Hi all, Today has sent my head into over drive and I'll tell you for why! We currently own a 78 2.0l automatic RHD Devon the green one in the background.... now... me neighbor owns this freshly resprayed savannah beige early LHD tin top. Loads of new bits of trim, seals, light bezels etc, and he says he'll sell it to me for 10k My dilemma is Im pretty confident i could sell my green one for a fair bit over 10k as it's very very solid, quite rare and has a lot going for it... My bus's pro list: Very solid Powerful 2.ol Easy cruising with the auto box 240v hook up Tow bar full width rock n roll (to go in) cooker and sink etc (can go back in) pop top RHD rare walk through Cons: a bit more thirsty than manuals tax has to be paid for another 4 years not my dream bus... so the Early Pro list: Tax free stunning paint Great colour manual so a tad better on fuel would feel more in control of a manual, more driving experience dry import full width bed more desirable fetch more money huge step closer to my dream bus if for some reason this turns out not to be it. walk through Cons: No pop top smaller engine may struggle compared to the 2.ol LHD Im sure theres more to add on all the lists above however, my big question is, should I sell the late bay which is probably the better practical camper/cruiser etc or grab what would be a very reasonable early tin tip and in time try and make it exactly what I'm after, with a pop top (hopefully doormobile) LUSH!! and have a rock solid dry import van to start with. and put up with the LHD. People with LHD's do you ever have any problems using it? does it take a lot of getting used to? bit nervous thats all! sorry for the long thread but I'll be up all night if I didnt get it all written down! all feedback and opinions welcome, now im well aware of the friendly rivalry between earlys and lates but can the comments be mad with that set aside as I'd appreciate constructive feedback. @zed Id particularly like your opinion seeing as you have an early...? thanks alot
Swapping from a poptop to a tintop will do your head in (assuming you use the poptop). Yours looks nice to me.
cheers mate, yeah we do use the pop when ever we go out and park up for ease... crouching would annoy us i think..
Ahhh...well.... I have a late one too, I've always had lates. Lates are better but it's generally agreed that earlies look better if you're bothered about that sort of small difference. Just thought I ought to have one for a change. Tintop - again, looks better but I have pop top envy. My late has a poptop but needs painting and everything that comes after that. It's a close run thing for me which I'll end up keeping, but LHD/RHD doesn't come into the choice list, for me it makes little difference. I'm not sure you are comparing like with like when you value that early LHD tintop. RHD and poptop carry a premium maybe as much as £5K for both. You've seen the price or Early RHD poptop buses? They cost the most and even in ******* poor condition carry a hefty premium.
theres alot to think about, so do you think 10k is about average and not a steal? Ive just been looking at the prices of the buses for sale on TEB and it seems about average really, just meant you don't really see many 2.0 auto devon's thats all. or do you?
I agree with baysearcher, the lack of a Poptop will do your head in. Earlies do look better I think but before I had a van I wouldn't have known the difference and I doubt many people do. Left or right hand drive? Not a big issue really but obviously living in the UK a right hooker has more appeal to a buyer. To be honest the deal breaker for me would be the lack of a Poptop.
thanks @sANDYbAY and everyone, my ideal roof would be doormobile, so in time I would look for one and probably get it fitted to the early, but there's early westys like this http://forum.earlybay.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=64497 as an example, with full interior and pop top for 11k so would probably hold out for something like that I think, just getting swept away as i really do prefer the looks of the prototype bay but I have got quite attached to the old girl recently! even more so as Im doing custom interior, putting my own stamp on it helps
I miss the driveability of my late despite doing all I can to improve the early one. I could sling my Westy round one particular straight on roundabout locally at speeds I wouldn't dare in the early which feels more likely to ignore my steering efforts and carry straight on.
really? I had no idea they were so different, is there much different underneath? brakes equipment, suspension etc? do they also run 12 v earlys?
I'd have the early, but that's me. As has been said, a tiptop is not as practical but they look better (IMO) and you can buy an awning and stand up in there.
If you have family the tintop will drive you mad. They feel claustrophobic to me after a lovely airy poptop. I reckon if you use your late for more than four or five trips a year then stick with a poppy. Don't be swayed by a pretty face! Hold out for that Dormobile.
They're not really very different, though the lates have improvements that stop the chassis from twisting, maybe that's it? Lates feel more substantial despite the poorer quality bodywork.
Sounds like your buying it for a investment ,thinking money before practicality.. Never look a gift horse in the mouth...
