Sadly, I have been persuaded that it’s the end of the road for my campervan. (It is in PFP, where Sam has diagnosed a whole load of corrosion and dodgy repairs to the underside, and Gary has discovered just how bad a state the brakes are in.) So, I’m looking for offers to buy it for parts. Or: just guidance on how much (or rather, how little) I should expect to get for it would be gratefully received.
The details are:
- 1973 Bay, Westfalia Continental. First registered 1974. (I have the VW build certificate saying it was built in 1973.)
- It originally had a 1700 engine; it now has a 1600. The gearbox is the 1700 type.
- Disc brakes front, drum rear, with brake servo.
- MOT until June; tax until November.
Mechanically, it generally runs well and will happily cruise at 60. The bad stuff is:
- It is lumpy setting off, and sometimes stalls at junctions. But only when the engine is warm. This, I think, is because the flange on the inlet manifold is warped, causing an air leak below the carb.
- Gears can be difficult to find, and when changing gear it makes a noise like the linkage is fouling on something.
- The brakes are a disaster area: the rear backplates, drums, shoes and wheel cylinders are all shot. The front backplates don’t look too clever either. And the handbrake cable is snapped.
Corrosion-wise: I was getting Sam to look at the rusted-out sill behind the front bumper, the OSR jacking point (which has been badly repaired, and come apart), the battery tray (which is gone; the battery is sitting on a metal shelf below the original tray and the general area has some horrible rust), the OSR chassis leg which has a hole, and the channel which holds the cover for the door slider below the window. But he has pronounced death because of lots of other corrosion underneath, and bodged repairs underneath. The wheel-arches have all been patched, generally by riveting another sheet of metal over the top. The body-work looks fine to me apart from around the wheel arches, where it has been patched badly.
Interior: The Westfalia interior all appears to be present apart from some missing cupboard catches:
- Full width rock and roll bed is fitted (and working).
- Cool box is fitted.
- Swivelling table is fitted.
- Sink with hand-pump is fitted. Don’t know whether it works; the drain is not plumbed.
- Wardrobe / cooker unit is fitted.
- I haven’t been able to try the gas cooker because I have no Camping Gaz cylinder to match the regulator.
- Cupboard above the bed is fitted.
- Cushions are all present, but needing re-covered. I think the cushion on the sideways-facing seat might be non-original.
- Pop-top works. The catch is missing, and the canvas is intact but has jammed zips and a couple of tears.
- Bunk in the roof is fitted; both catches are missing. The “trapdoor” at the end is not fitted but is in the vehicle; it just needs the hinges reattached.
- A plate on the sink unit says it is a Westfalia Continental.
Other:
- Driver’s seat is fine; passenger seat is split and feels like some springs are knackered.
- Both heat exchangers are recent replacements.
- All tinware is present, including thermostat and air flaps.
- Air filter is the paper-element type.
- The front tyres are brand new.
At present it’s sitting at PFP in Newtongrange. I drove it into PFP; whether it can be driven away depends on how well Gary is able to put the brakes back together. He was strongly advising me against driving it.
Pictures are below.