Here is the story of my 1973 Westy - Charlie. Purchased in July 2009 from a rural farm located in Pon's (South of France). After my parents, who holiday in the region each year, had a conversation with the Farm owner, albeit an hour with a language barrier in the way a deal was struck to see the 'Chicken run' complete with mesh and straw purchased for the sum of 500 euros and he even chucked in a dozen eggs! The van was a one owner van from new, Purchased in October 1973 and used for 24 years for family holidays until the body work and motor gave up and this is when the French owner purchased a farm to which Charlie had laid dormant for nearly 20 years, converted in to a chicken run circa 2002. So with my parents on holiday and and a quick phone call to me saying we have found you a van, made my 7 year search come to an end! And that is where my friend Kevin came in to play. Pricey as hes better known has been around Volkswagen's and Kombi's especially since school days and it was Kev I put my faith in for the rebuild process of and just by chance his parents purchased a Holiday park and cottage about an hour from Pon's just outside Bordeaux, Game on! Many trips across via the good old Poole to Cherbourg ferry and the occasional Eurostar trip (railway working has its uses) saw me convey parts across the channel and allowed me to see various stages of the rebuild process over the next 10 months. Cheers folks and enjoy the process to where she stands now.......
So there she was in her initial state, After the farmer winched her the wrong way from her resting place squashing the offside rear quarter that added to the headache and the possibility of is is it ruined before it had even reached Kev's!
The Chopping and Fabrication started to take a hold, possibly the most rewarding part seeing her taken back and then piece by piece going back together, every trip I left thinking this is doable and could see it coming together, a few hurdles along the way and a fair few panels off of a donor vehicle (Kev had 2 buses from Aus that were destined for parts only due to a slip in a container!)
The prep and paint stage! Was a month or two delay on this one as I could not for the life of me decide what to run her in! Went for Ford diamond white on top with a shade darker than the classic commercial Dove blue layered on underneath.
She is pretty much complete Man, albeit there never complete and always something to add or do! Taken nearly ten years to get to the stage shes at and I definitely intend to not stop there
Now here is a little insight in to the westy roof! It had sat for nearly 20 years in the french sun, and had been wallpapered three times with every layer added over! My two week summer annual leave was spent with chisels, 3 heat guns and 2 wall paper machines!
You sure it's a 73? It's a rear hinge, I thought they started in 74, and the centre lock roofs were later than the too. Awesome amount of work btw! I used a wallpaper steam stripper on my roof, it lifts old psint, felt lining etc.
Amazing work! Thanks for posting. Great to see people doing it themselves instead of sending it away to get done
100% positive that she’s a 73, registered 29th of September 1973. It’s not a been rebuilt as a total 73 as the parts where simply not available for it when she was being ripped apart. Original owner took delivery of her 1/10/73.
The original Interior was no where to be seen, so a Westy full width rock and roll was sourced along with a sink unit and some lino. Circa 2014 I saved up enough and she went to visit Nick @Vanwurks for a full eskola interior, added the Porsche plush bottom cushions up front with a cab refresh and modern (og look) stereo.
