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andrewtheplumber
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Joined: March 10, 2008
Posts: 157
Location: Goodlettsville, TN
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 Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2012 11:53 pm Post subject: Installing Camper on Transporter |
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I did a search and did not see this answered although it I am sure been addressed. I have a great 78 Transporter, thinking about a tin top camper conversion but if I run across a camper top, is that a doable conversion? Thank you.
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Andy
Goodlettsville, TN
78 Transporter (Fred the Bus)
70 Karmann Ghia
81 Scirocco
85 Wolfsburg Cabriolet |
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Collie
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Joined: April 03, 2006
Posts: 1100
Location: Virginia
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| Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2012 6:28 am Post subject: |
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To do it properly, you will need the roof (not just the fibreglass part) off a late model donor to be welded on. Are you up to that?
Its been done, its here somewhere for sure, keep searching... 
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Collie
Bay Window Sunroof Tech Article
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grandpa pete
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Joined: July 06, 2008
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Location: St. Petersburg, FL
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| Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2012 9:38 am Post subject: |
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Icut the top off a tintop and dropped it over a westie "hole"....you will need to get the entire "hole " and supports...doable but not for the "faint of heart"
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69 tintop camper 1600 DP |
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airkooledchris
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Joined: January 25, 2005
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Location: Eureka, CA
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| Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2012 10:33 am Post subject: |
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If you currently have a regular passenger bus and want to put a pop top on it, you can do it but don't go with a Westfalia top. The Westy top was built to fit on a bus that came from the factory with certain brackets/braces/etc to support it already in place. Swapping over a whole roof just for that isn't something most would even think about.
Try instead to get a top from a Riviera that would otherwise be scrapped. Those were imported to the US with the regular passenger roof, so swapping those over are a much easier (in comparison to the Westy top) conversion to make.
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Manfreds78bay
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Joined: February 27, 2009
Posts: 330
Location: Chicago
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| Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2012 1:46 pm Post subject: |
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Don't do it. Just put the camper stuff in. Tin top campers are cool...hacked up busses are not.
Plenty of pop-top campers to be hand...go buy one and save yourself from the project that ate your bank account. |
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Kirk 
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Joined: December 05, 2003
Posts: 4764
Location: North Texas
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| Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2012 5:18 pm Post subject: |
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| Manfreds78bay wrote: | Don't do it. Just put the camper stuff in. Tin top campers are cool...hacked up busses are not.
Plenty of pop-top campers to be hand...go buy one and save yourself from the project that ate your bank account. |
Ditto that. Or sell the transporter and buy a pop top.
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Oppenhiem
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pb24ss
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Joined: June 30, 2005
Posts: 1562
Location: sitting around the fire with the bluegrass band - colorado
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| Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2012 5:21 pm Post subject: |
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search the interwebs for greg potts westfakia. he's got an excellent write up on how he did this swap.
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78 P22 Westy |
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GeorgeO.
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Joined: October 08, 2010
Posts: 526
Location: Menifee, CA
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| Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2012 5:36 pm Post subject: Re: Installing Camper on Transporter |
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| andrewtheplumber wrote: | | I did a search and did not see this answered although it I am sure been addressed. I have a great 78 Transporter, thinking about a tin top camper conversion but if I run across a camper top, is that a doable conversion? Thank you. |
I bought my camper for 700 bucks on Craigslist. There are plenty of Westfalia's out there that you can have a fresh start with and it will come out cheaper than pulling off the tin top in place of a pop top.
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csclassics
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Joined: August 17, 2006
Posts: 261
Location: North Wales, PA
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| Posted: Thu Mar 29, 2012 7:25 pm Post subject: |
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| 700 bucks!!!! WOW!!! good deal! |
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GeorgeO.
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Joined: October 08, 2010
Posts: 526
Location: Menifee, CA
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| Posted: Thu Mar 29, 2012 8:52 pm Post subject: 700 bucks WOW! |
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| csclassics wrote: | | 700 bucks!!!! WOW!!! good deal! |
When I first came up to it, the PO used it for storage and I did not know the internal condition was like. Well it was missing the two front seats, a thief broke into the gas lock and took all the gas and left the lock inside the tank. Another thief took the motor and cut part of the harness. But other than that the body is straight some surface rust on underside and on the rear windows, nothing I can't take care of. I put an upright in it but the mechanic did such a lousy job on it, I pulled the motor and replaced the original tin on the motor to make sure I don't over heat. I replaced the canvas, front seats and I will upholsterer Z-Bed and rear mattress with new foam and covers.
This is my canvas tool.
Last edited by GeorgeO. on Sat Mar 31, 2012 9:55 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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csclassics
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Joined: August 17, 2006
Posts: 261
Location: North Wales, PA
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| Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2012 7:29 am Post subject: |
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| alot of work, but it looks real nice! I haven't had a bus in about ten years and am looking to buy another one. I'm amazed and how the prices of bay window campers have gone up. thought about buying a bus and doing a top conversion, but I'm finishing up welding a 56 ragtop clip into my 66 Beetle and don't think I really want to tackle another big project like that yet. Sooooo to get back to the question.... YES it can be done, but its ALOT OF WORK and pricey too. |
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GeorgeO.
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Joined: October 08, 2010
Posts: 526
Location: Menifee, CA
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| Posted: Sat Mar 31, 2012 10:22 am Post subject: Baywindow Buses |
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| You can still find them out there but the problem is getting worse with the economy. People are snatching up these buses up and parting them out. Perfectly good buses chopped up for rust buckets and as soon as that supply runs dry, you will see Bays, especially 68-71 command a higher price. The thing is to snatch up a couple of these buses and put them in storage if you have the resources. They will command a good price when the supply runs out. |
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andrewtheplumber
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Joined: March 10, 2008
Posts: 157
Location: Goodlettsville, TN
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| Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2012 9:39 pm Post subject: |
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I think a tin top will do, thanks everyone. Also I can keep a kayak rack up there.
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Andy
Goodlettsville, TN
78 Transporter (Fred the Bus)
70 Karmann Ghia
81 Scirocco
85 Wolfsburg Cabriolet |
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stuco
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Joined: March 24, 2007
Posts: 898
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| Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2012 11:27 pm Post subject: |
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| Yeah, you are probably better off just making it a tin top camper in this case. They have their advantages too. |
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RatCamper
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Joined: November 13, 2008
Posts: 3307
Location: Australia
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| Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2012 4:20 am Post subject: |
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Keep it a tin top. If you are determined remember Camper =/= Westfalia. Lots of options.
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Vehicle: 1975 Special order delivery walkthrough panel based pop-top camper (LCA / Sunliner). Motor: Nippon 1.8L Single port Wasserboxer, Transmission: 3 rib 002. |
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GeorgeO.
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Location: Menifee, CA
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