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Tue Feb 13, 2007 2:14 pm

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Code: [url=https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=215005&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=]Sportsmobilers Unite! FAQ[/url]

I was wondering how many of you have the Sportsmobile conversion on your Bays? I'm interested in comparing options, seeing interior photos, etc. There doesn't seem to be much that I've found yet searching on Sportsmobiles, and I'd like to compile a list of info. I've been toying with a Ratwell style website as well, as I work on my restoration. Mine is a 1978, and the interior seems to look like Teri Hatcher's bus shots on the Barbara Walters video stills. For any one in the Vallejo, CA/San Fran area, mine was purchased at Oliver Volkswagen in Vallejo on March 4, 1979...according to my original Warranty & Maintenance book still in the van! Feel free to post all of your pics, share your info, or send me a link to where they're at! I plan on reposting my interior pics in my gallery, as they were wiped out in the crash.
Thanks!

Tue Feb 13, 2007 7:47 pm

Another sporty!

I have a 69 Sporty and would post pic's of the interior on the reply if I knew how. check my profile (a couple pics there).
Not much on the interior just a freezer box that I need to restore and fold down table.
pretty basic interior.
My guess would be the sporty was the cheep mans westy of the day (as far as interior goes)
I havent seen one with much in it...........yet..........

Tue Feb 13, 2007 8:22 pm

Nice looking camper jabbersword! I posted some pics to my gallery. This pic should give a good idea of my interior. Plugged in the bus to the outside electrical hookup tonight, plugged in the Norcold refrigerator, and it appears to work! At least it made noise like it was working. I didn't keep it on long enough to see if it got cold. I posted a pic of Teri Hatcher's bus's interior for comparison...unfortunately, she's not in my bus! :D Note the similarities of the cabinet facing:

Any other Sportsmobilers out there?? :D

Tue Feb 13, 2007 9:06 pm

Mine is a 72 Sportmobile. I don't have any pictures of the interior. There is an icebox sink combo attached to the back of the passenger's seat and a small box stove that doubles as a seat behind the driver's seat.

Thu Feb 22, 2007 2:34 pm

here's my '68. it has a completely custom made interior built by the previous owner (now in his late 80s) in the late '70s. the 2nd owner, he purchased the bus in late '78 from the original owner. i'm not sure if it had already been converted or he had it converted after he bought it. i'll have to ask next time i talk to him.

aside from the pop top option (standing room only v penthouse) offered by sportsmobile, i've noticed several different style penthouse tops on the sportsmobile, some with the roof lifts outside, some with it inside, and some tops seem sleek and thin and some boxy and thick. was it a year-of-conversion thing, or did one have a choice of the style of top available for a bay any given year? also, i've noticed that most have canvas tents, where the tent on my '68 is made of heavy vinyl.

awesome info in this brochure if you havent' seen it. has all the optional equipment and what came standard or optional on the panel, kombi, or station wagen-based conversion. http://www.baywindowbus.com/sportmobilebrochure.htm

Fri Feb 23, 2007 6:59 am

allthewayalive wrote: here's my '68. it has a completely custom made interior built by the previous owner (now in his late 80s) in the late '70s. the 2nd owner, he purchased the bus in late '78 from the original owner. i'm not sure if it had already been converted or he had it converted after he bought it. i'll have to ask next time i talk to him.

aside from the pop top option (standing room only v penthouse) offered by sportsmobile, i've noticed several different style penthouse tops on the sportsmobile, some with the roof lifts outside, some with it inside, and some tops seem sleek and thin and some boxy and thick. was it a year-of-conversion thing, or did one have a choice of the style of top available for a bay any given year? also, i've noticed that most have canvas tents, where the tent on my '68 is made of heavy vinyl.

awesome info in this brochure if you havent' seen it. has all the optional equipment and what came standard or optional on the panel, kombi, or station wagen-based conversion. http://www.baywindowbus.com/sportmobilebrochure.htm
Thanks allthewayalive! I have seen that brochure - my interior looks different from the brochure. I noticed on your '68 and my '78 that we seem to have the same top. Actually if you go on their website they appear to have switched to the thinner poptop on their new conversions. I may try contacting Sportsmobile to see if they have any old info they are willing to part with...although I think I remember seeing a thread where someone had done that and said Sportsmobile didn't have any older records. I plan on taking some more detailed pics of my top and interior, and posting them to my gallery. My top is the canvas material, and I have a tan and white striped vinyl awning.

Fri Feb 23, 2007 9:01 am

I posted some pictures of my 70 Sportsmobile interior and exterior in the Baywindow gallery last week. Did you see it? Let me know if there are any other shots of it you would like to see.

Sat Feb 24, 2007 9:48 am

jmac wrote: I posted some pictures of my 70 Sportsmobile interior and exterior in the Baywindow gallery last week. Did you see it? Let me know if there are any other shots of it you would like to see.
jmac, that is a beautiful bus you've got! The interior looks incredible! It's different than mine, but it's also 8 years older. I'm guessing Sportsmobile had several different interior options, like they do today. Thanks for the pics!

Wed Apr 11, 2007 1:20 pm

visited the PO of my '68 this afternoon. he mentioned that he had some brochures from Sportsmobile from the early '80s advertising Volkswagen Sportsmobile, options and configurations, as well as price lists and accesories. i will scan them when i get some time (probably tomorrow). really interesting stuff.

Wed Apr 18, 2007 10:08 am

Wed Apr 18, 2007 12:44 pm

here's a shot of my '68 sportsmobile at EveryBus this past weekend. slept off some beer up top one afternoon. that top bunk is suprisingly comfortable.

Wed Apr 25, 2007 1:14 pm

Nice rides guys. I'll post some pics of mine next week. My Sportsmobile is aging and I was wondering what you guys think about me altering my interior. I have had the bus for 10 years and I have always tried to keep it stock like Sportsmobile intended, however with everything getting shabby on it, I feel like I need permission to remodel. Should I track down an original roof rack or go with an after market one? I want to do beaded board panels on the interior. Also does anyone know where to get a replacement canvas for these or am I going to have to break out the needle and thread? My girlfriend says to customize it the way I want it, but I am reluctant to alter a piece of history.

Wed Apr 25, 2007 1:32 pm

rock it how you want it. mine was converted by sportsmobile to 'base' specifications. it came with the overhead cab in the rear, some shelves, pop top, nose spare mount, and that's about it. the po built the camper interior, installed westy jalousse windows, and added various westy bits over the 30 years he owned it.
i like the sportsmobile layouts, and if i had access to the correct parts i would love to build the sportsmobile package i would've picked out, but that stuff seems to be a bit difficult to come by.
i am planning to switch over to a period correct westy kit for my '68 when i get the chance. in my particular case, i have no problem deviating from what i was provided. were my sportsmobile more sportsmobile and less custom camper, condition depending, i would probably retain the sportsmobile originality.
seems like finding a rack or a canvas is gonna be tricky. if yours doesn't already have a rack, no sense in tracking one down, as it was only an option in the kit, and you'd have to drill your roof.
it'd be cool if sportsmobile used a badge or some such to account for the options installed on each particular bus, like our vw m-codes.
we worked on a '72 sportsmobile that got pulled out of a junkyard, rusted 10" up the sides, good interior and tent. really wish i'd have been able to get that one for parts. there is another one i saw in the country i keep meaning to go check out.

sorry for the long-winded response. i get excited about campers.

Wed Apr 25, 2007 1:46 pm

That Terry Hatcher is smokin. I'd like to do a little campin with her in a westy, rivy, doormobile or whatever :wink:

Wed Apr 25, 2007 3:18 pm

Dead 1 wrote: That Terry Hatcher is smokin. I'd like to do a little campin with her in a westy, rivy, doormobile or whatever :wink:

Shit man, I'd camp with her if she was in this thing!!

Fri May 25, 2007 9:18 am

mmkane1 wrote: Nice rides guys. I'll post some pics of mine next week. My Sportsmobile is aging and I was wondering what you guys think about me altering my interior. I have had the bus for 10 years and I have always tried to keep it stock like Sportsmobile intended, however with everything getting shabby on it, I feel like I need permission to remodel. Should I track down an original roof rack or go with an after market one? I want to do beaded board panels on the interior. Also does anyone know where to get a replacement canvas for these or am I going to have to break out the needle and thread? My girlfriend says to customize it the way I want it, but I am reluctant to alter a piece of history.
I kind of feel like you do - I'm hesitant to alter what is there. I may pull the original pieces and make copies. But I also agree with allthewayalive says too - BTW - MANY THANKS to allthewayalive for the brochure pics! (I hadn't checked this thread in awhile)

Fri May 25, 2007 5:43 pm

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Looks like the hillbillies are on the road again! :lol: 8) :wink:

Wed Mar 12, 2008 5:50 pm

mmkane1 wrote: ...does anyone know where to get a replacement canvas for these or am I going to have to break out the needle and thread?

X2 I need new canvas as well. Is anyone making it?

Sun Mar 23, 2008 10:47 am

Quadratrückseite wrote: I was wondering how many of you have the Sportsmobile conversion on your Bays?
Thanks!

I have.

Thu Sep 18, 2008 10:03 am

i just bought my 71 sports moble its in bad shape someone put westy interior in it so i ques im on the hunt for the interior. haha fun. Is there an after market canvas that i could get for it? it only has a rip in the screen on driverside.