I used to have a VW Campmobile when I was in college -- I drove all over the US in it during the summers, as far south as Belize.
I have been itching to get another one, I saw a diesel Westfalia for sale...
here is my old campmobile, anyone else roadtrip small-RV style?
(http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5086/5201599551_04cf5420b2.jpg)
here is the diesel westalia I found.. urrrrrrgh! apparently they had them in 4wd in Canada..
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/271205224420 (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/271205224420)
I am both ends of the spectrum...
Either I tent camp when traveling on the bike.
Or I borrow my buddy's 43' 4 slide out RV with full sized shower and gyro mounted satellite dish.
what is your budget?
perhaps a Eurovan of the 02/03 variety in the Westy trim package could/should be on your radar?
Quote from: zooom on May 13, 2013, 08:25:37 AM
what is your budget?
perhaps a Eurovan of the 02/03 variety in the Westy trim package could/should be on your radar?
if i was going to buy a camper van, it would be one of the older ones, probably mid 90s. i just prefer them. the diesel models are filtering in from canada. no import restrictions at 25 years.
Quote from: ZILBERT on May 13, 2013, 08:21:23 AM
I am both ends of the spectrum...
Either I tent camp when traveling on the bike.
I have 4 tents, from a 1 man up to an 8 man with 2 rooms and a back door. my kids are just old enough to start trying it, and my son and i are going to set up a tent and do a backyard campout soon. he already loves trail biking and hiking (fistpump!) and he's just turning 6.
Dude, $16k for that bus? No thank you. While they are cool and all(and I do where tie dye), that is a lot of money for that. For that kind of cash you might be able to pick up an old school Safari and travel in style. Also easier to fix, and you cAn get parts for a type IV motor anywhere.
Folks are doing stuff based on Sprinters if you're looking a bit more modern.
Old school bus? At summit I met a husband/wife side car team that had converted an old school bus with 'living' quarters in the fore portion and a clever fold gate lift and work bay for their race rig in the back. Drove the hack on to the lift, up it went and drove into the back of the bus. Then the lift platform was rotated up to rest against the back of the bus and secured.
Quote from: Slide Panda on May 13, 2013, 09:23:03 AM
Folks are doing stuff based on Sprinters if you're looking a bit more modern.
Old school bus? At summit I met a husband/wife side car team that had converted an old school bus with 'living' quarters in the fore portion and a clever fold gate lift and work bay for their race rig in the back. Drove the hack on to the lift, up it went and drove into the back of the bus. Then the lift platform was rotated up to rest against the back of the bus and secured.
+1 on the sprinter. Excellent, near bulletproof MB engine. The diesel is good for over 25mpg, and still has decent HP.
Quote from: LowThudd on May 13, 2013, 09:14:01 AM
Dude, $16k for that bus? No thank you. While they are cool and all(and I do where tie dye), that is a lot of money for that. For that kind of cash you might be able to pick up an old school Safari and travel in style. Also easier to fix, and you cAn get parts for a type IV motor anywhere.
yeah, i know.. some go higher too depending on the model. . the 4WD models go 20k and higher.
Quote from: Slide Panda on May 13, 2013, 09:23:03 AM
Folks are doing stuff based on Sprinters if you're looking a bit more modern.
Old school bus? At summit I met a husband/wife side car team that had converted an old school bus with 'living' quarters in the fore portion and a clever fold gate lift and work bay for their race rig in the back. Drove the hack on to the lift, up it went and drove into the back of the bus. Then the lift platform was rotated up to rest against the back of the bus and secured.
the Sprinter is cool, but almost twice as big as the Westfalia.
Sprinter = 260" OAL
Westfalia = 180" OAL
I like the smallness of the Westfalia. Even as a camper you can use it as a daily driver and park in a parking garage.
http://tinyhousetalk.com/ford-transit-stealth-camper/ (http://tinyhousetalk.com/ford-transit-stealth-camper/)
Quote from: T on May 13, 2013, 12:52:43 PM
http://tinyhousetalk.com/ford-transit-stealth-camper/ (http://tinyhousetalk.com/ford-transit-stealth-camper/)
(http://i.qkme.me/3ppzv3.jpg)
I like those Transits.. made in Turkey, no less,.
might be too small for more than 2 people though, but nice.
the cool think about the westfalia is the pop top -- two sleep down, two sleep up
These things are great and just about anything.g can pull them.
http://www.golittleguy.com/teardrops/ (http://www.golittleguy.com/teardrops/)
The principal at my school is a Westy nut (and VeeDubs generally), and she & her husband play a constant game of musical vehicles & tops. The most recent was buying a second Westfalia, and swapping the pop top for an AdventureWagen hard top (kind of like a second story) on their primary Westy, and putting the reconfigured donor up for sale.
It's possible that, at the speeds those things travel, the extra height doesn't really add up to much extra drag, but the decal in the second floor window (it's about eight feet off the ground) tells the story:
(https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/264536_10151641550158735_1557547785_n.jpg)
I'm still waiting for the Language Arts teacher to add the apostrophe.
Or you could keep it VW like this:
(http://25.media.tumblr.com/c493423b0ba7c70aa372942f0589b409/tumblr_mmmeienUbI1s2yegdo1_400.gif)
Quote from: triangleforge on May 13, 2013, 02:10:16 PM
The principal at my school is a Westy nut (and VeeDubs generally), and she & her husband play a constant game of musical vehicles & tops. The most recent was buying a second Westfalia, and swapping the pop top for an AdventureWagen hard top (kind of like a second story) on their primary Westy, and putting the reconfigured donor up for sale.
It's possible that, at the speeds those things travel, the extra height doesn't really add up to much extra drag, but the decal in the second floor window (it's about eight feet off the ground) tells the story:
(https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/264536_10151641550158735_1557547785_n.jpg)
I'm still waiting for the Language Arts teacher to add the apostrophe.
Language Arts?
WTF ever happened to ENGLISH? [laugh]
Quote from: T on May 13, 2013, 12:52:43 PM
http://tinyhousetalk.com/ford-transit-stealth-camper/ (http://tinyhousetalk.com/ford-transit-stealth-camper/)
That is exactly what I wanted to do!
Quote from: ducatiz on May 13, 2013, 08:39:51 AM
if i was going to buy a camper van, it would be one of the older ones, probably mid 90s. i just prefer them. the diesel models are filtering in from canada. no import restrictions at 25 years.
The Samba.com might be a good place to look: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/cat.php?id=55 (http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/cat.php?id=55)
and not just for vans, but all (old) VW related vehicles.
Quote from: The Mad King Pepe' on May 15, 2013, 04:09:30 PM
The Samba.com might be a good place to look: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/cat.php?id=55 (http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/cat.php?id=55)
and not just for vans, but all (old) VW related vehicles.
The Samba is the source.
Go for a 72-73 Bay window bus.
My plan is to put a low stress 911 drive train into a reasonable Westphalia......
2.7 CIS engines can get great mpg while having enough power and torque to make driving pleasant.
I have an acquaintance who works at the VW design center here who has one. Dirves and sound great.
If I was going to get a 70s style body, I'd pick up a Mexican Caravelle. They had a Rabbit engine with a radiator in the front, but otherwise the same as the old style breadbox..
This is a 1990 Caravelle
(http://images.quebarato.com.mx/T75x75/volkswagen+caravelle+1990+68+000+zapopan+jalisco+mexico__5A3095_1.jpg)