VW type 2 bay Westfalia the elusive 'Oxford' conversion question.

Discussion in 'Camper Conversions' started by Poptop2, Jan 27, 2015.

  1. Poptop2

    Poptop2 Administrator

    Does anyone have one, or have pictures of one.

    It was offered as a conversion by Westfalia in rhd from 76- 79 the SO number was SO73/11.

    I thought it was for the British market, but have never seen one. Maybe it was for the South African market. Does anyone know?
     
  2. Mines from Oxford.
     
    Barneyrubble and Poptop2 like this.
  3. Poptop2

    Poptop2 Administrator

    Is it this one Os?

    I have been delving and found this ad

    http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C550954#

    So I nicked the pictures and write up. Looks a bit like a rhd Berlin to me.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    The write up..


    So whats so special about this van then?

    Well, westfalias, especially late westfalias are definately the cream of the crop when it comes to volkswagen camper vans. They are the only camper van conversion that was affilliated with volkswagen themselves to produce a truly usable classic camper that is not only incredibly practical and easy to use, but so hard wearing that they are still around today to be enjoyed for the next generations.

    Although later westfalias where common sight in europe and usa, they are not so in the uk due to very high purchase costs and the fact that right hand drive models where a special order only usually with very long waiting times.

    This particular model was ordered brand new in 1978 and comes with the very strong 2.0L twin carbed engine and gearbox allowing a sensible cruising speed of 70mph and plenty of power to see it up those hills even with all that quite heavy well built interior and a van full of stuff and family!!

    It has had 4 owners including myself, the original purchaser and the motorhome dealer that sold it to the previous keeper in 1984! He kept in until last year and used it frequently for trips around the continent as well as family holidays but looked after it like it was one of the family! Whilst in his ownership it was frequently serviced by a local old school vw garage and anything it needed was done including fitment of a new engine, clutch and many many other parts. Whats incredible is that he has kept all of the paperwork including the mots for the van so it has a virtual full service history! Something very rarely seen with these vehicles.

    It also went under a very extesive body restoration by a local vw specialist bodyshop some 10 years ago which included a little welding, new doors, tailgate and engine lid, a full paint job and a brand new pop top canvas.

    As you can see from the pictures the body is in fabulous condition and it has been thouroghly cavity waxed to preserve this. The colour is truly striking in the sunlight and never fails to put a smile on even the most grumpiest of faces.

    The interior of the van is in incredible condition for its age and is indeed a testiment to not only the build quality of the westfalia factory but also the love that has surrounded this van for so long. Both beds work fine as does the 2 burner hob and grill. It also has a sink but the tap has been taken out some time ago but could be easily replaced now a lot of these parts are being re-made. It also has a spacious cool box and stacks of storage along with a wardrobe.

    In the cab area i have had the tired front seats resprung, re padded and recovered using as close to factory materials as possible at considerable cost but they look stunning and feel great under you! There is a basic cd player fitted, the dashboard is in great uncluttered, unrestored shape, just a small amount of wrinkling in the headlining gives the game away that this van is not new!

    As already stated the engine was replaced with a vege 2.0L recon engine some years ago and has covered around 60,000 trouble free miles including an amazing 1000 mile tour of wales and devon 3 weeks ago with a family of 4 in it! More recently it has had work done on the brakes to include handbrake cable, brake servo and a lot of rubber seals replaced with the best seals money can buy.

    The van was fully serviced 4 weeks ago and had an electronic ignition kit fitted to bring it up to date! along with a fresh mot which he passed with no advisories.

    It is currently taxed for six months from the begining of august and insurance agreed value of £24,000.I try and use it as much as possible when the weather is good as it is a pleasure to drive. Very capable of keeping up with modern day traffic and the added bonus of the servo assisted disc brakes for braking confidence.

    So what is a van like this worth? I have been trading in vw camper vans for over 20 years and have had well over 100 vans and it is very rare a bus like this turns up. It is not concours d'elegance standard but it is very very nice and very usable. I have set the price at what i beleive to be a realistic price for a van like this... remember i have seen litterally thousands of busses and heard all of the i can buy a bus for £5000 and restore it stories and the truth is its very rare you can build a bus for less than £20k and thats if you start with a good condition import ie LHD so if its a right hand drive you after this is a great priced van. Let alone the fact that restoring a bus can take years!

    ....................

    This is not my write up. It is a the sellers write up without editing by me.

    £20000 for a genuine British rarity and it shows it pays to look after them.
     
    Last edited: Jan 27, 2015
  4. Poptop2

    Poptop2 Administrator

    It is isn't it.
     
  5. rickyrooo1

    rickyrooo1 Hanging round like a bad smell

    berlin wasn't that config - helsinki was but not sure if it was just berlin/helsinki in lhd (place names) maybe oxford/? in uk market?
     
  6. Poptop2

    Poptop2 Administrator

    Dunno tbh. I like that conversion though, and it seems a lot different to your Berlin. Looking at it though, it is different from an Helsinki and a Berlin layout.

    Helsinki...

    [​IMG]

    Berlin ( which you knowenough about)

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
    Milky and rickyrooo1 like this.
  7. Moons

    Moons Supporter

    The orange one is a Malaga - they've done something weird with the cooker - and the reg is weird too.

    In fact I'd go as far as to speculate that it's a later van that's had a Malaga interior transplanted into it.

    It's the same as this:
    http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C576714
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 27, 2015
  8. Poptop2

    Poptop2 Administrator

    From the write up it says it is the later Oxford conversion. I have never seen one so I can't verify it. I do know they never sold many. perhaps as I said in another thread, the Oxford was really a Malaga interior with a different name.

    Has anyone ever seen another Oxford conversion.
     
  9. rickyrooo1

    rickyrooo1 Hanging round like a bad smell

    other than @Moons malaga i've not seen another rear hinge westy style in rhd (discounting your old one - continental) i'd love more info so liking your investigating malc.
     
  10. Poptop2

    Poptop2 Administrator

    I am hitting a wall tbh. Not much info out there on them. I do remember a friends van he bought in about 78 that was a rhd with dark wood and a nice conversion. I have lost touch with him.
     
  11. rickyrooo1

    rickyrooo1 Hanging round like a bad smell

    i'm really tempted to full width my bed and lose the wardrobe etc, the van seems to have shrunk.............
     
  12. Poptop2

    Poptop2 Administrator

    Not the right moment to mention weightwatchers then?
     
    brothernumberone and Moons like this.
  13. Poptop2

    Poptop2 Administrator

    I am tempted to say the Malaga was renamed the Oxford from 76 on. It definitely has it's own so number. so73/3 is the malaga 74/75. so73/11 is the Oxford 76/79.

    Going to put your pictures you found up..

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    ppoor front seats

    [​IMG]
     
    Moons likes this.
  14. Moons

    Moons Supporter

    There doesn't seem to be a picture of an 'Oxford' anywhere that
    Fair point - I suspect you are right given that it was a weird thing to do for one year only.

    I know the only difference I can find between a Malaga and Offenback is the Offenback has a cupboard over the spare wheel well - unsure if it also has the three knob cooker.

    I have seen pictures of what looks like a Malaga, but the cupboard, wordrobe is half the height, unsure what they are called.
     
  15. Poptop2

    Poptop2 Administrator

    Not sure. I thought the Offenbach had a turret roof?
     
  16. rickyrooo1

    rickyrooo1 Hanging round like a bad smell

    i'll tell lu you asked after her.
     
  17. rickyrooo1

    rickyrooo1 Hanging round like a bad smell

    i really like the set up on the full width vans but the 3/4 ones in the berlin having the whole doorway free wins for me.
     
  18. Poptop2

    Poptop2 Administrator

    Cough! :eek:
     
    rickyrooo1 likes this.
  19. Moons

    Moons Supporter

    I've seen pics of full roof ones.

    So.....maybe the advert is quite correct, and it's a pukka Oxford, and I'm wrong - though I have never seen what I thought was a Malaga in a later year bus. So rare rare Mc rare.

    The way to check is see what the Westfalia plate says (though mine doesn't show 73/3 as he model is listed).
     
    Poptop2 likes this.

Share This Page