1973 vw camper?

[DannyB1954]

How cool do you think you will look pushing it to the side of the road?

 

[GotSmart]

How cool do you think you will look pushing it to the side of the road?

Joe Cool!    

 

[wagoneer]

A friend bought a flat bed type vw in England like a little flatbed with canvas over the back imported it put in a v w TDI motor converted it to left hand drive, He also mentiond a second mortgage but it is very cool. I would say go for your dream van.

 

[Fluffhead]

I've owned 5 air cooled VWs over the years. The last is a '78 Westy. All of them broke down at some point. Its part of the old VW experience. If you're mechanical, its no big deal. Just carry tools and parts. My Westy had points break in the White Mtns and a belt break on Seven Mile Bridge in the Keys. Both were 15min diversions b/c parts were under the back seat. I wouldn't be afraid of an old VW if you are able to fix it. Most of the greatest travel experiences in my life have been in a VW Westy.

 

[LiveFrom305]

I've owned 5 air cooled VWs over the years. The last is a '78 Westy. All of them broke down at some point. Its part of the old VW experience. If you're mechanical, its no big deal. Just carry tools and parts. My Westy had points break in the White Mtns and a belt break on Seven Mile Bridge in the Keys. Both were 15min diversions b/c parts were under the back seat. I wouldn't be afraid of an old VW if you are able to fix it. Most of the greatest travel experiences in my life have been in a VW Westy.

I plan on learning a lot as i go. I'm not necessarily mechanically inclined but I'm a good problem solver. i think i'd need more experience to take on the project.

 

[highdesertranger]

being on the road is not the best classroom. I would not recommend a VW to anybody that wasn't proficient with working on them. highdesertranger

 

[GotSmart]

I've owned 5 air cooled VWs over the years. The last is a '78 Westy. All of them broke down at some point. Its part of the old VW experience. If you're mechanical, its no big deal. Just carry tools and parts.

   I have heard that from more than one person. Today nobody wants an adventure.

 

[ccbreder]

I know more about the old VW with the 4 cyl air cooled engines than most. If you are living in 1970's go for it. You will not be sorry. If you are living in the 2000's, forget about it.

 

[LiveFrom305]

Dropping the #3 exhaust valve was the most dreaded development. I installed a remote oil cooler to eliminate that problem. My most memorable side of the road "adventures" included a broken pushrod (campaign engine, hard to find), bearing failure on reduction gear stub axle and a piston that separated at the oil ring land (managed to drive 60 noisy miles in this condition). There were plenty of other minor adventures as well.

Thankfully, I never caught on fire!!

Guy

thanks but no thanks! lol

 

[DannyB1954]

Thankfully, I never caught on fire!!

Guy

I wish mine had burnt to the ground the first time it broke down. Hindsight is always 20 / 20

 

[MrNoodly]

But, gee a 40+ year old microbus would make such cute Pinterest photos, especially if a fake hippie chick is in the shots.

 

[steamjam1]

You exaggerate just a Tad ^^^^^...... 

But yes, they have emotions, cannot be spoken to harshly and if you Use VanCafe, parts arrive very quickly! 

My 86 has performed very well! ...... Though it admittedly pumps water........

Two trips West and nary an annoying breakdown in 18,000 miles. 
Days and days and days of trouble free motoring! 

Dave

Aight... Perhaps I wasn't being 100% "fair" to the old VW vans. I remember working on them in the early '90s, and owning a bug in the '80s. Maybe I let my own experiences cloud my opinion on them without objectively looking at the VW vans good bits. I have seem many of them converted to Subaru, and Toyota A-series engines and they become quite reliable, especially in the Bay Window buses. And I gotta admit that there is a cool-factor with them nowadays.

 

[becida]

So I just checked out a 1973 vw  campervan. The engine was just rebuilt and it had two owners. Drives pretty well and it has ac. I'm looking at something's like 5-7 grand to fix it. Owner is asking 7 k for it. What do you guys think about it? How do you feel about these old guys?

I'm an air cooled VW guy from way back. if you like to do your own work go for it, if you want to learn to turn wrenches go for it. If you take your vehicles to a shop you'll need deep pockets for this one.

Be aware this is not a modern vehicle, it slower & will appear underpowered, with the AC going you are squeezing every bit of power from that engine.  It's rare for the air cooled engine to make it to the 100k mile mark. 

It does have class!  

Find a copy of John Muir's book "Keeping your volkswagen alive for the compleat idiot", you're going to need it even if you don't do your own work.

Good luck!

(My last VW was an '84 Westie with a Subaru '93 2.2 engine in it... I miss it, my GF & I are in a 97 Pleasure-Way, she really likes the flush toilet)