Looking to get a late bay

Discussion in 'Introduce Yourselves' started by LittleRob, Sep 11, 2020.

  1. Hello

    We're looking to buy a late-bay T2 and have just returned from a 2 day "fact-finding" trip in a rented M-reg van.

    One thing that concerns me, or perhaps one of the things that concerns me, is the lack of power. Driving on the motorway we were tooling along at 55-60 and that was fine, but the slightest hill had us slowing down to 40 ish.

    How feasible is it to drive to somewhere like the Alps?

    Also, the thought of descending the alps on those brakes fills me with dread. The owner wasn't sure what sort they were, but I'm hoping that we were on the original drums, and that better brakes would be a possibility.

    Thanks

    Rob
     
    Razzyh likes this.
  2. Ours is a 73 M reg - it has a T1 1600 tp engine - and yes 55 mph cruising on the motorway is what we do. Hills on the M'way will slow it down as you describe - so we accelerate up a bit before the incline - but it still slows down. The 73 bus should have discs on the front - but ours is without a servo - so you do have to literally stand on the pedal.
     
  3. do you know what engine was in the rental? Not all bays are the same - earliest "late bays" had 1600's. M reg is likely around the time they switched over the type 4 (i'm sure someone will correct me here). the last of the late bays had a 2.0 type 4 which in good fettle should be about 80bhp. Mine's a 2.0 - no problem going up hills - its not fast but it certainly doesnt slow to 40 even fully loaded.

    well maintained late bay brakes are fine but much better with a servo - sounds like the rental was not up to much. bay brakes are disc front and drum rear btw.

    much as i love my bay if you want to do mega road trips then maybe a 47 year old classic isn't the right vehicle (however i know lots of folks on here do exactly those sort of trips).
     
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  4. @cunny44 have you ever been up any seriously steep hills, and if so, how did you cope?
     
    cunny44 likes this.
  5. We went up some steep hills in the Lakes on the way to Eskdale - ended up in 2nd doing about 20 mph. A later bus with a T4 2ltr engine has more power.
     
    Little Nellie and rob.e like this.
  6. Going slow gives you more time to enjoy the scenery. PLUS there will be a clear view of the empty road ahead :thumbsup:


    Modified 2.0 has more again, and a subaru converted bus has even more than that.. depends how much you want to spend.
     
    Day, Deefer66 and cunny44 like this.
  7. matty

    matty Supporter

    The van will go up nearly any hill you want to but slowly.
    Brakes should be good but will feel very different from a car because you have to push down rather than forward and without a servo you need a bit more effort.
    The key to driving old vehicles is try and plan ahead when coming to a hill speed up a bit before you need to and then change gear before you have to to keep the momentum.
    When going down change down the gears to use the engine breaking to help.
     
    scrooge95, Day and PanZer like this.
  8. [​IMG]

    5,500 ft up in the Alps last year, 1800 air cooled, part of a 3,000 mile trip.
    It really shouldn’t be a problem if everything is well sorted!
     
  9. People have been driving these things all over the globe having adventures for decades, mountain passes, deserts, jungles... Mines only a 1600 (50hp) but it's never held me back, check out my thread here https://thelatebay.com/index.php?threads/22-years-of-memories.88865/

    Alpine passes, no problem...

    Just accept that you might not always keep up with modern traffic but if everything's maintained as it should be, take your time, use the gearbox (that's what it's for) and you'll get anywhere you ever need or want to go.

    As for the big descents, the stock disc/drum set up and EBC Greenstuff pads always saw me right.
     
    Last edited: Sep 11, 2020
    Day, PanZer, nicktuft and 1 other person like this.
  10. @SundialCamperSpecialists that's the sort of thing we're looking at. Now we just need to find a van. We're gradually working out what it is that we want/don't want.
     
    rob.e likes this.
  11. Zed

    Zed Gradually getting grumpier

    You want one with a type-4 engine, preferably 2l.
     
  12. Care to divulge your budget?
     
  13. @SundialCamperSpecialists not publicly, but it might be something that we could chat about privately. I would say that its "reasonable", and that the search for a van has so far encompassed:

    a) Original late bays.
    b) newer Danbury Brazilians.
    c) Modern transporter conversions.

    (c) look great, and are super practical, but boring and very big.
    (b) We're told that they rust worse than the old ones, and are thinner metal.

    Which leaves us back at (a). We had 3 days/2 nights in our rental and had just the best time, but we didn't particularly like the original Westphalia "continental" interior, nor the brakes, and it could have done with a bit more ummph.

    There will only be the 2 of us, since the kids wouldn't be seen dead on holiday with their parents any more (18 & 20) but both have expressed a desire to "borrow" it. Many of the ones we've looked at are the Van Wurks kits, but we're not sure about the trade off between a full-width or 3/4 bed.

    All suggestions gratefully received.

    Rob
     
    PanZer likes this.
  14. Zed

    Zed Gradually getting grumpier

    The ones with servo brakes are just fine.
    As are the 2l type-4 engined ones and the two went together.

    I think you probably rented a 1600 non-servo camper.
     
    davidoft and Little Nellie like this.
  15. I tend to avoid motorways because it's boring. Having said that, I've sailed down the dual carriageway from Cherboutg to Bayeux on several occasions at 55/60 all the way in my 1641cc bay fully laden with wife, kids and holiday gubbins.
     
    Day, Little Nellie and matty like this.
  16. @The Drama Man that's exactly the conversation that we had on the way home - that it wouldn't be worth paying for the peage, and that we could stick to the N-roads and save the money (for petrol!)
     
    The Drama Man likes this.
  17. What kind of spec are you after? 2 berth tin-top for regular weekends away or four berth elevating roof for epic tours one every few years?

    Do you need space for kids and animals, would you happily put up a drive away awning?

    Ignore the rust deniers- Brazilian Van's are thinner panels but they leave smaller rust piles on the floor and they have fuel injection and engine management.


    And it just so happens I've got one for sale, just passed its MOT with no advisories. It's in the classifieds - price is negotiable.....
     
    Last edited: Sep 11, 2020
    bernjb56 likes this.
  18. Little Nellie

    Little Nellie Supporter

    I’ve got a 1979 2 litre type 4 engine. Nice and powerful :thumbsup: Servo brakes excellent :thumbsup:
     
    mgbman likes this.
  19. I really enjoy my 75 tin top Bay which has a 1600 engine and brake servo. Obviously being a tin top it doesn't have a pop up roof so I can't stand up in it, but I am happy with that.

    The 1600 twin port engine is a bit low on power but its a plodder and at my age I don't want to be going 70mph in a camper van.

    Personally I don't like the modern VW vans as they don't have the classic vehicle appeal for my liking but any garage could service and maintain it.

    With the air cooled , there are fewer and fewer garages around who could or want to look after your air cooled. So to get the best from an air cooled you would need to treat it as a hobby and have the fun of maintaining it. Its both challenging and satisfying.

    As far as Late Bay interiors go, they are many and varied and depends on what you two want.

    I assume you would prefer a right hand drive van, there are many left hand ones out there. You need to decide.

    Do you want an air cooled engine van? If so the recommended one seems to be the 2l. Some folks go for water cooled such as a Subaru engine, which would give lots of power but you would need good brakes and you wouldn't get that lovely air cooled chug chug sound.

    @Little Nellie 's one sounds just what you are looking for Late Bay, 2l engine, servo brakes.
     
  20. @Purple the kids want to use it, but not with us, so 2 berth (plus possibly the dog) is all that is required.
     

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