I have been into VW's since the early 80s, like many I started with a Beetle.I got it as a cheap winter hack when it became too cold to go to the shops on me GS 1000. One thing lead to another and I ended up with a mint 78 Devon with 16K on the clock. I loved that van and when we had kids I could not bear to see them stick pencils in the upholstery and pick at the Formica.I decided to build a camper that would be practical and robust enough to take some kid abuse. I based the build on an OZ 1800 Auto Kombi. It was quite solid and a good base for the build. For space for four a late Westy roof with double bed went on and I cut out the bulkhead behind the passenger seat and made the seat from a metro spin, the front seat folds foreword so the work surface could extended with a fold down table. The units were based on the beloved Devon with a straight run and 3/4 bed, large sink/hob/grill for a T25 were squeezed in along with a 3 way fridge. Units are Jewsons best birch faced ply a bit of router action and finished with Danish oil. Outside it got a respray in the original VW Flipper blue, Fuch wheels and stainless bumpers, a side step camouflaged the 9 gal underslung water tank. Engine is neither show or go, after burning a valve I rebuilt it only to find that the crank was 2L. The build took 3 months on the drive, then it was time to enjoy it with trips around the UK and Europe with the Westy Punch and Judy awning to give a bit more room.
this bus is great, the chrome bumpers & fuch's compliment the paint really well..the interior looks superb too!!
PIE, your bus is one of the nicest I've ever seen. I know it must have cost you a small fortune. I'm currently building my own on a very similar theme. If she ends up anything close to yours I'll be chuffed to bits. Watch this space Don't hold your breath though. I really would like to talk to you about the roof. I know you PM'd me your number a few months back. Sorry but I lost it. Can you send it again please.
PIE, Very good use of space. Im currently fitting a rear hinging Westy roof to my old Westy Continental (see Tech&Mech). I notice that you have no cross member fitted across the hole in the roof. I'm sure your aware that original Westies had a rather flat cross member that separated the roof bed. I need to cut out my old original bowed cross member and fit the late Westy one.My concern is the rigidity of the bus without a crossmember? I was comtemplating welding in a temporary brace while I cut out the old crossmember. Your advice would be greatly appreciated. .Thanks
