[Wanted: Car] Which Camper?

[Brosna]

With just about every club member buying new vans or campers this weather i kinda thought it must be my turn
this might not happen straight away but i am looking on all the usual sites to see whats out there. But i kinda need advice, With my budget it will be a baywindow for sure.
i plan on using it just around ireland with the family (1 reluctant wife and 1 very excited 3 year old and a baby) with the reluctant wife in mind it will need to be as comfortable as possible. im not really into the rat or lowered look so it will be stock as far as possible.
my question is early or late bay? westie/devon etc? is there anything else i should be looking for? if i bought from the US how much for shipping fees, Vat & duties?
All thoughts/advice greatly appreciated.

 

[darragh]

late bay westie
is what you want

 

[krissovo]

74+ Westy is what I would go for, two double beds with top bed easily sleeping 3 three kids or 2 adults. The Riviera also looks like it would be ideal for the job with a similar sleeping arrangement although I am yet to camp out in it.

 

[kongomush]

Yep, 74+ Bay. I have a tent that attaches to mine which is pretty much the same size as the van. I think it's essential if you're camping in Ireland. You need the extra space for wet/dirty clothes, extra gear, storing camping chairs... the list goes on. It also has two bedrooms which you can store stuff in. The tent unclips and you can leave it at the campsite and drive off in the van.

I'll have a look fir some pics later of the setup.

Also essential is a Propex heater. It's pretty easy to fit afterwards but keep €450 in your budget for one. It means you can have the heating on without the engine running.

 

[Roadcow]

All words of good advice and I agree with kongomush on the Propex, they are very nice units. If I can help send me a pm and I'll explain the shipping aspects and give you a few quotes of an "all in Bus". Crazylegs has a few Buses for sale which are already in Ireland if you are in a hurry, it will take until Christmas for one to get there from me, but I can make you a deal matched to your budget and experience level. Man I'm glad to hear that you'll keep it stock, so much better of a ride!

 

[kongomush]

Totally agree with keeping it stock. Has to be the most comfortable ride I've had... no jokes please.

 

[Coxy]

Nice one Dermott. The bug is really biting now eh? At least with a Bus, and more importantly a Bay you will be able to bring everyone to shows in comfort. Just so you know, you'll be competing with Hugo who makes the best wakey uppey coffee!
I would say a US Bay is the way to go. Having seen how solid all of the Californian Buses are that have been imported into Ireland I can't see any reason to go through all the trouble of buying a rot box and then spending the same again in welding. No thanks!
I've also seen it when preparing features for Camper & Bus magazine when I'm talking to owners about their restos and they all agree that this is the way forward. I also love to hear from the 'new to the scene' owners who have literally bought a rust free Bus from either California directly or from a seller in the UK. They all say the same thing which is how enjoyable and easy it was for them to get involved in a scene, that had they had to spend vasts sums of cash restoring a Bus they would not have bothered. One thing that they all say, and these are drivers moreso than restorers, is that the Buses are solid which means they can leave them as is and drive them almost immediately and should the mood take them they can go all out and get them painted and detailed etc.
If you haven't already I would PM Britt and get his number so you can call him and go through what you need and want from a Bus and he will track one down. There is something really great about buying a solid, original paint, rot free VW........your own Bug is rot free but the last owner spent years restoring it to a very high standard. I love the fact that nothing major has been done to these Buses since they left the factory in Germany all those years ago which sounds a lot easier eh?
Re: the cost of shipping, not as much as you would think. If it was me, I'd get Britt to find me a near OG Bus (Westy or Riviera) that is running and ready to be used once it hits these shores. It's funny to see how the supply of these Buses is drying up to a point. Yes, you can still get them but sellers are upping the price and OG ones are now thin on the ground..........better get myself one too while I think of it!

 

[kongomush]

The coffee brew-off is on!!

 

[JustinOval]

74+ Westy is what I would go for, two double beds with top bed easily sleeping 3 three kids or 2 adults. The Riviera also looks like it would be ideal for the job with a similar sleeping arrangement although I am yet to camp out in it.

Yep, I'd got for a late westy too.

 

[Roadcow]

My Take, Both a late Westy and a late Rivera Pop Top are cool. I like the canvas in the Rivera better, but like some Westy interiors better. I have a Blue 77 Rivera that I'm keeping for myself. Bought it from a friend and the deal was it was for me, it has a unique rear full width bed which splits down the middle. That way you can sleep 1 person while the other reads, or watches tv, etc. The Rivera POP TOP goes Straight up but both holes are the same size so it really doesn't matter for head room. Both are great campers.

 

[trev]

my take: I 've lived with my '74 Westfalia Campmobile for 5 years now, used it for all sorts of stuff, not just camping: shows, towing, moving house etc. The full width double beds both downstairs and upstairs are brilliant but the cooker/fridge cabinet inside the sliding door severely restricts space inside the van, especially when the rock'n'roll bed is pulled out and the sliding door is closed. It makes the shuffle out of your wet clothes on a rainy night very difficult. I would sacrifice the full width bed downstairs for a three quarter width one to make more circulation space when the bed is folded out. So I would recommend the latest Westy you can find. A champagne edition one has ALL the toys if you can live with a mr. hanky coloured van and interior.

 

[Roadcow]

LOL^ Brown.......

 

[kongomush]

I agree with Trev a 3/4 bed is good. Having a bit of floor space beside the sliding door really helps when you're getting ready for bed. Being able to throw things under the bed but still access them without opening the door helps too, especially when getting your boots on when having to take piss in the lashing rain.

 

[crazylegs]

Late Westies are the benchmark , aside from the roof being easier to lift Rivieras don't come close the upper bunks have less headroom and ventilation , canvasas are much harder to get , from the outside the roof looks ungainly and it puts the height of the bus over the two metre mark so you won't be slipping under any height barriers at the car park or multistory .
The biggest difference is in the interior though , Rivieras are very basic and the swivel seat of the late Berlin style Westy really opens them up .
If you need more than two seat belts in the back though you would need to go with the full width bed bus
The Westy fabric is very hard wearing and can be removed and washed over and over
The fuel injection two litre is smooth and has plenty of power to shove a fully loaded bus around .
As Trev says the Champagne edition is nice cause you get tinted glass and loads of chrome and for the anoraks a one model only coloured dash but all late westys are very usable and practical even today .
And I like the 70's colour schemes

Good models of these are drying up though and prices are rising with it .
This one is just sold now so I gotta go see if I can find another !

 

[Endfloat]

That was the one you had on the eireball right? Nice bus! The colour scheme is great. I'm sure you could get wallpaper and dishes and all in that colour scheme in the 70s!

 

[Roadcow]

I have to respectfully disagree with a few points on the Riveras. Yes the canvas is harder to get but that's because they hardly ever fail. The Canvas on a Rivera is far superior to that on a Westy, in fact of the 13 to 15 Riveras i've sold to buyers in Ireland not 1 has need any canvas. I think the Rivera with it's pop Top going straight up again offers more headroom at both ends of the bed thus offering another option of which way to sleep. You can get swivel seats in both the Westy and rivera, and when the Westy in 1968 was just offering an Ice Box and 3 berth Pop Tops the Rivera offered 4 berth pop Tops and full cooker and 3 way cookers, thus allowing a 4 berth, cooker, and fridge in a lowlight bay, something you can't get in a stock low light Westy. Now some people don't like the style or added height of the Rivera top, that's a valid argument but I feel the ease of operation for some of our wives far outweights that. Also the Rivera Pop Top is secured with both the tie downs and a nice leatherette snap on cover which nicely finishes off the pop top hole on the inside ( ever had to fight a Westy canvas when you put the top down, especially on a 68 - 73 model)? The Rivera gives you lots of interior options as well as far as beds go. I have a 77 Rivera with a full width split bed which gives you the option of having just 1 side of the bed down and still have another seat in back. Having said all of this I think both are wonderful Camping rigs. You can personalize either to suit your tastes. My wife has said she prefers the full width bed in the Rivera to the 3/4 width bed in roadcow a 71 Westy with the closet by the bed. We are not skinny people.


Here's a few pictures of my Champaign Rivera, again a unique model it was ordered with the Pop Top but with seating for 7 people. Notice both Rivera Pop Top canvas's are in perfect shape.

 

[crazylegs]

Well you might have a personal preference for them which is fair enough and early ones are an interesting alternative but we are not comparing those .
But side by side they still just don't compare imo and I've had both and have had to sell both too ,besides you couldn't do this with them either and not be turned into the meat in a camper sandwich .... if your into that kinda thing .

 

[Roadcow]

On the Rivera there are adjustments for the springs which help the top up and I have experience putting a 15' canoe on top of mine and by the simple adjustment put it up and down with the Canoe on the top in the rain. Well to each his own I guess. Your opinion is a valid one and does reflect what others also say about the Rivera.

 

[Robbie]

Not to throw a spanner in the works but I always liked the Viking conversion. With the 6 bert the top is massive and if you get a good one it has all the gadgets

!http://www.google.ie/imgres?imgurl=...a=X&ei=ITejTNOHDIK34gaW_PW0Aw&ved=0CCwQ9QEwBA

 

[Roadcow]

Those things are way cool!