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Wed Feb 18, 2004 3:59 am

hello i want to bye a bay as my first camper for a bit of restoration work. i hav littel mechanical knolage but i must have a camper.is there eny year of bay that is esayer to work on? Andy

Wed Feb 18, 2004 5:05 am

'68-'71 all have Type 1 motors. These are in general easy to fix and patrs are cheaper. '72 and up have bigger motors with more power but are a bit more complex and $$. There are alot of other differences thru the years but that is the main one.

Wed Feb 18, 2004 9:33 am

IMO 71 is the best year because you have disc brakes and an upright engine.

Thu Feb 19, 2004 5:55 am

how is it upright dos it not just sit sort of 4 cilenders outwords to the left and right? its not water cooled is it?

Thu Feb 19, 2004 10:34 am

An upright engine is still a flat 4 boxer motor. It is called upright because the fan stroud is vertical instead of on the rear of the engine like "pancake" motors. Buses are air cooled all the way to 1981 I believe. Buses had upright motors from 1949 to 1971 and then when to the air cooled pancake in 1972. An upright is the same engine that is in a Beetle. Upright motors are cheaper and easier to fix but don't have as much power if they are stock. A 71 would have a dual port 1600cc that was rated at about 65 hp.

Thu Feb 19, 2004 10:51 am

I second that on the 71 as being the best year although i am a little biased.

Type 1 engines are very easy to work on as when you pop the engine lid everything is there in front of you.

i have owned a 71' for just less then a year now and find them easy creatures to work on having replaced and done most work myself. I have to say though i have never had type 4 engine so i can't really comment but the mechanic i see says that they are a lot harder to work on engone wise but getting hold of a good one bodywise is a lot easier.

Just choices i guess.

Thu Feb 19, 2004 2:18 pm

Nighttrain1974 wrote:
I have to say though i have never had type 4 engine so i can't really comment but the mechanic i see says that they are a lot harder to work on engine wise but getting hold of a good one bodywise is a lot easier.
Just choices i guess.

I still have my first Type 4 engine and find it is a piece of cake to work on. And I enjoy that mechanical music at 4100 rpm all the way across the country and back at 70 mph. The torque, the power, the smoothness, the song of the dual carbs, ah, music. . . for 25 years now.
Colin

Thu Feb 19, 2004 5:36 pm

I have a typr IV and it's great! I can accelerate to 70-75 mph going up steep hills. My friend Jake built the motor (perhaps you have heard of him?LOL) so I run it hard, and it has good power.

Sat Feb 21, 2004 8:07 am

Quote: I can accelerate to 70-75 mph going up steep hills.

Why would anyone want to do that? If you want to speed, buy a Ford Crown Victoria.

Busses are all about smoking a fat one in the slow lane, listening to good tunes and enjoying life.

Sat Feb 21, 2004 9:14 am

1950- First buses made.
If you want an EARLY bus, get set to spend some serious cash- as a basket case can still be 6-10 Grand (or more)

The first ones had 25hp engines, top speed of 60KM/HR and rattle like a tin can full of change, I believe the engine Increased ove the years to 36, "bastard" 40, True 40 and then something like 48HP for a DP 1600 in 1971.

Yes upright parts are cheap, and its good to cause youll spend a lot of time bolting them on. But its easy and fun, so no worries.

Of all the early years I would be wary of the 68s, as the braking power is fairly limited (4 drums, no booster) if you get one of those, remember to think ahead when breaking ESPECIALLY in a camper, because they weigh more.

1972- type IV motor. Larger displacement(1700cc) dual carbs. from 72-79 the displacement went to 2000cc and FI was replaced w/ FI in 1975 (US and Canada). The motor parts can be pricey, but the strength of the case is greater, and as people have said the power (paticularly torque, which is very important for westies) is greater. The biggest problems I have had are carberation. Those FI sets are 25years old and all the little plastic gizmos are brittle and cracking. The dual solexs wear out at the throttle bushing and then you cant tune them, and they are EXPENSIVE (600$) to replace. the alternatives are: a single weber progressive (often a Holly/Weber) which I never could get to work right, weber IDFs (no exp.) and weber ICTs, which I have now and seem OK, but Im not sure about smogging the beasts.

Remember smogging varies from state to state- if you live in, or ever plan to move to CA your car will need ALL the origanal smog equipment- and that stuff is almost always missing from type IV busses. I suspect, but dont know, that even if the bus is old enough to be exempt from smog in CA, it will have to have the stock carbs/FI that came with it. Some one from might be able to clarify. Check with you local govt about that, because some of that stuff is NLA.

Personaly I have owned a 72,74,71,72,&75. I liked all of them depite their many...um charms. I would say get the best cared for bus you can afford. I prefer type IVs, but I would take a mint 70 over a beater 74 anyday.

Id say get the Muirs idiot guide and look through the "changes through the years" section and "how to buy a VW". I would try and buy a VW wher you can meet the person who drives it cares for it. One look at the owner will tell you volumes about what to expect from the car.

Sat Feb 21, 2004 1:15 pm

static wrote: Quote: I can accelerate to 70-75 mph going up steep hills.

Why would anyone want to do that? If you want to speed, buy a Ford Crown Victoria.

Busses are all about smoking a fat one in the slow lane, listening to good tunes and enjoying life.

speed is fun! But, I don't drive like that ALL the time...It's just good to have power when you need it.

Sat Feb 21, 2004 2:38 pm

static wrote:
Why would anyone want to do that? If you want to speed, buy a Ford Crown Victoria.
Busses are all about smoking a fat one in the slow lane, listening to good tunes and enjoying life.

Actually, I do smoke the fat one in the slow lane when I pull out to pass that maroon Ford Crown Victoria with the white vinyl roof and the right blinker flashing for mile after mile. Of course, I *do* wait for the downhill section to do it. :D
Colin

Sun Feb 22, 2004 10:28 pm

I figured Id have to chime in here. 71 is a great year. Im not biased or anything even though I do own a 71 but it is just great fun. I just put on dual carbs so I have that same musical feeling thing that Amskeptic is talking about 8)
Quote: The torque, the power, the smoothness, the song of the dual carbs, ah, music. . .
Actually I can't tease too much, when i got my new carbs on and kicked it over for the first time, that new rumbling noise from the engine was just awesome. vroooooooooom!!!

When it comes down to it, just get a bus. Anykind will do. You can get a split window or a bay window. You can get a bigger engine, or something simpler but with less power. If it starts up and goes from A to B and has VW stuck on it somewhere then its a winner.

Wed Feb 25, 2004 11:52 am

Just have to say I love my 71 too! Finally got the insurance company to send me the money. I paid 1200 for it a week before the accident and I got 1600 from the insurance and I am able to keep the bus, and to top it all...it still drives fine lol. Amazing how a bad situation turned good for once!

Kyle