter.

 

Does in mine.

 

Not essential, but will help to prolong the life of your bearings. The old oil strainer will catch only the big lumps. And if you've got big lumps of something floating around in your oil, then you've got bigger problems than oil.

An oil filter will help to prolong the life of your oil, (although I always tended to change it every 3k miles even with a filter - it just meant it was in better condition for longer) and will help to keep more nasty things from washing through your bearings with the oil.

Having said that though, it's perfectly feasible to run an oil filter on a type 1 engine - you don't need a type 4 for that.

Also, one thing that was not pointed out about the type 4 engines is that parts are rarer and more expensive, so if it does go pop, it will cost you more to put right. (although I accept that they are more robust and treated right, will go wrong less often. Unless your name is Birdy. )

 

After seeing the black **ite tar like stuff that came out of my 1.6 Engine the first time I changed my oil, a spin on oil filter kit was my first purchase. Also if you get a large FRAM filter your adding an extra 1/2 litre of oil into the system which can only be a good thing.

Each to his own.

 

The Type 4 heads have more cooling fins and the engine casing is made of better metal alloy. So tends to run at little cooler.

 

I'm after my first one too. I'm in Hitchin though and most seem to be on the coast.

 

Sorry but you all seem to be missing one of the major benefits of a right hand drive bus.

You can get out of the sliding door onto the pavement rather than the road if your in a left hooker. This would be a serious issue if your kids ride in the back. I looked at some Danbury vans at a show once and even though they had converted them to right. Hand drive the sliding door was still on the wrong side.

 

That's what I want too. A vw t2 bay window Westfalia Continental as it's rhd and lhs sliding door. The interior obviously likewise. Red & white ideally but the bodywork is more important. I've seen someone else's one recently parked up in their driveway in Hitchin. Saw a blue one heading up towards Letchworth this afternoon. clugga clugga clugga.