I have recently acquired my bus and it's also a westy continental built in September 72, registered 73, shipped into Ramsgate according to M Plate. Has all of the features listed including 3 heater levers, with one being cream and not blue. (Not that they do much right now).
I'd imagine that most buses came into the UK through Ramsgate, as they would have been shipped over from one of the major German shipping ports, most likely Bremerhaven or Hamburg.
Just to add my details to this, after reading all the thread, built 9 July 73, registered 74 on a M reg. Came in via Ramsgate, lock in handle in sliding door, fuel flap, high indicators, no joint on front end, 3 levers, 2 red, 1 beigy green!?, all grey clock faces (I presume) please see pic, 1600 engine, gear pattern on ashtray. Upside down fuel gauge! Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk
If the fuel gauge has been messed with, what’s to say the front defo panel seams haven’t. Are you the first owner?
The '73 brochure shows the sticky out seams on the ends of the deformation panel. '74 one also shows sticky out seams. '75 brochure shows the flat seams. Dashboard from the '73 model year brochure: 1974 brochure dash.
74 was probably a 73 year production model shell. Mine was. I’ve never seen a genuine 74 produced bus made after aug 73 with sticky out seams.
I have a M reg Westy ... production date on log was jan 73 . It has 3 screw headlights... and different indicator stalk ... plus my favourite from westfalua mustard yellow fabric covering ....
Do you know anybody who does supply the Westfalia Mustard Yellow fabric on the roll .... i want to keep the Original look and would like to re-cover the back seats....VW NLA still havent got round to sorting out supply of it.
I've not seen any available off the roll in the UK. I think someone in Germany sells it but can't remember who.
Mine has all original mustard coverings but I have always liked the orange tartan Westy stuff and was tempted at the NLA stand in Volks World this year... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
After faffing about trying to get my rear brakes to function properly due to worn out components on my August ‘72 Continental I nicked the innards from my ‘76 project’s rear brakes and it’s been fine ever since. I went as far as welding up the spreader bar slots and re cutting them, but in the end functioning brakes won over originality. I defy anyone other than folk as geeky as us to either notice nor care!
I have a fuel cap not flap. An old style steering column. Lock in slider door handle. Build October 13 1973 as a kombi. Imported into Ramsgate. First registered March 1975. Everything else about bus is later style.