TheSamba.com :: View topic

Sun Aug 17, 2008 3:53 pm

Well here is the new Vw! Drove her home last night from Flagstaff to Phoenix, in the pouring rain! It is a '73 in very good condition for being original and unrestored. Even has original paint! Az all its life. Have found a few issues already, but much less than expected. Handled 75 on the freeway, and made the huge steep climb out of Camp Verde at 45! We traded our '73 Thing for it. Here are a few pics... Looking forward to camping with it.. and Jerome Jamboree... here we come!

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Sun Aug 17, 2008 3:59 pm

is it camp mobile? not quite a riveria

Sun Aug 17, 2008 4:02 pm

I'm not sure. New to buses. Is there a tag that has this info?

Sun Aug 17, 2008 4:02 pm

What is that thing on the roof front?

See you in Jerome!

Sun Aug 17, 2008 4:07 pm

I was told it's a swamp cooler. But we haven't started disecting what we have, it's tooooo hot, 113 degrees as we type. I think we'll wait till it cools to 90 at 6pm if we're lucky. :)

Sun Aug 17, 2008 4:20 pm

It's a Sportsmobile--the top and the windows are a dead giveaway.

Sun Aug 17, 2008 4:42 pm

There is a tag behind the drivers seat that says Adventurewagon as the MFR, with a MFR date of 4/74.. does that help?

Sun Aug 17, 2008 4:46 pm

the thing looks real clean.

Sun Aug 17, 2008 5:36 pm

VDubTech wrote: It's a Sportsmobile--the top and the windows are a dead giveaway.

Definately a sportsmobile. Looks really nice. Post up some more pics of that thing on the front roof if you get a chance, that looks interesting.

Sun Aug 17, 2008 5:45 pm

Trade you that middle drivers side window for a nice jalousie! :wink:

Sun Aug 17, 2008 6:02 pm

Could you tell me what brand the evap cooler on your roof is? 113? 104 in the rest of Phoenix at 4PM. It's been cooling way down to where it is starting to get comfortable.
Nice looking bus. You will have a good time with it. You just missed the High Country VW Kampout in Flag a couple weeks ago.
75 is way too fast for it. Particularly in our heat. And they arn't the most stable vehicle at speed. For some reason there are always a lot of Chevy, Ford, Dodge van fatal rollovers on I17. Yours would probably loose control a lot easier.

Mon Aug 18, 2008 10:58 am

Nice bus. Yeah, it's an Adventurewagen, discernible from the cabinet door handle, as well as by the design of the rear storage cover. They tried some variations during the period of time that Ed Anderson did not own the company. Really like their use of wood on the interiors.

The swamp cooler looks like the PLA-Cool unit. Don't know if that unit is still manufactured(?). Here's a thread on some used parts available. http://www.rv-coach.com/current_category.198/Forum.16525/forum_thread.html

Happy trails.

J.R.
68 Westy
(+ others)

Mon Aug 18, 2008 11:12 am

I have not even messed with the evap cooler yet.. but i will take some pics if it in the near future here and post them. So it IS an Adventurewagon and not a Sportsmobile? Is there a difference and is Adventurewagon still around?

Mon Aug 18, 2008 12:11 pm

Adventurewagon = Manufacturer
Sportsmobile = Model

Or it could be Sportsmobile top and Adventurewagon interior.

My .02

Mon Aug 18, 2008 12:31 pm

Well I have searched and found that Sportmobile is still in business, so I have emailed them to try to get some info.. as for Adventurewagen.. looks like they closed up in the early 80's.

Mon Aug 18, 2008 1:26 pm

AZVDubbin wrote: Well I have searched and found that Sportmobile is still in business, so I have emailed them to try to get some info.. as for Adventurewagen.. looks like they closed up in the early 80's.

Here's a bit of info:

Mon Aug 18, 2008 7:03 pm

Nice bus--I'm working on my westly like mad to get it to Jerome!!

BTW What is in the very back obove the engine cover? Table top or something with a handle?

Thu Aug 21, 2008 9:59 am

rotorimp wrote:
BTW What is in the very back obove the engine cover? Table top or something with a handle?

That's the same type of bed that came in our Adventurewagen. It's a big slab that flips over toward the front. The front edge, which is then hanging out in free space, is suspended by straps from the pillars between the windows.

The kitchen unit looks like ours too. It had a pretty big cylindrical aluminum water tank which was pressurized with a bicycle pump like the windshield washer. That in turn meant that the faucet did not need/have a pump.

Ours was really rotten; what looks like nice wood is unfortunately 1//8" panelling like you used to put in your basement, and it didn't stand up to the humidity and racoons I guess. Good that this one was dry.

But, the only Adventurewagens I have seen are hightops, and don't have jalousies.

??

Thu Aug 21, 2008 10:06 am

It is definately an Adventurewagen.. it has the original factory tag from them behind the drivers seat. Mine is missing those straps you were talking about to support that seat when flipped over... can you take a pic for me of what it should look like when strapped in place so I can start to find a solution for mine? All of the paneling and trim are in pretty clean, unrot shape. It has been in Az for most of its life, at least that is what I have been told. The top is definately a sportsmobile, for it has the tag on it still...

Thu Aug 21, 2008 10:12 am

There used to be a company in Indiana that fitted those buses to be campers, if I recall. Very cool.