So, started going through my latest acquisition today - a 1976 Neptune Blue Riviera. Its clearly been stored indoors for some years, its got that kind of 'sweaty' smell and feel of an indoor stored bus. The body work is exceptional - its got surface pock marks from stone chips and scratches and under the front windscreen seal its got surface rust but no rot and no dents. All the electrics work, it turned over but I didn't have enough juice in the battery. That's it. Inside is like a time capsule. The odometer shows just 70,000 miles - the tight fit and feel of the doors etc supports this. As does the service history I found in side. I found the original service book with dealer stamps which covered the VW warranty period only. But, for the life of the van up until 1996 every service, oil change, tyre change and repair etc was documented in a hand written leather bound notebook. This takes it up to 66,000 miles. Between 1996 and 2006 it covered a mere 4000 miles I've never had a van with any history and this makes a pleasant surprise. If only the bus could talk Original Radio and Cab table Immaculate original seats and door cards. Doors are mint Bed and rear fabrics are all like new
yes mate. Will be getting the front panel assessed on Monday - it doesn't look like its holed to me but we may replace the front panel. If its ok it will be stripped and painted. Save for that its in excellent condition. It has been very well cared for by Mr and Mrs Stancliff of Roseburg, Oregon
from the image the front panel looks superficial rather than holed..maybe a good clean up & flashover with paint will sort it
Leafing through the leather booklet I found the Christmas list for the family from 1975 thru 1978, along with Easter presents and Bingo winnings. Is this the kind of thing that should go with the bus?
Money Spent, April 1st 1977 Teamsters $75 Lighter, Bus $0.99 Table cloth $4.26 Fire permit $1.00 Bedspread and Handle $1.10 Gas, car $10.00 Gas, Harvey car $7.00 Handbag $14.87 Lights $16.04 Phone $6.20 Water $7.56 Tubus Bygonias $1.00 2 cans of gas 10gal $4.98 Car fill up $4.42 tuber bugonias 4 $0.90 Glads $1.00 Table + tab $5.97 Phone, Lond Dist on Jewel $1.50 Them teamsters are robbing b'stards
Joker dude could you take a load more pics of the interior please It looks like a good lay out for me to copy for my bus interior im mostly interested in the sink cooker unit and the buddy seat/storage box Does it have an underslung gas tank like a westy?
heading up there later with a fresh battery to get her running so will do. It has a 2 burner coleman hob, this runs off small gas cannisters in the cupboard - I haven't crawled around underneath yet but I don't think it has anything under there. The westy I have has some kind of gas can underneath with a door step on it - haven't looked in detail on that one yet - i'm waiting for my bio hazard suit to turn up first as i've spotted some nasty looking spiders webs
That looks like a really well layed out interior dude Ive allready got a full width bed for mine and was after ideas for the rest of the interior Looking forward to the cooker sink unit pics and is there any chance you could take some pics of the bed arrangment up top?
Nice van mate ,I love those riviera conversions , love the penthouse roof bed! On the sides of the roof is it mesh or can you seal it so no light gets through?
The sides have mosquito mesh panel, with a zip out solid panel so you unzip so you can see through the mesh upstairs. Very big and comfy with lots more room than a westy roof. Over cab has a roof rack the same as a westy
