1971 VW Early Bay Window Deluxe Bus Camper T2 Orig. Paint Not your ave. Rat Look

For sale here we have my own personal project. what I like to call a "rat built right"! By that I mean not some rusty pile of junk thrown back on the road with the aim of making a quick profit. but a genuinely rust free original paint early bay. with all new rubbers. new interior. new suspension and brakes throughout. a recon Vege engine and time spent to make it all work correctly.

I will be very sad to see the old girl go. but with a snapped Achilles Tendon meaning I can't currently drive it and a new project waiting on the wings. it is time to find it a new home.

So what have we got. well the base vehicle is a 1971 Deluxe. originally sold and registered in Texas. USA. From what I have been able to establish the van was bought new by the local Pastor who after having it for a few years sold it to a local Policeman. when he later passed away the bus was given to his son. who ran it for a bit and then took it into a local VW workshop for some work. but never cam back for it. Fast forward to the mid 2000's and it was unearthed (see pics) by a local enthusiast and eventually found its way to the UK. where it was registered and used occasionally for 4 years prior to finding its way to me. where I set about its transformation to what you see now.

On the outside. the bodywork is all original paint. bar a couple of patches on the rear which have been repainted following parking dents and now have aged. The rest of the body has minor dents and scratches. but is essentially unrestored. The engine lid. which doesn't match. is totally rust free and was only changed as the original was very badly dented. although I quite like it mismatched. On getting the bus. I removed all the glass and attended to a couple of small repairs on the windscreen frame. before repainting a small area and blending the paint in. prior to refitting all the glass with new rubbers. I also decided to do away with the rear quarterlights as they leak and were a little corroded. All door and window seals have been replaced with new "best quality" parts ensuring a draft and leak free camping/driving experience!

On the underside. the bus is totally rust free and currently not undersealed so you can see just how clean the van is. Any inspection will find the wheel arches in original paint and the rest of the underside totally solid and corrosion free. /p>

Mechanically the bus is essentially all new. with a recon Vege engine fitted. rebuilt shift linkage. new OE starter motor. heaters that actually work and new suspension and brakes which run down as follows.

Front end is a 4" narrowed new beam. with Transporterhaus dropped spindles. T2D slam shocks. new (servo assisted) VW calipers and discs and new VW Heritage Fuchs wheels. with Continental Ecocontact commercial rated tyres. Rear is Transporterhaus adjustable springplates. horse plates. T2D slam shocks. new springplate bushes. new drums etc. and new VW Heritage Fuchs with Continental Ecocontact commercial rated tyres. Also the rear chassis rails have been notched and gusseted to clear the driveshafts by Terry King Racing to ensure a smooth "knock free" ride. Its worth pointing out that bus will sit and drive quite happily a LOT lower than it currently is. being fully adjustable. but I found this height to be a nice compromise with no rubbing or bottoming out.

Inside the van I have fitted a brand new headliner and insulated it throughout. the side panels are light oak veneered panels and there is wipe down rubber flooring. a practical compromise between surf bus and day tripper. There are also brand new inertia seat belts. If like me you have kids. nbsp; its safety first!

So there you have it. my pride and joy. built for myself and properly engineered throughout. Totally reliable. nice low ride. and looks very cool!

The Bus is available to view night or day. seven days a week. in a dry well lit garage and viewing is strongly recommended!

Thanks for looking. Andy Hill 07900 904433
Viewing by appointment please and p/ex a possibility

Also published at eBay.co.uk

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