This being my first post, I thought I'd take a minute to say hello, and explain a little of what I do. I visit the States frequently, buying VW buses (mainly bays), for export to the UK. Because I have been involved in exporting/importing vehicles since the early 1990's, I have a good network of people throughout much of the USA who help me find the 'right' buses. The logistics side of things is also tied down pretty tightly, so I can source things in remote areas and have them trucked (sometimes thousands of miles) to the closest port. The aim, like most other importers/exporters, is to find straight, solid, original stock which requires a minimum of attention (with few if any exceptions, they all need 'something'...). I try to buy buses which have never had any major paintwork or welding done to them, so that it is obvious what work is actually required. I know too many people who have bought something bright and shiny, only to go on to play a starring role in their own nightmare. I'm particularly wary of buses purported to have been restored in the States... 'restored' in this case often having the meaning of huge dents and rotted areas being plastered with bodge and filler before being treated to a nice new coat of badly-applied paint. Everything I bring in is sold 'as is'... what you see is what you get. Some of my buses are sold directly to other dealers, but many of them are offered for sale in County Durham: You will find them sharing the same location as Ian 'Banty' Brown's 'VW Shop', in Tanfield, near Stanley. Ian is primarily a VW restorer of many years' standing, so in practice what happens is that a big percentage of buses are moved directly into Ian's workshop to undertake whatever additional work is needed. It is a business relationship which works, and works well. This '77 Westy Berlin is fairly typical of the sort of thing I tend to bring in. The bus wears its original Sage Green paint, with original green plaid interior. It is very straight, and for the most part solid, with the exception of an area on the outer sill (both sides) and rear wheel arch, which will need some attention; there is also a hole in the cab step... There has been a bit of a dent/scrape on the front corner, and there are a few areas of surface oxidation where the paint has eroded, but overall the bus is good and honest. The 2.0 pancake motor seems fit and healthy... it fires right up and drives fine. The bus is supplied with the American Certificate of Title and UK Customs documentation, which will allow UK registration on an age-related plate... the only other piece of documentation it needs is an MOT. This one is from Colorado, whose climate tends to be pretty kind to vehicles in spite of the cold winters - they don't use salt on the roads, for one thing, and the summers are warm and dry. Asking price is £7750.00... I'll add some additional pics later to highlight the areas needing attention. Here are a few to be getting on with in the meantime... Yes, it is actually in the UK right now. There is another Berlin in stock too.. a '78 Deluxe in beige... same price. All the thumbnails are (should be..) clickable... www.vwcampersuk.com
Bought my bus from Banty last August. He painted it in early spring and rebuilt the engine in July. It's going back to him at the weekend to be put through its MOT. I regularly pop up that way so if anyone wants some more info or pics of a bus that he has let me know.
Hi Disco_kegs.. If it was a US import, there's a good chance it was one I found. Although I've handled quite a few, I remember every one quite clearly, and it's nice to hear about them further down the line I'm guessing it was either a Marino Yellow '76 Westy or possibly a beige '76 Westy Auto?
Ok, here are a few'highlights' of areas needing attention. It does need both outer sills, and the left side is similar to the right as shown in the pics. Definitely nothing too scary, though. I was speaking to Banty about it yesterday, and he reckons it would be an easy one to work on, because for the most part it is solid, the panels it does need are a straightforward fix and it is very level and straight. I drove myself up the wall last night trying to get the coding right so the thumbnails are clickable.. in the end I gave up and came back to it today, so they should be fine now. www.vwcampersuk.com
