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 Contents
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» THE BEST
WINDOW £100 YOU
IN A BAY ’LL EVER
STEERING SPEND:
LL POWER How to fit elect
HOW TO INSTA The world ronic ignit
» LITE-STEER: s best-selling
VW Camp ’s best-sellin
er maga g
ion
The world’ r magazine zine
VW Campe
UP
SPLIT PICK
g for a living
Safa
Safarri-w
i-wiindo
ndowed SLAMW
Still workin
HERE CO ‘66 Multivan EDGE
rolling

MES
on air

new! up ıssue
w
ow
grade
indo The
wind
RHD 21-
21-w
SUMMER
Better than
Six years
in the makin
g & impro
ved in every
way
HOW TO GET
THE MOST FROM
And here
’s
vehicle the perfect
to enjo
YOUR VW y it in

CAMPERSCENE FEATURE BUSES TRAVEL TECHNICAL

J U LY 2
017 £4.20

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E ROAD TRIP
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Westy DISCOVER
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01 cover
IS THIS ED
THE WOR
july2017
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James
OLDEST
SAMBA? LD’S
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 CAMPER SCENE
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Our glorious cover Bus in
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VolksWorld Camper&Bus
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1 coverJP-MP.indd 1 14/04/2016 17:30 1 Cover July-MPJP.indd 1 12/05/2016 17:51 1 cover Aug-MPJP.indd 1 10/06/2016 15:43 1 cover summer 2016-MP.indd 1 08/07/2016 11:36 01 Cover Sept2016.JP.indd 1 04/08/2016 22:48
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01 cover march 2017.JP.indd 1

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01 Cover OCT.JP.indd 1 31/08/2016 15:36 01 cover Nov 16.JP.indd 1 29/09/2016 20:25 20/01/2017 07:33
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01 cover APR17.JP.indd 1 10/02/2017 14:18 01 cover may.JP.indd 1 09/03/2017 21:05 01 cover SPRING JP.indd 1 06/04/2017 19:13 01 cover June 2017.JP.indd 1 04/05/2017 20:29 01 cover july2017 ideasv4 James Version.indd 1 01/06/2017 16:03 01 cover Aug2017.indd 1 27/06/2017 13:10

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 CAMPERSCENE events

Events list
Looking for something cool to do in your VW? Pop these on your calendar

8 CAMPER&BUS

08-9 Event listings.JP.indd 8 27/07/2017 09:16

 August 7 – 13 Dub Vacation
Stonham Barns, Suffolk
www.dubvacation.com
August 11 – 13 VW Festival
Harewood House, Leeds
www.vwfestival.co.uk
August 11 -14 V-Dub Island
South Fairlee Farm, Isle of Wight
www.v-dubisland.com
August 18 – 20 Volksfest Wales
Watton Show Fields, Brecon
www.volksfest.wales
August 19 - 20 Deutsche Fest
Brandshatch, Kent
www.deutschefest.co.uk
August 25 – 27 VW FAB Festival
Strumpshaw Steam Museum, Norfolk
www.vwfabfestival.co.uk
August 25 – 27
Camper Calling
Ragley Hall, Warwickshire
www.campercalling.com
August 25 – 28
Cornwall VW Jamboree
www.cornwalljamboree.co.uk
September 08
October issue of C&B on sale!

August 18 - 20 Viva Skeg Vegas August 25 GOTH VW Show

Skegness, Lincolnshire Astle Park, Chelford
www.vivaskegvegasvw.co.uk www.gothvw.co.uk

CAMPER&BUS 9

08-9 Event listings.JP.indd 9 27/07/2017 09:16

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 CAMPERSCENE volksworld show news

CALLING
ALL CARS!
It’s the time of year when we begin
scouring the universe for the best show
cars to fill the halls at Sandown Park.
Yes, we’re talking about The VolksWorld
Show 2018 – and the date’s already been
set for 24-25 March 2018.
So, if you’re in the middle of a build,
or have already created something truly
sensational, then we’d like to know
about it. And if it fits our criteria, we’ll
send an invitation for you to display your
car at what is still – 30 years on – one of
the most prestigious VW gatherings on
the planet.
This is all you need to do: email some
photos and a full specification in the
first instance, along with your name and
contact details, to Adrian Vaughan at
adrian.vaughan@kelsey.co.uk
You never know, your car could be the
real show-stopper in 2018!

12 CAMPER&BUS

12 VolksWorld show news.JP.indd 12 28/07/2017 18:36

 CAMPERSCENE news & products

Camperscene
Looking to splash some cash on your Bus? Then buy these

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(commonly referred to the form of the Volkswagen Racing Cup,
as a Barndoors), but VAG Trophy and the Production BMW
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are now offering them F1 cars and loads of other iconic German
to fit all models of VW, machines on the famous Indy Circuit. You’ll
including Split Screens, also have the chance to take your own car
Early and Late Bays, Beetles out for a track day session and on Sunday
and even Type 3s. As ever, there’ll be track parade open to all German
they’re super quality and come car clubs and owners located in the display
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festival (oompah bands!), live music, stunt
shows, a huge show ’n’ shine and trade
stands. Visit the website for more info on
how to get involved and what’s going on.
MAGIFOAM, £10 - £27 www.deutschefest.co.uk
If you’ve flicked through this issue
you’ll have seen there are a number
of features talking about paint, patina
and body care, so this ties in nicely with
the theme. If you want to keep your
Iron Out, £12
paintwork in tip-top condition you Brake dust is the
need to keep it clean. Using a product bane of every

Perfectly sealed like Magifoam as a prewash will reduce

the risk of swirl marks and scratches.
wheel’s life. It’ll
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Preservation Parts is a range of products It’s been designed for use with a turn lacquer
from Just Kampers. Each one is hand heavy-duty foam lance and this ultra- milky and attack
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specifications of the originals. Others, like of time to work your way around (editor of sister
seals, have been sourced from around something as big as a VW Bus. We love mag VWt) says
the world, using the best manufacturers, the fact that it smells of bananas, too. Auto Finesse
materials and techniques to ensure you can It’s available in a variety of sizes, so Iron Out is the
fit the parts quickly and easily and then get 500ml costs just £10, one litre is £15 nuts for keeping
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CAMPER&BUS 13

13 news_products.JP v2.indd 13 28/07/2017 18:41

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 CAMPERSCENE your rides

Readers’ rides
Your pride and joy is our delight to share, so here they are

’69 Early Bay, Becky Webb

B
ecky Webb’s ’69 Bay Window, started life
as a Microbus. It was believed to have
been imported to the UK from Oregon,
USA, in around 2007. It was then restored and
its owner, who fostered children, then used it
to complete several European camping trips
(that were featured in C&B), as the various
stickers on the inside of the engine bay attest.
The Bay runs a 1600cc engine and Becky
has recently had the rear Safari window fitted.
Must have accessories include a jerrycan
drinks optic cabinet and ICE suitcase speakers.
“There’s a rock ‘n’ roll bed fitted in the interior,
plus a couple of easily removable buddy seats,
complete with coffee sack covers, that have
been specially made up,” says Becky. “I’ve
waited 20 years to buy a Bay and got this one
a year ago.” All good things are worth waiting
for, according the adage and this one is really
sharp.
Wisely, Becky made the decision to have

16 CAMPER&BUS

16-17 Readers Rides C_B Sept17.indd 16 27/07/2017 09:33

 SHOW
US YOURS
Send us some pics
and words about
your ride to
camperandbus.
ed@kelsey.co.uk

the Bay completely rewired throughout and

there’s the added safety of an automatic fire
extinguisher system fitted in the engine bay.
The suspension has been slightly lowered
by a couple of inches. Interestingly Becky lives
in Switzerland, near Lake Lugano and the Bay
is garaged in Essex, so any trips away, start
first with a flight from Switzerland to the UK,
to Southend Airport. “I often fly over for the
weekend and go out in the Bay,” she enthuses.
“I had planned to perhaps buy a Westy trailer,
but I think maybe a teardrop trailer would be
more practical.”

CAMPER&BUS 17

16-17 Readers Rides C_B Sept17.indd 17 27/07/2017 09:33

The Original Quick Erect Campervan Awnings.
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 CAMPERSCENE your rides

Inside job
VW shows are the best
place to look for inspiration
for a Camper build, as this
little gem illustrates

T
here’s just something about a Martin
Walter pop-top that always has us
scurrying over to look at a Bus, and that’s
exactly what happened when we clapped eyes
on this Early Bay at Stanford Hall.
Imagine our surprise then when we
looked inside and found a completely
modern interior. It’s hardly surprising when
you discover it’s been through the hands
of Tim and Vaughan at Custom, Classic &
Retro. We’ve featured a number of Buses
they’ve converted over the years and they
always come up with something interesting,
as you can see here.

▲ Body coloured
dash is a great way to
brighten up a cabin
▲
Classic stripes on the
Martin Walter pop-top.
Looks like an accordion

20 CAMPER&BUS

20-21 inside job.JP.indd 20 28/07/2017 18:50

 SHOW
US YOURS
Send us some pics
and words about
your ride to
camperandbus.
ed@kelsey.co.uk

▲ L-shaped seating
says party Bus to us…

…as does the

▲

cocktail cabinet. Who

needs to cook when you
have chilled champagne
on the go?

Crazy cushion covers

▲

and curtains inject the

fun element in this high-
class interior

Folkestone’s
▲

finest and a little

nod to this Bus’s
previous incarnation

CAMPER&BUS 21

20-21 inside job.JP.indd 21 28/07/2017 18:51

 *All our hand tools feature a lifetime replacement warranty.
No quibble guarantee covers individual items within sets.
Excludes TRX-Star* T40 bits, breaker bar knuckles, drill
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 CAMPERSCENE your views
Readers’
mail
Got something you want us, or the rest of the VW
community, to know? Then this is the place for you.
Email, Tweet or send it snail mail and we’ll share it here
DEVON SENT DESIGNER
As a follow up to my letter on Devon
Sunlanders that you kindly published in
the last issue, a few weeks before that,
I sent an open letter to the Sidmouth
Herald, the local paper nearest the old
Devon Conversions factory. To my absolute
astonishment I received a letter from a Mr.
Pat Mitchell who still lives in the Sidmouth
area. In the same house he lived in when
he was the original designer of all Devon
conversions from 1957 to 1978.
The company came about when, in
1956, Pat worked for the joinery business
of a Mr. Jack White as a kitchen cabinet
designer and fitter. Jack bought a Split
Screen Van for travelling to see his wife's
family in Germany and he asked Pat to
convert the Van to a Camper. His design
was so popular that he was asked to
duplicate it in other peoples' Vans and
so with 14 orders, in 1957, Jack along
with Pat as his first employee set up a full
23 letters.JP Sep17.indd 23
time Camper conversion business
under the name of J.P. White. It
was initally in an old tractor shed
in nearby Sidford but shortly after
they moved to a warehouse at Stevens
Cross. As well as VWs they also tried
converting Austin and Morris vans but felt
VWs were best suited to their conversions,
so they concentrated on them.
After a year at Stevens Cross, orders
had grown to 56 so the company moved
to the Old Gas Works in Sidmouth, which
they renamed The Alexandria Works.
Mr. White was responsible for selling
and marketing, whilst Pat did all the
designs, taking inspiration from the work
of famous American architect Frank
Lloyd Wright, and also designing the
production lines along the same lines as
Henry Ford's in Detroit. Eventually they
had two production lines, each with five
vehicles and the conversion process took
two hours and two minutes from start to
finish. By this stage they had 150 factory
employees, with another 100 out workers
who made the cushions and curtains.
The company first exhibited their range
YOUR
VIEWS
Got something to
say? Emails us at
at the 1960 London
camperandbus.
Motor Show and ed@kelsey.co.uk
continued to do so for
the next 14 years, with
Pat as exhibition manager.
During his time with the company Pat
was responsible for the design of over
40 variants of VW Camper and created
the Sunlander, which was conceived as a
day van with all the camping attributes,
whilst maintaining maximum flat load
area. He was able to confirm that only
80 production versions of the Sunlander
were produced, plus three prototypes,
which is less than any previous estimates.
Whilst driving through the factory on
November 5 1963 Jack suffered a massive
heart attack and died in Pat's arms. The
company was sold soon afterwards to the
Renwick, Wilton & Dobson Group who
continued to trade under the J. P. White
name until 1971 when it finally became
Devon Conversions. Pat continued with
the company whose owners wanted to
diversify, so in 1965 he designed a trailer
tent called the Trailervette. The company
also took on individual commissions,
which included a bespoke VW Camper
conversion for a Spanish nobleman
that incorporated a cocktail bar and a
swinging pull out drawer to hold a pair
of Purdey shotguns; the first truck camper
cab for DAF Trucks so that drivers could
have a more comfortable sleep in their
trucks; a mobile orthopaedic laboratory
and a dental clinic for a Welsh hospital
and a mobile film unit for Westward TV.
Pat left when VW introduced the Type
25, which for some reason he felt wasn't
best suited to his designs.
Amongst other jobs Pat worked for a
few years with Ford, designing truck cabs
including devising the long vertical side
window so that drivers could see the kerb.
A feature we see all the time on most
trucks nowadays.
All in all, a fascinating man with a very
interesting history who retired with over
40 design patents to his name and is still
going strong at the grand old age of 88.
All this info forms part of recollections of
his varied life, which Pat's granddaughter
compiled in 2015 into a biography of her
grandfather's life, a copy of which Pat
very kindly sent me. If you are interested
it is called Patrick Robert Mitchell: My
Story by Laura Mitchell. Funny what you
can find when you dig deep.
Please feel free to print any of this in
the magazine should you feel it is of any
interest to your readers.
Pat also kindly sent me a copy of the
original 1971 price and options list,
which I have attached. It all makes for
fascinating reading.
Regards,
Graham Forbes, via email
CAMPER&BUS 23
27/07/2017 09:35
 Exchange Engines
Built for peace-of-mind. Built to perform. Built to last.
With over 40 years of engine-building experience between them, our team of engineers know their craft very well. They
L PRICE
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AL n
INCLUD
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All assembled by
SILVER ENGINE DIY PRICE: £849 GOLD ENGINE
Our basic engine: reground crank, new main, big This engine features everything
end/small end and cam brgs; new valves, springs, offered by the ‘Silver’ engine but
barrels, rings, pistons, oil pump, plugs, seals and with the addition of brand new
gaskets. Crack-tested heads and crankcase; cylinder heads, making this a
refaced flywheel and seats. nearly new engine.
DIY PRICE: £1025
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The same specification as the ‘Gold’ engine but this one also
These are high-performance alternatives, built to 1641cc. Assembled has a 009 distributor fitted.
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heads and a new 009 distributor. Built to run on unleaded
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DIY PRICE: £1,499 Built for performance in three engine sizes to New to our range of engines is The Mexico Range. This is an ALL NEW engine assembled with
suit your pocket. Please enquire for specifica- all new components. Every single part supplied in this engine is 100% new and built by
tion details of these engines. The Engine Shop in the UK. Supplied and test run with a distributor fitted and a full written
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New: main/big end bearings, valves, guides, springs, In exchange for your 1700/1800. Avoid the heavy costs of trying
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In exchange for your 2000. As above, fitted with 2·4 litre barrels/pistons and a fast road cam.
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All engines and gearbo
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Enjoy a coffee in our airy, for home rebuilds, etc.
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25
 Ready
for Axon
A lot of people dive in and find themselves out of their
depth when restoring a Bus. Ian Axon kept his Bay
on the road and restored it in bite-sized chunks
Words: James Peene Pics: Laurens Parsons

26 CAMPER&BUS

26-33 orange bay C&B Sep17.JP.indd 26 31/07/2017 09:32

 CAMPER&BUS 27

26-33 orange bay C&B Sep17.JP.indd 27 31/07/2017 09:33

 W
hen it comes to restoring old VWs
there are a couple of routes you can
take. Firstly, you can hand it over
to a specialist and get it back when
they say its ready. Which some customers find
hard to believe, can take any number of years
if they’re a quality restorer worth waiting for.
The second option is much more satisfying if
you have the time, the skills and the inclination,
and it’s where you do all, or as much of the
work yourself. Again, there are two ways to do
this. The first being you can simply take the
vehicle off the road to carry out all the work in
one big hit, whilst the second is to keep it on the
road and do a bit here and a bit there. A rolling
restoration, if you will.
For many, the second option is the way to go.
That’s because a rolling resto means you can
spread the costs of the repair / renovation work,
and that’s great, because let’s face it, you end
up shelling out quite a lot of your hard earned
when you’re dealing with rust, paint, interiors
and VW mechanicals. And, it also means you
can continue driving your Bus…
So many projects fall by the way side when a
vehicle comes off the road. Life gets in the way
and new commitments, like relationships and
children come along to snaffle up your time and
money. And when something has sat for a while,
you can forget why it was important in the first
place, so it just sits there, unfinished, until you
either pull your finger out, or decide to sell up.

Smart cookie
Suffice to say, Ian Axon, the owner of this ’73 did ▲ Orange and white
the smart thing, and took the latter approach. vinyl brings in the
outside inside. Interior
It took five long years to turn his Bus into the
is a modern take on the
vehicle he wanted, but it was worth the wait classic Devon layout
and he’s enjoyed every minute of it - the resto
process, and being able to use it in all that time.
Smart thinking.
Ian revealed: “I’ve always been into cars and
became a panel beater after school. I’ve always
had a passion for classic Volkswagens so my
partner, Paula rented a Bus for me on our first
anniversary, nine years ago. After that little
taste I just had to have one of my own.
“I bought this one from Canvey Island. I
spotted the advert for it on the Piston Heads web
site and contacted the owner, Paul Hennderson
(who still contacts me now from time-to-time to
see how it’s progressing). I drove two hours on
a weekday from West London to Canvey Island
to take a look, but I didn’t buy it there and then.
I went back on the Saturday morning with my
son, who was about seven at the time, and
Paula and made an offer. The rest is history.”
Having heard first-hand about Ian’s hire
experience, we’re surprised he ever went for a
Bus. It was in one of the last of the Brazilian-
built air-cooled Bays. It had been converted to
right-hand drive and had a near-deadly amount
of play in the steering, but he says: “This one
is nothing like that. It just felt/feels so solid on
the road. It came with the original first service
document from 1973 and a full history file.
“It had been painted at some point, but it had

28 CAMPER&BUS

26-33 orange bay C&B Sep17.JP.indd 28 31/07/2017 09:33

 “Worth the wait
and he’s enjoyed
every minute”
▲
Materials are
▲

much higher quality

than the unit it
replaced, but it retains
the olde worlde charm

26-33 orange bay C&B Sep17.JP.indd 29 31/07/2017 09:33

26-33 orange bay C&B Sep17.JP.indd 30 31/07/2017 09:33
 never been got at, so there were no half-arsed
repairs to deal with.
“The first owner had kept it for 30 years
and there was the original Waxoyl certificate
from new, which I think went a long way to
preserving the bodywork. It was absolutely
solid, with no welding to the sills or floors. It just
needed a battery tray and quarter repairs.
“I couldn’t even begin to calculate the total
number of hours I’ve spent working on it, other
than it’s five years and still going. I decided to
do it as a rolling restoration so I still had the
enjoyment of using it in the summer. The resto
work started after the first weekend in October,
right after the Brighton Breeze weekend.
“I’m of the opinion that you should do things
properly and do them once. Doing the work in
small chunks was key as I still got to enjoy using
the Bus and never lost interest in it.
“I had a sandblaster, so the Bus was stripped
to bare metal inside and out. Any areas that had
signs of corrosion were blasted and treated. It
was then etched and epoxy primed with two
pack materials. Once prepped it was painted
in water-based base coat and then lacquered in
two pack ceramic lacquer. It’s one of the hardest

“Do things properly

and do them once”
wearing lacquers you can buy, the trade cost of
all the paint and materials used was not to be
sniffed at.
“You can’t feel any line between the two
colours, as the final coats of lacquer covered
from the gutters to sills.
“The pop-top was also refurbished. The
cracked gel coat was removed, it was re-glassed
and I repaired all the cracked and damaged
areas and primed, prepped and repainted it all
myself.
“All of the window and door aperture rubbers
have been replaced, too. My suggestion is not
to mess around with reproduction ones. They
are a complete waste of time. Chris from The
Volkswagen Emporium supplied me with
original ones and everything now opens and
closes perfectly. Thank you Chris.
“I’ve recently had the complete front panel
and bumper wrapped in a clear paint protection
material. It comes with a ten year guarantee
and prevents stone chips to the front panel.
It’s a fantastic material that cannot be seen,
even when you know it’s been fitted. Anyone
interested should contact the guys at ProTech in
the Guildford / Ascot area. Dan, Scott and Andy
did such a great job and if you mention you’ve
seen this Bus, you may even get some discount.
“I like to know how things work. I did engines

CAMPER&BUS 31

26-33 orange bay C&B Sep17.JP.indd 31 31/07/2017 09:33

 as a teenager and my dad was a mechanic. The
1600 it came with was in a bad way, with loads
of parts missing and zero cooling. I took it out
and went through it, fitting high-lift rockers,
twin carbs and electronic ignition.
“I also had the gearbox, reconditioned by Paul
at Bears in Birmingham. It runs a 2-litre ring and
pinion so cruises at 65mph at approximately
3400 rpm. It makes such a difference.
“It was always going to be lowered and now
sits about 4 - 5-inches lower than stock. To
get it down it’s had the chassis notched, front
and back and I’ve fitted dropped spindles and
a 4-inch narrowed beam from Harry Harpics.
It’s got fully-adjustable Gaz shocks all round
and at the back there are Type 2 Detectives
adjustable spring plates, with Transporter House
boomerang brackets. From memory, I thinks it’s
down about one spline on the rear.

Custom, classic and retro

“I kept the original Devon interior right the way
through the project, but it’s now been removed
and sold to another VW owner.
“It was handed over to Tim and Vaughan at
Custom, Classic & Retro and I wanted some
resemblance to its original form. I didn’t want
a rock ’n’ roll bed either. The Devon bed is more
functional, as once the bed’s down, it’s down. We
just keep all the other gubbins over the engine.
“They used light oak and light oak veneer
throughout and it’s got a cooker, LED lighting
with spot lights, 240-volt hook up, a consumer
unit and an iPad mount for streaming TV.
“The Bus has only had five owners from new,
with me being one of them. I’ve now met all
but one of them. Some people describe me as
having OCD and I have to say, I am very fussy
when carrying out any work on it. I’m also in the
process of fitting a solar panel system. It clips
to the roof and should provide 200W of power.
It means we should be totally self sufficient and
won’t need a hook-up. And, it’s currently having
a 2110 engine being built by John Mayer Racing,
with many of the parts I’ve sourced from VW
shows that we’ve attended over the years.
“I’ve also purchased new front tubs so I can fit
the 17-inch polished Fuchs which I already have
and would love to get it on air all round.” Sounds
very much like a rolling resto that’s just going to
keep on rolling to us.

I’d like to thank…

Paula, for all the
late evenings and
weekends I didn’t
return home, Nial
Farrell for his help
and advice with the
panel work, Flora for
help with the paint
prep, Minkey for the
fantastic top coat and
Chef, who was with
me for many a night
and weekend.

26-33 orange bay C&B Sep17.JP.indd 32 31/07/2017 09:33

 “Doing the work in small
chunks was the key”
Good to go, literally.
▲
A 2110cc engine is on
the cards

CAMPER&BUS 33

26-33 orange bay C&B Sep17.JP.indd 33 31/07/2017 09:34

 vwdownunder.com

Hoping to sell...or looking to buy?

We can arrange both.
For some people, that camper sitting there in the garage has now become a rather expensive
nice-to-have toy and being honest, is not being used to it’s full potential. Or it might be an
investment that is now ready to be sold to somebody who is looking for that perfect bus.
Whatever the situation, at Down Under we have many years’ experience in both selling your
pride and joy or finding you your dream camper.

All it takes to get the wheels rolling is a simple call to us.

twitter.com/vwdownunder facebook.com/vwdownunder 01375 675550 • 07739 551217

 SAVE THE DATE!

www.volksworldshows.com
VolksWorld Show 2018 general ad.indd 1 26/07/2017 11:00
 Respecting your

Elders
Not just one, but two of the earliest Buses you’re ever
likely to see in Camper&Bus. This is how they got here
Words: Ben ‘Barndoor’ Laughton Pics: Mathew Dear

36-43 double ratty splits.JP.indd 36 30/07/2017 18:22

 I
n the 17 years since
production of the VW
Transporter officially
started in March 1950,
through to production
ceasing in July 1967 with
the introduction of the
Bay Window, close to
two million units were
produced. Of these,
just 117,901 were first
generation Barndoor Buses
built at the Wolfsburg
factory during the first five
years of production, with
their easily identifiable non-
peaked front roof and larger
engine lid.
Production figures started
36-43 double ratty splits.JP.indd 37
low and continually ramped
up through the years, with
just 8,112 units built in
1950, and a further 12,000
in 1951, making early
Barndoors pretty rare.
Most of these old
workhorses met their fate
long ago and so these two
survivors, both dating from
1951, are two of the oldest
Buses on the road today.
The ivory and orange Type
23A Kombi belongs to me,
and was built on 16 January
1951 and is the 10th oldest
Kombi known to exist in
the world. It was originally
sent to Portugal where it
was used by the ambulance
service before being sold
into private ownership. A
subsequent owner added
the orange paint to the top
half to break up the original
L62 Ivory paint in which it
left the factory. Nothing is
known of its life until the
early nineties, when it was
discovered languishing
in a wood in Portugal and
subsequently sold to a
collector in Scotland. It
remained largely untouched
until a German by the name
of Ben Rummel bought it in
2008, carrying out much of
the work needed to get it to
CAMPER&BUS 37
30/07/2017 18:23
 “I’m a sucker for OG
paint and the Bus had
been sympathetically
restored”

▲
The original motor is now
long gone, but a Mexican
1600 fills the gap nicely

Note the high

▲

Barndoor engine
shelf and lack of
rear window

Functional, rather
▲

than comfortable,
but cool all the same

36-43 double ratty splits.JP.indd 38 30/07/2017 18:23


how it is today, and driving
it to the VolksWorld Show
in 2010.
During the restoration
as much original metal as
possible was saved, and
the paint was left largely
untouched apart from some
sympathetic blending.
Cab and cargo floors were
replaced with year specific
KlassicFab items, as were
the early style doglegs,
and a lot of the bottom
6-inches needed new metal
to make it solid again. All
of the doors and decklid
are original to the Bus,
and early style lights and
a speedo were sourced by
Ben. The original non-rear
window was repaired by
Ben and was a feature of
Buses built in the first 12
months of production until
Volkswagen decided that
▲
It’s not like a Barndoor
has much in the way
of instrumentation, so
additional gauges have
been fitted to keep tabs
on the engine
36-43 double ratty splits.JP.indd 39
it might be useful to have
a little more vision. Rear
windows were introduced
to the range in April 1951.
Holy grail VW
I’ve sourced, bought,
restored and sold many
VWs over the years, but
turned my back on my
normal modus operandi
with this one because
finding a Bus of this age, in
any state is not easy and
I’d been looking for quite a
while. It was advertised on
thesamba.com but by the
time I rang Brendan, owner
of Holy Grail Garage, the
Kombi was already sold. In
fact, it had sold in under
an hour but Brendan said it
had gone to a good home:
“To a guy in the States who
knows the Bus well” was
exactly how he put it, and
I knew that could only be
the gentleman who had
originally purchased it from
Ben in Germany. The good
news was I’d dealt with him
in the past and still had his
number, so a quick call to
Richard confirmed that it
was back in his garage and,
since he owed me a favour
from our last dealings,
I asked if he’d be kind
enough to let me know if
it was ever available again.
His reply threw me a little
as he said he: “Wasn’t sure
why he’d bought it as what
he really wanted was a Type
25 Syncro.” He offered me
the Bus for exactly what
he’d just paid, but with
nowhere near the funds
available I needed to make
use of that favour yet again.
I offered him a pretty hefty
deposit, everything I could
lay my hands on using
credit cards and overdrafts,
and asked for as long as
possible to raise the rest.
He gave me three months
on the proviso that I lost my
deposit if I failed to come
up with the goods. Cue an
extremely concerned wife
and a slightly panicked
CAMPER&BUS 39
30/07/2017 18:23
 ▲ There’s a Spartan beauty to a
Barndoor dash. Just the instrument pod
and a panic handle for the passenger

▲
This is what Fill the fuel tank with
▲ ▲

conservation is all a hot engine underneath.

about. Original looking What were VW thinking?
up top, but totally solid
underneath. Fantastic
work all round

▲
No upholstery,
▲

but at least all the

hard to find seat
frames are there

40 CAMPER&BUS

36-43 double ratty splits.JP.indd 40 30/07/2017 18:24

 “As much original metal as possible was saved”
sale of parts and projects
including my RHD ’59
Samba that was halfway
through being built. I
pulled it off by the skin of
my teeth and the Bus was
mine in late 2014.
I’m a sucker for OG paint
and the Bus had been
sympathetically restored
so I had no plans to do a lot
to it, however the 2110cc
engine wasn’t running well
so it was replaced with a
Mexican 1600 engine with a
pair of 34 Webbers.
It’s lowered on T2D
adjustable spring plates at
the rear, and a custom built
4.5-inch narrowed beam
at the front, together with
dropped spindles, centre
pin steering and a raised
steering box. Shocks are
KYB all round. Brakes
come courtesy of Porsche
944 items at the front with
redrilled drums at the rear.
The Flat4 Fuchs it was
wearing have been swapped
for some rare 6x15 Remotec
rims wearing 165/50R15 and
165/80R15 tyres.
36-43 double ratty splits.JP.indd 41
Remotec made these
aftermarket Porsche rims in
1972 and only 500 wheels
were ever made in 5x130
bolt pattern.
I added extra gauges in
the cab to keep an eye on
revs, oil pressure and oil
temperature, and my good
friend Oli at Beetle Magic,
in Dorset, helped with
some paint blending for
me, which I’m thoroughly
chuffed with.
The coolest part of buying
this Bus was keeping it a a few miles from my house.
secret from my friends until Chris has rescued a number
I met them in Belgium on of early Barndoors from the
the way to LeBug Show at woods and forests of Europe
Spa in 2015. Their faces and runs MusclebusAuto,
were priceless as one by who for many years were
one they drove into the the sole UK importers of the
garage and saw me and Mo KlassicFab range of early
standing by the Kombi and Bus repair panels.
realised that not only was This original paint
the Bus no longer in the Standard wasn’t in
USA, but that we were now anywhere near this
the proud owners. condition when Chris first
The second of this pair bought it in June 2008.
of old-timers belongs to a Chris found it in Sweden,
good friend of mine, Chris in a sorry state, and dragged
Stoneham. This epic 1951 it back to the UK for a
Standard Microbus lives but sympathetic restoration.
30/07/2017 18:24
 “This kind of work
is easily as time
consuming as
carrying out a
full restoration”
It was originally supplied
in primer from the
factory, and like many VW
Transporters was then
dealer painted in the red
and white you see before
you for the first customer.
As well as wearing it’s
original paint and, “History
marks” (Chris’ fond term
for dents), the Bus also has
signwriting on the driver’s
door and a fleet number ‘9’
which dates from the first
Swedish owner and means
“Kramfors Ltd.”
It was always Chris’
42 CAMPER&BUS
36-43 double ratty splits.JP.indd 42
vision to retain as much
originality as possible with
the build and he’s managed
exactly that, but reckons
this kind of work is easily as
time consuming as carrying
out a full restoration.
The Bus has been fully
restored and painted
underneath, with
KlassicFab cab and cargo
floors installed, and also
all the usual lower 6-inch
stuff. Chris says the repair
panels cost him a little over
a grand, but the countless
hours over three years of
restoration would add up
to too big a number to bear
thinking about. He credits
his good friend Guy Kinder
with helping him out with
a lot of the work, both to
the body and mechanics,
although he did the paint
blending himself.
The mechanicals have all
been fully cleaned or rebuilt
and are, on the whole,
stock items. The beam
and gearbox are original
Barndoor items - the crash
first gear making it fun to
drive. All brakes, steering
30/07/2017 18:24
 and suspension are stock,
albeit with new brake lines
and components, and the
engine is a 1200cc item
from a ’55 Oval Beetle.
Wheels are Barndoor
Lemmerz 16-inch items
shod in Avon Tourist
Crossply tyres.
Inside, you’ll find a full
set of Standard Microbus
seats, the original front
having been recovered by
Mike at Fabrik.
The old girl still has most
of her interior headlining
and original interior panels
36-43 double ratty splits.JP.indd 43
too, as well as the rather
cool original lift up rear
cupboard found on Kombis
and Standards until the
end of February 1952 and
sadly now missing on most
early Buses - including my
own.
The interior is best
described as worn in, but
it really transports you
back to another time when
sitting inside. It even has
that instantly recognisable
old Volkswagen smell and
it’s a genuine pleasure to
be taken for a drive in such
a fantastic survivor.
Regrettably, Chris is
thinking of letting this
one go to fund some other
rare projects that he has
lined up, so if you fancy
owning this amazing piece
of history you can contact
him at musclebusauto@
gmail.com.
Thanks to: Andrew
Jeffery and Natalie Webb
at AJN SteelStock in
Henstridge, Somerset for
their hospitality and the
use of their busy site for
the photo shoot.
CAMPER&BUS 43
30/07/2017 18:24
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 Wheels
Actually they’re alloy, but the title works because the
owner of this ’69 Bay likes to DJ in his down time
Words: James Peene Pics: Dan Pullen
E
very now and then we
come across a vehicle
that has been owned
by an ex-military
man, or woman. It must be
something in their character
and training that makes them
look after their possessions,
because they are always well
preserved examples. Duncan
Farr’s Savannah Beige ’69 is
just such a vehicle. It still
46 CAMPER&BUS
46-52 Beige bay C&B Sep17.indd 46
of
proudly sports a bumper
sticker for McChord Air Force
Base, which is located in Pierce
County, Washington.
Putting two and two together
means it’s highly likely this
Bay belonged to someone who
at some time or another was
stationed there. It would be
equally cool to think that self
same service man (or woman)
was stationed in Europe at the
tail end of the ’60s, bought this
Bay whilst they were over there
and then shipped it home with
them when their tour ended.
We’ll never know for sure,
but what we can tell you is
Duncan’s Bay started life as
a Deluxe Microbus. It was
shipped over from Canada
around three years ago so has
obviously travelled around
quite a bit throughout its life.
31/07/2017 14:10
 Duncan works for Just
Kampers so is used to seeing
all manner of Buses pop in and
out. Pretty much everyone
who works there either owns,
drives or has a VW they’re
currently working on, and his
co-worker, Pete Dempsey is
busier than most.
We’ve known Pete for ages,
and have lost track of how
many old VWs he’s shipped
46-52 Beige bay C&B Sep17.indd 47
over and spannered on.
It was Pete who was tipped
off about this Bay and had
it shipped over for his wife,
Anita to use for her gardening
business.
Gardeners world?
The trouble is, and as we all
know, old Buses aren’t the
most user-friendly vehicles in
the winter, and Anita didn’t
like the windows fogging up
in the wet weather. It was also
a shame to carry tools and
clippings around in such a nice
old Bus, so the Bay was retired
from its gardening duties.
The Bus pretty much sat
around JK’s Odiham HQ for the
next year, but Duncan kept a
beady eye on it and asked Pete
if he could have first dibs if he
ever decided to sell it.
CAMPER&BUS 47
31/07/2017 14:11
 This is where playing the
long game paid off, because
Duncan says: “I wasn’t in a
rush to buy it, because the
longer Pete kept it, the more
work he did to it, meaning
there was less for me to do.
“I’ve worked at Just Kampers
for over five years, but until I
bought this one I hadn’t got
round to owning a Bus. I’ve
always wanted a Split but have
been priced out of the market.
“When Pete said he was
ready to sell this one, I just
thought, “Bollocks to it. I can’t
really afford it, but it will only
go up in value and it’s now or
never” so I got a loan out to pay
for it.”
Smart buy
▲ Passenger seat Duncan told us what he paid
is OEM spec, so for the Bus and although
the driver’s will be modesty prevents us from
recovered to match revealing exactly what that
at some point figure was, we think he landed
himself a really bargain.
Especially as much of the hard
work had already been carried
out by Pete.
As we’ve previously
mentioned, the Bus started out
with two rows of seats in the
back, but by the time Duncan
added his name to the log
▲
Bamboo parcel
shelves, Blaupunkt
radio, JK cup holders
and just out of shot,
a lucky unicorn
48 CAMPER&BUS
46-52 Beige bay C&B Sep17.indd 48
book these had made way for a
reproduction Westfalia interior.
These interiors were
something Just Kampers
were considering selling,
but the logistics of shipping
them out, and dealing with
countless questions from
baffled customers about fitting
them put the kybosh on all
that. They did however, have a
number of interiors made up,
and Pete fitted this one before
moving the Bus on.
Camp it up
As someone who has one
of these interiors waiting to
go inside his own Bus, I can
tell you they’re top quality
reproductions. They have
everything you’d expect to find
in a Westfalia Campmobile, but
it’s all brand new and nothing
is worn out or missing.
The unit nearest the sliding
door is a little different to one
from the ’70s, as it houses both
a two-burner hob and sink in
the top. It’s a real shame JK
decided not sell them because
we reckon they’d have a sure-
fire winner on their hands.
The yellow vinyl cushions
were bought online and are
good reproduction of the OE
31/07/2017 14:11
 “I wasn’t in a rush to buy it
because the longer Pete kept
it, the more work he did”

46-52 Beige bay C&B Sep17.indd 49 31/07/2017 14:11

 “It doesn’t bump, scrape or drive any differently
to how it came from the factory”

50 CAMPER&BUS

46-52 Beige bay C&B Sep17.indd 50 31/07/2017 14:11


Westy cushions.
On the subject of upholstery,
you’ll no doubt have noticed
that the front seats don’t quite
match. The two-tone brown
vinyl is different on the front
pews. The driver’s seat has
received some new upholstery
at some point in its life, which
is hardly surprising because
they always take a hammering,
on even the most well cared for
US import. It’s staying put for
now, but is due for replacement
when Duncan gets round to it.
Just do it
As Duncan put it, “I knew if
I left him to it, Pete would
do it, so he also addressed a
few bits of bodywork the Bus
needed before selling it to me.
Things like the front panel for
example. It had obviously had
some form of repair in the past
but it had been badly filled and
was weeping. This was cut out,
repaired and then blended in
and you’d have to look really
hard to spot where it was done.
“It also had a replacement
windscreen at some point,
because the one that’s in it
now has ‘Made in Mexico’
etched into it and there’s a new
46-52 Beige bay C&B Sep17.indd 51
▲ The only element
Duncan doesn’t like is
the cupboard blocking
the window, so this may
end being cut down
▲
rubber holding it in. Countless hours
“The steel wheels had with a Magic Sponge
brought the original
already been swapped for the
headliner back to life
replica Cosmics when it came
into the UK,” says Duncan,
“They’re in the small Late Bay
pattern because it has also
been converted to run Late Bay
disc brakes on the front.”
Staying up
When it comes to the
suspension and running gear,
Duncan says: “I don’t really like
the low, narrowed, slammed
look and because this Bus had
none of that, it was one of the
things that really drew me to
it. Pete always does things
properly, so although its been
lowered a touch, it doesn’t
bump, scrape or drive any
differently to how it came from
the factory.”
Scooting everything along
is a 1600 Beetle engine. What
happened to the original unit
has been lost in the sands of
time, but Duncan is more than
happy with it. The eagle-eyed
amongst you will no doubt
have spotted the tailpipes.
That’s right, we used the
plural, because there are two
on Duncan’s Bus. It’s running
31/07/2017 14:12
 a Beetle exhaust with two
bargain find NOS tailpipes. Of
those he says: “I know they’re
not correct, but they look cool
and I just love the noise they
make.” So who are we to argue
with that?
Wax on, wax off
▲ Clean enough to Although he bought a sorted,
eat your dinner off and ready to go Bus, don’t think
100% reliable so far for one moment that Duncan
didn’t get his hands dirty.
He says, “I used to be a
professional car valeter and
the Bus was really dirty when
I got it. Everyone at work knew
I’d go to town on it and I spent
the next four or five months
just cleaning it up and going
through it.
“I replaced all the door seals
- the cab, tailgate and sliding
door, and rather than just
sticking new ones in, I spent
ages cleaning out all the old
glue residue. I know I didn’t
need to, but I know it was
spotless in there before I glued
the new seals in.
“I also had to replace the
glass seal in the rear tailgate.
Whilst cleaning the window I
“Everyone at work knew
I’d go to town on it”
52 CAMPER&BUS
46-52 Beige bay C&B Sep17.indd 52
noticed it moving. You could
almost push the glass out. My
friend Alex from work and I
replaced it, but it was easier to
get the old one out than it was
to get the new one in. It’s in
there nice and tight now.
“I also spent an entire
weekend on my knees cleaning
out the engine but it was
worth it for how it came up.
And, I spent another weekend
squashed between the walk-
thru cleaning the metal
bulkheads the seats sit on and
getting high on thinners. The
rubber coverings had perished
and you could see all the old
glue. They look so good now
that they’re too nice to cover
up again, so I’ve decided to
leave the metalwork exposed.
“Pete didn’t see it for a
couple of months after I’d
bought it. I brought it to our
open day and he took one
look at it and just said, “You
bastard,” which I took as a
massive compliment.
Duncan’s only real plans now
are just to get out and enjoy
it. DJing and camping with his
lucky unicorn.
Stand by your van...
Duncan works for Just Kampers in
the export and despatch side of the
warehouse. When he’s not loading
containers to be sent all over the world he
likes to DJ. Hence the feature title. Old
school house and a love for mixing keep
him entertained and he’s planning to use
the Bay for some mobile DJ work soon.
31/07/2017 14:12
 Brand new FORD TRANSIT
Danbury
from £35,999 OTR
Used with new interiors
from £29,999*

www.danburymotorcaravans.com
01454 310 000
www.dan ravans.com
01454 31
*Based on 2014 model Ford Transit FUN 30,693 miles, Silver, raising roof, brand new interior.
 SHOP TOUR

Shop tour
IRV’S VW RESTORATIONS
Paul Irving turned his passion for air-cooled VWs into a highly
respected business, where quality comes as standard
Words Mark Walker Pics Rob Underwood

W
e first came to know about Irv’s
VW Restorations at the Volksworld
Show a couple of years ago.
Walking through the SSVC area,
we spied his sign-written Single Cab (which
we finally managed to feature last month) and
promptly fell in love. It’s rare, even for us to see
such high-quality restoration work and it was
right then, that we knew we’d one day be able to
bring you a feature on the main man, Paul Irving
and the company he started from scratch.

Hi Paul, how did you get started?

I’ve been in the body and paint business since
leaving school. I got into old VWs about 12 years
ago. I built a Bus and painted it in a lean-to.
It kept winning awards and lots of people just
encouraged me to set up in business.

So you turned a hobby into a business?

Pretty much. At the time, I was happy with my
job and wanted to keep VWs as my hobby, but
one Bus led to another and that to another

54 CAMPER&BUS

54-57 shop tour.indd 54 28/07/2017 19:45

 ▲ A customers
Barndoor getting
a buff, whilst
Irv’s 15-window
watches

It’s not just Split

▲
Buses at Irv’s. These
guys are just as
happy carrying out
localised repairs on
anything, and paint
blending, as this
Early Bay shows

and before I knew it I was managing three

people and building a reputation for restoring
Volkswagens and classic Porsches.

You seem to turn out a lot of Barndoors

That’s true. At the minute, there are quite a few CONTACT Tell us about that one
dotted around the place. My major passion is for
Split Screen and especially Barndoor Buses. I just
DETAILS It came over from Italy last year, and was all
original. It just needed an exterior repaint, which
love restoring them. IRV’S VW I carried out in Cellulose so the finish is more in
RESTORATIONS keeping with how it looked from the factory.
And yet you don’t seem to advertise much Sowerby Woods
Also true. Most of my work has come about due Business Park, Your knowledge and passion for what you do
to our reputation and through word of mouth. Sowerby Woods really shines through
I’ve been taking on work from as far afield as Industrial Estate, Thanks. I’ve been lucky enough to own and
Sweden, Denmark, Australia and California in Barrow-in-Furness, work on a lot of really cool Buses over the years.
recent times. LA14 4RF They’ve increased my understanding and my
expertise. I hope that doesn’t make me sound
You’ve owned quite a few Buses, yourself Tel: 01229 838499 like a know-it-all. I’m not, I just love what I do
Yeah, I’ve bought and also sold a lot of Buses, 07967 649129 and feel genuinely lucky to be in the position
and to some really far-flung places, too. This in I’m in today.
turn has lead to me being in the right place at Web: www.vwcamper
the right time, to buy my current vehicle, a ’52 vanrestorations.co.uk Tell us more about the business
15-window Deluxe. I’ve just moved into to larger premises and have

CAMPER&BUS 55

54-57 shop tour.indd 55 28/07/2017 19:45

 SHOP TOUR

▲ It’s the details that

make or break a resto

Paul and his crew

▲

also have a passion for

Hazet tools, like this
rare cabinet shows…

…and this Assistent,

▲

which is still earning

its keep

stepped up to seven staff members. We’re always
busy but that’s how we like it. It keeps it interesting.
What do people come to you for?
Restorations in the main, but we’re just as keen to
carry out small repairs and blend in the paint, which
we do in Cellulose. This is something we’re gaining
a really strong reputation for. We love the challenge
of blending in repair work and carrying it out to a
high standard. It’s something a lot of customers
come to us for these days, including people like
Alan Schofield, who brings Buses to us for exactly
this kind of service.
You do everything in-house?
Yes. We have an on-site paint mixing setup that
really helps for the paint blending. It means we
don’t have to rely on anyone else for a colour
match to an original paint sample. And if it’s a full
restoration you’ve come to us for, then we also
have full paint booth facilities, complete with a
low-bake oven.
We are a small, family run business staffed by
enthusiasts. We love what we do and understand
how much our customers love their vehicles, be
they Beetles, Campers, Porsches, whatever. We
enjoy working on them all. Our doors are always
open, too. So, if you want to pop in and check on
the progress of your project then you’re welcome.
We have over 15 years of experience and are happy
to sit down and discuss your requirements. All of
our work is guaranteed and we pride ourselves on
what we do and the attention to detail that goes
into everything we touch.

56 CAMPER&BUS

54-57 shop tour.indd 56 28/07/2017 19:45

 ▲ The office is full
of all kinds of cool
memorabilia

Paint booth and

▲

oven facilities sort

the professionals
from the fly-by-
nights

There’s always
▲

something of
interest at Irv’s
▲
Irv’s shop truck,
as featured in last
month’s issue

CAMPER&BUS 57

54-57 shop tour.indd 57 28/07/2017 19:46

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 ROAD TRIP Canada
Until the
road runs out
When you have so much natural beauty on your doorstep
there’s no better way to enjoy it than with an old VW Bus
Words & Pics: Mike Oliver
E
arly this past July, the three of
us – Michelle (my girlfriend),
Marigold (our 1975 Westfalia),
and I – left our downtown
Vancouver home via what I like to
call “the pretty way” – first through
Stanley Park, then up and over the
Lion’s Gate bridge, and onto the sea-
to-sky highway to catch our ferry at
Horseshoe Bay. It was our first proper
trip after a long winter of work,
rain and more rain and we needed
a break. After an 18 month, body-
off restoration, Marigold had never
looked prettier or run better, and by
July it was finally sunny and warm in
British Colombia. Even the weather
forecast looked good.
The views from the sea-to-sky were
spectacular: dozens of freighters
anchored in English Bay on our left
and the mountains touching the
clouds on our right, and as we paid for
our ferry tickets and lined up I could
already feel the stress and gloom of
city life starting to lift.
Although I’d finished the restoration
the summer before, work and travel
62 CAMPER&BUS
62-67 Road Trip.indd 62
and poor weather had prevented us
from using her for more than the odd
weekend trip, so this was our first real
test of how Marigold would perform.
I still to this day have vivid
memories of the very first time I
ever rode in a VW Bus – an early ’70s
Kombi a friend of my dad owned
when I was seven or eight years old. I
never really stopped loving them and
dreamt often of owning one. Not a
Vanagon, or even Split, for me, it had
to be a Bay.
When I first set eyes on Marigold
three years ago, she was slowing
sinking into a field on Vancouver
Island. She had moss covering the
roof, four flat tires, some poorly
painted flowers on her panels and
mice living in the seats. But, after a
closer inspection, I realized she had
hardly a speck of rust on her, that her
frame was as solid and straight as the
day she was built, and that everything
– everything – was intact, original,
and there. Hubcaps, sink, curtains
and even the side tent and luggage
cot were all tucked away inside her, so
28/07/2017 20:19
 after maybe an hour of thought, I paid Archipelago, Port Hardy and Cape
a couple of thousand cash for her and Scott.
then hired a local crew of VW experts On earlier trips, Michelle and I had
- Joseph, his son Zack, their body and been amazed at simply how much
paint guru Guillermo and a whole stuff we can tuck away in Marigold
motley crew of Kombi lovers who then and this trip was more proof of the
spent the next 18 months pouring same. Incredibly, our lovely old Bus
their time, love (and my money) into swallowed a Coleman stove, a hibachi,
realizing my goal of bringing Marigold a cooler, a mattress, all of our hiking
back to life. And not just back to life, gear, loads of books and maps and
but back to the way she looked the guides, fuel canisters, raincoats and
day she rolled off the boat and onto fleeces and hats and enough clothing
the docks in Nanaimo in November for two weeks away, sleeping bags
of 1975. and blankets for cold nights, pots
and pans and plates and cutlery,
Good as new camp chairs and towels and mats,
From the eight coats of Marino Yellow food for a week or more and iPads
paint to the new canvas, rubber, nuts and Bluetooth speakers for music
and bolts and a complete engine
overhaul, to the original Blaupunkt
radio and the brand-new, OEM
checkered upholstery and carpet,
when Joseph and his team were done
with Marigold she looked exactly like
I’d wanted. She was 100% stock, shiny
as heck, and simply perfect. And now,
at last, I realized as we pulled away
from shore with Marigold tucked
safely in the belly of the boat, this was
finally our chance to enjoy her as she
was meant to be.
For an old VW, on her first big trip,
we had planned a pretty ambitious
trip from Vancouver to Port Hardy,
the northern-most community on
Vancouver Island (and where the road
really does literally end).
Travelling north first up what our
provincial government (somewhat
optimistically) calls “the Sunshine
Coast” before taking a ferry over
to the east coast of the Island, and
then up the coastal roads all the way
to Telegraph Cove, the Broughton

62-67 Road Trip.indd 63 28/07/2017 20:19

 ROAD TRIP Canada
and even the odd movie to keep us
entertained if we got socked in by
weather at any point.
As a lifelong fan of Dr. Who,
Marigold reminds me of the Tardis,
given how tiny she seems and yet how
much room she has inside.
And so, on 7 July, we finally drove
off the ferry from Horseshoe Bay and
rolled into the town of Gibsons. We
still had the drive to Earl’s cove and
two more ferry rides ahead of us that
day, and with the weather starting
to deteriorate we stopped for a quick
lunch and headed north again.
Even making pretty good time, it
was well after dark before we pulled
into the campground at Saltery Bay.
The rain showers and patchy fog
added to the overall gloom and I was
doubly glad I’d installed a pair of OEM
fog lamps the week before we left.
Although the park office was closed
by the time we drove past, the Park
Ranger looked out of her cabin, saw
Marigold, and walked outside to greet
us, then proceeding to roll out the
proverbial red carpet for us, leading
us to a prime campsite, bringing us a
load of free firewood and then joining
64 CAMPER&BUS
62-67 Road Trip.indd 64
us for a glass of wine while she
regaled us with stories about the VW
Camper her parents had once owned,
the trips she’d taken with them in it,
and her career as a botanist/expert
in coastal flora and fauna. Tired and
cold, we didn’t bother with a fire that
night and instead, after Ranger Kat
left for home, we had a simple dinner
of cheese and crackers and wine..
When I woke up at 6 am the next
day, it was pouring rain and freezing
cold. The rain and sky hardly seemed
like a great omen, but Marigold
was cosy and dry inside, so I joined
Michelle back in the sleeping loft
and slept for a couple of hours only
to awaken later to find my girlfriend
brewing coffee for us, outside in
the sun as the last of the rainwater
dripped from the cedars and chunks
of gorgeous blue sky peeked down on
us through the forest.
Much to my amazement, not a
single leak had appeared through
the rooftop fabric, so after a quick
breakfast, we packed up and pushed
on, driving the hundred or so miles
North to Powell River, where we
boarded yet another ferry for the trip
28/07/2017 20:19
 across the Georgia Strait to Courtney,
a pretty little town on the East Coast
of the island.
Marigold had been running like a
Swiss watch so far, happily purring
along at 50(ish) mph, which is about
as fast as you would really want to
drive on the twisty, two-lane coastal
highways in BC anyway. In Powell
River, while we waited to board
the ferry, we checked out the boats
docked in the harbour and chatted
with couples young and old about
VWs – ones they’d owned, ones they
wished they’d never sold, and how
lovely ours is. I even had an offer to
buy her on the spot. Kids, especially,
seem entranced by the Bus. I love
giving them tours and telling them
where we sleep and that she was built
many years before they were born.
Dark ‘n’ stormy
As we boarded the ferry to Courtney
in conditions so windy and stormy
that the staff tied Marigold down, we
headed up to the lounge for a long,
bumpy ride across the Georgia Strait,
and by the time we’d landed, driven
off the ferry and on up the highway
to Elk Falls, the rain was gone and the
sun was out again.
Even without a reservation in
July, we managed to score the last
riverside campsite and pulled in just
62-67 Road Trip.indd 65
in time for dinner. BBQ Chicken,
bread, salad, wine – it all tasted even
better than usual, especially outside
at the picnic table under the trees.
Elk Falls campground was nice
enough, in fact, tucked away inside
a lovely forest and surrounded by
rivers, ponds and creeks, that we
stayed put for the next few days,
just hiking and exploring, reading
and playing cards and even – despite
the 40-something Celsius water
temperatures – washing in the river
and drying ourselves on the rocks.
Finally, after three days in Elk Falls,
we decided to make the last big trek
up the coast to Telegraph Cove. Long
ago it just another remote fishing
village on the vast and wild coast
of British Colombia, but the entire
little village has transformed into a
tourist destination, complete with
lovely old stilt houses now turned
into $400/night hotel rooms, pricey
pubs, souvenir shops selling the
usual knick-knacks and t-shirts, and
parking lots stuffed full of tour buses.
There is a lovely whale museum
in town, but a couple of hours there
convinced us to look elsewhere for
accommodation, so over a lunch of
fresh fish and chips, we broke out
the cell phone and managed to get a
room at an eco-resort called Hidden
Cove. With only 12 rooms, it isn’t very
big, but the seclusion, natural setting,
hot showers, fluffy beds and ocean
view from our room more than made
up for the couple of hundred bucks it
cost us, as did the all-you-could-eat
crab dinner we had that night outside
on their patio.
Over after-dinner drinks, I got
chatting with the affable owner of the
hotel and he recommended I got in
touch with a local guide by the name
of “Tyee Bill” to take us out fishing and
whale watching the next day. I did,
and after some negotiation Bill and I
reached a deal and - sure enough - at
CAMPER&BUS 65
28/07/2017 20:19
 ROAD TRIP Canada
noon the following day he pulled up
to the resort dock in a 30-foot, 30-
year old Uniflite cabin cruiser. When
he told me I didn’t need to bother to
put out my cigarette before I climbed
onto the boat, I had a feeling we’d
get along fine. Best of all, we were
his only clients that day, so instead
of being crammed into a typical RIB
with 25 or 30 other people, we had Bill
and his boat all to ourselves. As we
cruised out of the cove and into the
channel, the day was typical of that
part of the coast - misty and rainy
and truly untamed. Bill, one eye on
the radar, filled us in on his 35 years
as a fishing guide, environmental
activist, and local fixture on the BC
coast who lived on board all summer
and spent winters fishing for fun
in the southwestern USA. He also
– judging by the radio traffic on his
VHF – seemed to be something of
an expert in the local marine life, a
feeling confirmed when he later gave
me a copy of a book he’d written on
the changes he’d seen to that part of
the world since he first started fishing
as a 14-year old boy.
Local hero
I stood on the back deck in the
rain and spray as Bill pushed us in
amongst the many channels and
inlets and rocky points of land that
make up the Broughton Group. It
was grey and cold and misty as Bill
told us that not a single Orca had
been spotted that season yet, but that
they should be due in any day and
we should keep our eyes peeled. And
then, after about an hour and a half,
I sensed rather than saw something
to my left. Hesitating for a moment,
if only to be sure, I looked long and
hard and finally shouted “10 o’clock!,”
for incredibly, I saw a massive spout
of water blow into the air and then
62-67 Road Trip.indd 66
a second one right behind the first,
and as Bill turned his boat slowly to
port, I saw the unmistakable black
and white backs and dorsal fins of
two Orcas and then two more, and
two more, until finally six or seven
enormous Orcas surfaced as one
and - travelling at speed – proceeded
to blow water 50 feet high from their
blowholes.
“Biggs,” Bill correctly called them –
transient whales instead of residents.
Totally carnivorous, Biggs travel
thousands of miles a year in search of
prey, eating as they move from south
to north and back again each year.
As we cautiously drew ever closer
to them, travelling in parallel, we
counted a total of seven animals: One
enormous bull, two mature females,
and four juveniles.
Then – as we watched them
carefully, engines idling now – the
bull dove deep and we watched the
rest follow him down.
I was disappointed as we looked
high and low for them until suddenly
– and not more than a hundred yards
in front of us – the Bull came hurtling
back up at full speed and leapt right
out of the water – all 1,000+ pounds
of him - and with a big brown seal
perched on his snout this time, which
he then tossed forward through the
air like Tom Brady passing a football
to one of his wide receivers.
That kind of speed and power is
simply astonishing to think of, let
alone witness. And then, in what
seemed like only a matter of seconds,
the pod of Orcas played with the
seal like a toy before eventually
consuming it completely. Quickly,
mercilessly, and with a great deal
of blood floating on the surface of
the water, the Biggs ate their dinner
and moved on, leaving us full of
28/07/2017 20:19
 adrenaline, goosebumps on our arms,
and memories to last us a lifetime.
By then, we were almost halfway
into our trip, so after Bill dropped us
off at Hidden Cove, we had another
lovely seafood dinner al fresco and
turned in early.
The next morning, we made
the quick drive up to Port Hardy
(the northernmost community on
Vancouver Island, the literal end
of the road, and not a place worth
lingering for long). Then, we turned
Marigold south for the first time in
over a week.
Stopping off again in Campbell
river, we stocked up on supplies, and
I managed to find a replacement
headlight at the local Canadian Tire
(for all of $19) and replaced it myself
in the parking lot with the help of the
original owners’ manual and two or
three locals who’d gathered to watch,
talk VWs and offer advice.
After 20 minutes trying to find
the right size screwdriver, the actual
replacement work took me all of five
minutes and we were off once again
– this time to Brown’s Bay - our first
ever stay in a true “RV park” complete
with shower rooms, gas grills, a
waterfront hot-tub, greenhouse and
clubhouse with pool table and - best
of all – an entire row of campsites
strung along a cliff about 150-200
feet above the Johnstone strait (the
narrowest stretch of water between
HAD A
COOL TRIP IN Vancouver Island and the BC
YOUR BUS? Mainland).
To share with us simply
send half a dozen pics with
a few words explaining Minds blown
why it was so great to The views were mind-blowing to say
camperandbus.ed the least, as was the sight (before we’d
@kelsey.co.uk even finished setting up for the night)
of not one but two Humpback whales
surfacing no more than 30 feet from
the rocky shoreline far below.
Residents to the bay, they were
a young brother and sister and
we spent many hours sitting and
watching them while we relaxed
at our site, sipped the odd whisky,
worked on our tans and lost ourselves
in our books.
Almost as wondrous to see as
the resident humpbacks were the
dozens of eagles that flew right by
us – almost close enough to touch
and certainly close enough to watch
as they made the many minute wing
feather adjustments these gorgeous
creatures use in order to stay aloft
with a minimum of effort.
I’ve travelled a great deal since I
was quite young, and quite honestly
I cannot think of too many other
places on earth that offer the same
62-67 Road Trip.indd 67
incredible combination of ocean and
mountain views, untouched beaches
and secluded coves, salmon, seals,
whales, bears and eagles, and that
night as we got ready to turn in and
the stars started to appear one by
one, I couldn’t have imagined a place
I’d rather be, or a home I’d rather
have.
Our vacation now starting to wind
down, we drove south from Brown’s
Bay to Courtney/Comox and scored
the last beach front spot in Kitty
Coleman Provincial Park, one with an
unobstructed view of the ocean and
beach.
Dozens of enormous 400 and
500-year-old western red cedars
sheltered our campsite, and although
we were dwarfed yet again by 35 and
40-foot long RVs with TVs, central
vacuum systems, air conditioning,
Marigold once again drew yet another
crowd of admirers, and before long
we were setup with a group of
friendly folks by a campfire on the
beach, drinking red wine and talking
to people from Texas to California to
Newfoundland to Montreal.
We were well into the travel/
camping groove by then, hiking
through the forests to some of the
last remaining old growth groves on
the island, making long slow meals
and never once checking our email or
messages.
Before leaving Kitty Coleman, we
even toured a lavender farm (where
a wedding party wanted to use
Marigold as a photo backdrop), went
for a final swim in the sea (I did,
anyway since Michelle tends to prefer
slightly less arctic water temps), and
finally headed home to Vancouver,
with its glass and steel skyscrapers,
noise, traffic, and exotic cars parked
on every corner. But, truly, without
a single doubt, I wouldn’t trade
Marigold for a brand-new Ferrari or
Lamborghini. She is our escape pod,
our Zen, our home in the woods, and
our humble homage to a simpler
time. And, for me at least – Marigold
is the realization of a dream I’ve had
since I was a little boy.
Incredibly – and despite some of
horror stories I’ve heard about older
VWs - our little yellow Bus managed
the entire two week, 1,500 km round-
trip without complaint.
No matter where we choose to
travel next – be it Haida Gwaii, the
mountains east of Kamloops, or even
Washington State and Oregon, I have
the feeling Marigold is ready and
willing and able to take us there, in
style and comfort.
CAMPER&BUS 67
28/07/2017 20:20
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 SHOW REPORT

th A nnual
JK 10
Day
es and more.

Open
VWs, parts, movi t cause, too
And all for a grea Steve Gosling
Reynolds Pics
Words: Josh

ars have
g. Previous ye
lp ed ye ars’ gatherin ng w it h th e rain
ne w ho do nated and he se en th em contendi ei r 10 th
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T
ov er at Ju st Kampers ra is e a to ai l an
he team them am 28° an
d their best edominantly event it was , and made
have just ha ng Since JK is pr gr ea t to have the t ca m ping weather
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order busine
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ever Open D is ed w el l at fa ce -t o-face with th e ou td oor cinema in
d ra chance to ch e sheer
Weekend, an arch UK well as see th enjoyable.
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over £1 0, 00 0 fo th st K am pe rs . Every
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in the proc ity fund e we pay them
a visit Smokey and rday night’s
film
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The JK Open 0% of th e money tim ay s gr ow n, and it wasn’ hu ge ly w as al so
t, and 10 has alw ith. nies, which
raising even (and all to start w was The Goo
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70-73 JK open day sep17.indd 70 27/07/2017 09:41

l

CAMPER&BUS 71

70-73 JK open day sep17.indd 71 27/07/2017 09:41

 SHOW REPORT

72 CAMPER&BUS

70-73 JK open day sep17.indd 72 27/07/2017 09:42

 a
e cinema was
really cool. Th it ’s de finitely
s, so
huge succes to
ey’re planning
something th
do again.
JK Open Day
Overall, the t,
re al ly chilled ou
is always a ay, w he re
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cheap weeke ders
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forward to se e.
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CAMPER&BUS 73

70-73 JK open day sep17.indd 73 27/07/2017 09:42

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 SHOW REPORT

DTA Red Lion

Pub chat and air-cooled

Volkswagens? Count us in
Words: James Peene Pics Bullymeister

76 CAMPER&BUS

76-79 DTA Show report.indd 76 31/07/2017 15:03

 T
hey say it’s the simple
things in life that make us
happiest, and there are few
pleasures in life as simple as
driving your VW to a pub on a sunny
evening for a pint and the chance to talk
air-cooled VWs.
The DTA is a Midland’s based VW
club who think the same. They used to
hold monthly club meets, but you know
how it goes, the weather becomes a
little colder and darker and the cars get
mothballed for the winter.
Added to which, girlfriends,
boyfriends, kids, work and so on take up
more of your time and fewer and fewer
people come along, until eventually the
regular meet ups just fizzle out.
That’s how it went for the DTA, and
the last time we reported on them in the
mag was 2014, after their fabulous

CAMPER&BUS 77

76-79 DTA Show report.indd 77 31/07/2017 15:03

 SHOW REPORT

end of season get together.

Well, they’re back on with their
monthly meet ups and the first was
recently held at The Red Lion pub in
Earlswood, in Solihull.
As you can see from the
pictures, it was a welcome return
for everyone who made the effort to
join them.
Some of the coolest Beetles, Buses
and air-cooled Porsches in the area
popped along, so there was something
for all tastes.
True, there’s no denying that
slammed and patina rides were in the
majority, but that’s just how it went
that evening.
The great thing about a monthly
get together is you never know who
or what is going to turn up, so every
month is different.
More info about the next Red Lion
meet can be found on the DTA’s
website at www. dtavw.com

78 CAMPER&BUS

76-79 DTA Show report.indd 78 31/07/2017 15:03

 CAMPER&BUS 79

76-79 DTA Show report.indd 79 31/07/2017 15:03


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 VW RETRO

Hans Klapp
INSPECT YOUR GADGET
Still on the theme of looking after your Volkswagen,
Klapp looks at how VW did it, back in the day
Words Hans Klapp Pics Volkswagen archive

“A
WHO IS car is only as good as its service.”
HANS? Those were Volkswagen’s own words
in a Bay Window brochure sent to
Our man Hans dealerships in the early ’70s. “Every
is the expert’s VW Service outlet (and there are 9029 of them the
expert. He was world over) is now in a position to give your VW
at Hanover in Commercial a check up of almost medical efficiency.
the glory years. This is how it works.”
Think of him as “Your VW Commercial is placed on a stand, which
a German Uncle is fitted with the very latest in the way of technical
Albert, albeit gadgetry. There, over 50 different functions are
one you want checked by a test mechanic. A number of dials,
to listen to gauges and diagrams show just what sort of shape
when he starts your VW Commercial is in.
talking VWs “On the basis of this information, he produces a
condition report. This shows just what repairs you’d
better have done soon before things start getting
expensive, or even dangerous. No work is done
which isn’t necessary. And that’s all you pay for.
“What does this diagnosis cost? A lot less than it
saves you. And if you buy a new VW Commercial,
you get five diagnoses free, which is the equivalent
of 24,000 miles, or once around the world without
a care.”
Of course, the technical gadgetry to which I refer
would be viewed as possitively archaic today. It was
nothing like as sophisticated as VAGcom to which
any home mechanic with a laptop, the software and
appropriate cable has access to today.
From 1969, every new Volkswagen was fitted with
a computer test socket that enabled vital parts of
the vehicle to be tested automatically.
Before every VW was serviced, it would be
connected to a computer in the diagnosis bay and
over 80 separate checks would be carried out on
the main components.
The results of all these tests would be delivered
on a print out, and they would determine exactly
what manner of work was to come. This sort of
system is commonplace now, but back then,
working in this manner saved a great deal of time,
and therefore money. Also, using machines to

82 CAMPER&BUS

82-83 Klapp.JP.indd 82 30/07/2017 18:27

 identify faults removed some of the human error
and helped avoid unnecessary work. And these
savings were passed onto customers.
You’re probably thinking this was just a marketing
gimmick to lure in nervous punters, but you would
be wrong, very wrong. When VW rolled it out
across their entire service network they took it very
seriously indeed. As did the staff who were trained
to work under its umbrella. I certainly discovered
to my cost the dangers of calling a VW-trained
‘Diagnostician’ a mechanic, a mistake I didn’t make
again in a hurry.
Tooled up
Volkswagen referred to its new service as VW
Diagnosis, but it was also common to hear it
referred to as Medi-Car over on the other side
of the Atlantic. The marketing bumf we dished
out to them waxed lyrical about the new service
departments thus: “They’re equipped with highly
sensitive electronic instruments, like oscilloscopes
and stroboscopic timing devices. And with men
who’ve been specially trained to use them, VW
Diagnosticians.
“Together, our men and machines can learn just
about everything concerning the condition of your
machine. And spot little problems before they
become big. And expensive. Because if your VW
has bugs in it, even if they’re little bugs, they can
affect the car’s performance.
“For example, maybe the compression in
82-83 Klapp.JP.indd 83
▲ On the lift and
ready for inspection
Ever wondered
▲
what that weird
plug is for in your
engine bay? Now
you know
one of the cylinders is off by as little as 7%. It
doesn’t sound like much, but it can reduce your
gas mileage. And cause your spark plugs to foul.
Luckily, our diagnosis instruments can detect
compression deficiencies much lower than that. So
VW owners shouldn’t have much to worry about.
Which, of course, is the general idea.”
Before it even left the bosom of the factory, an
air-cooled Volkswagen, such as any and all of those
sprinkled around these pages, would have been
through 8,655 different inspections.
And then, of course, you already knew that all
new Volkswagens came with a two-year, 24,000-
mile warranty as standard so, should something
catastrophic happen – and, believe it or not, it did
from time to time – you could rely on VW to fix your
VW for you, fast.
Yes, that’s right. Despite the introduction of all
this newfangled gadgetry, you could still expect
the same level of exemplary VW service as ever,
as my final dip into the archive this month exudes:
“The new Commercial still has the same good old
service. With a dense network of service points.
And the good old system of sensible prices for
repairs.
“And you still get your VW Commercial back in
double quick time should anything go wrong with
it, because all VW workshops have a good supply of
all the most important original spares. For the new
VW Commercial and for the old one.
It ended, “Why should we change good old
traditions just because we’ve brought out a new
Commercial?” Why indeed?
CAMPER&BUS 83
30/07/2017 18:27
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 HOW TO

Patina Preservation This month, we look at how to preserve the thin, faded and sun
bleached paint on your OG VW. It takes a lot of effort you know
Words and pics James Peene

JOB INFO
TOOLS
USED
Bucket
Microfibre cloths
Lots of elbow grease

MATERIALS
USED
Water
Car shampoo
Various polishes

SKILL LEVEL
12 345

TIME
TAKEN
4 hours

COST
DIY: £50 on
different waxes

P
eople who drive original paint,
or patina Buses are often seen
as lazy, uncaring beasts. “Why
don’t you paint it?” is the usual
cry from the naysayers. Because, it’s only
original once is the answer. Each and
every spot of thin, sun kissed paint is
unique to that particular vehicle. It takes
50 years or so of basking in the hot, hot
sun to create a finish like those seen on
these pages, and when you paint over
history like this, it’s gone forever.
However, take it from someone who
knows, it takes a good deal more effort
to keep a patina Bus in tip-top shape
than it does a VW with coats of fresh
shiny paint.
The burning question is what do you
use to protect ancient bodywork when
the paint has been burnt off and no
longer up to the task? Well, trial and
error and personal preference.
There are so many different paint
restorers, polishes and waxes on the
market that we simply haven’t the room
to go into them all here. So, if we’ve
missed the brand you’ve been raving
about, we’re sorry. Simply write in and
share it with us and we’ll give it a whirl.
We’re also sorry that we’ve used a
Beetle, rather than a Bus in this article.
The simple reason being the vehicle
we were all set to use was off the road
when we needed it. Volkswagens eh?
We were booked in for a day at The
Autoglym Academy to see how they
would go about protecting a vehicle
with next to no paint from the elements.
With my Bus unable to make it, I at least
kept it in the VW family and used my
Cali-import ’66 Beetle, and suffice to
say, my old patina VW presented them
with a number of challenges they hadn’t
come up against before. After all,
they’re used to polishing cars with paint.

86 CAMPER&BUS

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 03 Rapid Aqua Wax
As I didn’t want a super shiny finish to my paint (I just
01 First assessment
With the test subject in the booth, the Autoglym boys
want it preserved and sealed) the first product we tried was
Rapid Aqua Wax. I don’t get a huge kick out of cleaning cars,
were able to take a good look round it. These guys are used so the fact that it’s a quick one-shot job really appealed to
to making supercars and ambassadorial vehicles gleam, so my me. You simply spray a bit onto each panel and wipe off with
little VW would be a cake walk, right? Wrong. Paint is applied a microfibre cloth, removing the excess water and leaving
to vehicles to protect the steel from the elements. Its thickness behind a coating of carnuba wax. It’s that simple.
is measured in microns, with one micron being equivalent to
one thousandth of a millimetre. On a modern car finish the
paint is comprised of three layers: primer, base colour coat
and clear coat/ lacquer. Modern cars have a total thickness of
between 67 and 198 microns. We didn’t need to measure the
thickness here because there really isn’t that much paint left.
We’d need to go carefully if we didn’t want to remove any
more of the remaining Ruby Red.

02 Wash
As you would at home, the
first step is to give your VW a
thorough wash. This is necessary
to remove all the road grime,
dirt and contaminants that stick
to you paint, and could cause

04 Extra Gloss Protection

further damage to the surface
if you tried to polish them in to
the paint. We thought they’d use
some fancy high-concentrate
industrial strength cleaning product, but in actual fact it was
regular Autoglym Bodywork Shampoo. You can buy it pretty
much anywhere and it often comes in the kit you get when you
buy a new car. It smells nice, too.
As they worked round my car you could see the
difference a little moisture makes. The thin paint soaks it in
like a sponge, and because there are also patches of bare
metal, we made the decision to give it an additional layer of
protection. This time, Autoglym Extra Gloss Protection. This is
applied to dry bodywork with an applicator, allowed to dry and
then buffed off.

CAMPER&BUS 87

086-89 How to sep17.indd 87 27/07/2017 09:50

 HOW TO
05 Too much?
However, it was
felt that the Extra Gloss
Protection gave too
much of a shine to the
paint, so whilst I went to
lunch, it was removed so
we could try something
that would create more
of a matte finish. We
decided Super Resin Polish would be just the ticket. Again, it
is applied using an applicator pad to dry bodywork and then
buffed off, once dry. This provided a more matte finish and was
exactly what we were hoping to achieve.
06 Detailing
With the bodywork looking so spick and span, there were
a few areas that let the side down. Like the ancient residue
from a long gone sticker on the rear bumper. Autoglym Tar
Remover and a bit of elbow grease soon dealt with that.
07 Tyres
I don’t really go in for cleaning
my tyres. A quick spray with the hose
usually suffices, but the Autoglym
boys wanted to use their latest High
Performance Tyre Gel. They’re of the
opinion that super clean tyres and
windows really lift a cars appearance
and they weren’t wrong. Better still,
it doesn’t matter if you get any on
your wheels as the excess just wipes
off. Super black tyres really do make
a difference to a car’s appearance,
and this stuff lasted far longer than I
expected, too.
88 CAMPER&BUS
086-89 How to sep17.indd 88
08 Rubber trim
We also decided to give the running boards a bit of a
birthday. They were looking dry and dull, but a quick wipe over
with some Bumper & Trim Gel breathed new life into them. I
imagine it’ll work a treat on the front cab step of my Early Bay.
09 Glass
I usually give
my glass a quick
rub over with the
chamois. As long
as there are no
streaks I’m happy,
but proper glass
cleaner made a
much better job
of things.
10 AA day
good day’s work
at the academy had worked wonders for my old ’66.
It looked a whole world better than it did upon arrival and better
yet, now had a proper layer of protection against the elements.
11 What happened next?
I drive my old VWs a lot, and whilst
my Bus was away being lowered the Beetle
was pressed into daily service. Living pretty
much outside all that time. I did keep
on top of keeping it clean. Washing and
then retreating with the Rapid Aqua Wax
from Step 3, because I was able to pinch
the bottle from my girlfriend’s new car
pack from Audi. To be fair, the paint would have fared better
with more regular washing, and no doubt using the Super
Resin Polish from Step 5. However, I don’t want to find myself
polishing either of my patina VWs so often, so decided to try a
few other products. As you can see, at this point the paint was
fairly flat and there were water marks in it.
27/07/2017 09:50
 12 Collinite Metal Wax
I’ve always sworn by this stuff. It’s a heavy
duty boat wax I used to use on my old beige
Microbus. It lasts for ages and provides a really
good protective coating of wax. However, I
don’t think it agreed with the faded Ruby Red
paint on my Beetle. I simply found it left too
many swirl marks for my liking, so decided to
give something else a go.

15 Go carefully
The problem with a job like this isn’t the polish but the
paint I was applying it too. Because a patina surface is full of
tiny ridges and troughs you end up with a milky, white finish.
This is actually the polish sitting in the troughs. If you want
to get rid of the white you have to polish until the surface is
smooth and that’s when you end up removing layers of top
coat. Not ideal if it’s as thin as it is on my car. Polishing out the
ridges was easy on this panel as there was enough paint to go
at it without rubbing through to the primer.

13 Auto Smart and Karly Wax

I had tubs of these to try out, but once again I found the
test areas I tried it on were left with a swirly finish. I couldn’t
buff too hard either as I could see it was bringing some of the
Ruby Red topcoat with it. This is why it’s always a smart idea to
try new products on inconspicuous test areas. There’s nothing
wrong with either of these products, it’s just they weren’t suited
to my particular application.

16 Know when to stop

On some panels the paint is just two thin to work it
without removing more of the topcoat. Go carefully and know
when to call it a day. The more paint your VW has the better.

17 Accept it for what it is

14 G3 Professional Paint Renovator / Resin Superwax
I decided to pop to Halfords to see if they had anything
and ended up buying some G3 Paint Renovator. I was really
impressed with this. It immediately removed all the swirl marks
from the topcoat and created a nice shine.
Two days of cleaning and experimenting with different
waxes resulted in a finish that was a vast improvement over
what I started with. The water and swirl marks have been
removed and the car has a bit of a shine. Better still, it beads
up in the wet, so I know it has a layer of protection from the
elements. Ultimately, if you buy a patina car you need to
accept this is how it will look. Anything you put on it will affect
the finish that attracted you to it in the first place and the only
sure fire way to prevent it from deteriorating further is to keep
it garaged and use it sparingly. But where’s the fun in that?

CAMPER&BUS 89

086-89 How to sep17.indd 89 27/07/2017 09:51

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 EDITOR’S COMMENT

And finally...
Why Mother Nature has a hand in all the best paint jobs

B
If you’re into old Buses it
▲
efore you say it, I know this is a VW Bus
mag, but there’s a reason my Beetle has makes sense to have a back-
up VW, just in case. A Beetle
snuck in a couple of times this month. is just as easy to maintain.
Firstly, as you’ll have read from the intro in Even the paint. Honestly
the how to feature, when the time came to
produce that article, my Bay was away being
lowered. Actually, if I feel like being pedantic
(and I do) it was stuck on a lift as I waited for
the correct parts to be sent out, but essentially
it was out of action and so my equally patina’d
Beetle stepped in at the last minute.
And secondly, it’s the perfect way to
illustrate a topic that’s come up a number of
times this month - odd patina.
As you can see from this picture, my
otherwise 100% original and very patina’d
California import has a rear wing that started
life painted L518 Java Green. The rest of
the car is L456 Ruby Red, it has never been
involved in an accident and the wing has the
same level of fade and sunburn as the rest of
the car, so I’m led to believe it’s been on the
car since it left the factory. So how the heck do
I account for the green under the red?
Now, this is one of those things I’ve heard
a number of times, and it sounds feasible to
me. Apparently, if a VW was damaged on the
assembly line, a replacement panel was simply
grabbed from further down the line and if it
was the wrong colour, it was painted to match
and popped on. No one would be any the
wiser. Fifty years of basking in the California
sun later and you’ve got some funky patina on
your hands, not all of which makes sense.
Our old project Bus, the Panzerfaust still
sports a sliding door track with Montana Red
peeping through the factory applied beige top
coat, and I’ve seen similar patina on a number
of other unrestored Volkswagens, so it all
makes sense, unless you know otherwise.
Unlike patina cars to a lot of folks. I’ve said
it before, but I couldn’t even begin to tell you
how many people I’ve amazed when I’ve told
them my VWs are finished. “Nope. It’s taken
50 years to look like this, so why would I want
to go and do something silly, like paint it?”
If I did that all my old
Volkswagens would look
like everyone elses, and
where’s the fun in that?
Talking of fun, I’ve just
realised the MoT has run
NEXT
out on my Bay, so there’ll James Peene, ISSUE
be more of that next time. Editor ON SALE
08.09.17
98 CAMPER&BUS

98 and finally.JP sep17.indd 98 27/07/2017 10:04

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