Hi all, It's with a bit of a heavy heart that we are putting our 1973 VW baywindow with an early -front hinged - westfalia roof for sale. We have owned it for the last 7 years and throughout our ownership we have spared no expenses to make it as usable and comfortable as we could. We have extensively upgraded the running gears to make sure the driving experience was as good as possible. The makes the van very reliable, easy to drive and fairly economical to run (30+ MPG). It also has ample power to drive it however you feel like. Running gears: Subaru ej20 engine: Taken from a good running donor with 60000 miles on it. Replacement engine installed 4 years ago (original conversation done 10+ years ago by previous owner). Subargear 5 speed gearbox: installed 5 years ago. This upgrade makes the engine rev much lower at highway speeds (2900 rpm at 70mph). And overall much more comfortable to drive. Cherry on the cake, you get a hydraulic clutch system, much smoother and lighter than the original cable. Red9 steering rack and front suspension system: This makes the steering of the van both lighter at lower speeds and more stable at high speed (even in cross wind). Red9 disk brake front and back: with more powerful brakes, you need to apply less force for the same results. Your leg will be happy with that upgrade on long journeys. All these modifications makes the van a pleasure to drive. It's reliable, relatively economical (did I mention the 30+ MPG) and fairly simple to drive even if not used to the “classic car” feeling. Body work: Overall, the van looks great. It is definitely no show winner and has some spots that will require attention in the future, but it's a very solid and honest van. During our ownership, it has undergone extensive repair work (tons of pictures and receipts available to share). No corners were cut, and we always went for the right solution rather than doing a botched job. The underneath is basically rust free. The rest of the body is overall solid and all the major rust spots have been taken care of. Some bubbling is starting to show in a few places under the paint and will need taking care of in the future but nothing dramatic. You're basically looking at a good, honest van with no major repair work to expect. Interior: The van has a functional and usable camper interior. Electric: 100ah lithium-ion leisure battery 100w fixed solar panel + 100w extra on an extension to be deployed at will (to allow parking in the shade but still charge the van). The solar system charges both the starter battery and the leisure one Split charger: charging both batteries when driving. Weaco fridge Smev cook top and sink Shore power to connect to the main when at a campsite. But to be honest with the lithium battery and solar I have not been using it in a while. There's enough power to power all the appliances for some time. Furniture: ¾ rusty lee rock and roll bed that sleeps 2. Double bed up top that sleeps 2 -small- adults. Full length cupboards. Overhead locker Set of JK sticky blinds. Front seats from a Honda s2000. They look great and have the added bonus of being very comfortable. Sony radio with Bluetooth connection. The floor is linoleum but got stained quite badly a day I was transporting rims. The interior has been redone 6 years ago. It works well as is but in all honesty, if I was to keep the van, improving the interior would be my next project. Extras: For the right price, the van will be coming with: a new pop top fabric (red) a set of curtains (white with red stripes) a drive away awning a 2 bikes bike rack. Some trim pieces I've never got around installing. So you're basically looking at a good, honest van usable straight away to enjoy a summer of exploring. A keen owner can then tackle a few small projects to make it the perfect van. We love this van and are only selling it because due to changes in personal circumstances we have not been able to use it as much as it should. We are hoping the next owner will have as many great adventures with it has we did. The van is usually located in north London. Contact me for more info. Price: £SOLD PS: I know this ad is lacking pictures of the important bits. It is because the van is currently in a garage undergoing a few cosmetic touches up. I’ll add extra pictures as soon as I get it back.
Thanks! Sorry for not replying sooner. I've not been here in a long time. Selling the van was a sad moment but we've enjoyed every minute of our ownership. We only sold it because we had a great opportunity to go somewhere else and we couldn't take it with us. Thank you all for the great forum!
