TheSamba.com :: View topic - GNARWAL- 1971 VW Type 2 Riviera Camper Resto

Thu Oct 16, 2025 8:24 am

Starting a thread to document our journey with our new to us GNARWAL.

She's a partially restored 1971 Riviera camper. We'll be building out the interior and customizing it. We'll use this thread to document our progress and struggles. :)

The bus has a unique feature, a power lift top that goes up over 5'! Still figuring out how we'll do the canvas.

We're in southern NH. I got this bus as a surprise birthday gift for my wife. Here she is!

Thu Oct 16, 2025 8:32 am

Nice looking bus. Post a picture of the power top when you have a chance.

Also, let us se the interior that you are starting with.

Right off the bat....those wheels look like they are from a bug and possibly too narrow for your bus. Also please check the size and weight rating (and production date!) on those tires. In the picture they look small.

Good luck on your journey.

Thu Oct 16, 2025 8:56 am

The interior is EMPTY, except front seats.

I know the bus was lowered a little in the front, so good call on the tires. I'll take a look and see if they are the right ones!

Thu Oct 16, 2025 9:17 am

Welcome and I look forward to watch how you build it out.

Thu Oct 16, 2025 9:31 am

welcome. good luck with the restoration. look forward to sharing your travels.

Thu Oct 16, 2025 12:17 pm

Curious to see pictures of how they did the powered top as well, it would be nice to have more space above!

Thu Oct 16, 2025 12:39 pm

I'll get some photos, it was actually for sale here and I think the ad is still up. 1971 Riviera ASI in Merrimack NH.

We do have a mystery though. It was smoking quite a bit, but mostly at idle and on decel. Thought maybe a brake booster. Pulled the line and it wasn't that.

My mechanic (air cooled VW guy) pulled the plugs and #4 was oilly, bad. But good compression, like 135. He also mentioned that it was running a bit rich.

He mentioned maybe the ring gaps lined up. Anyone have any ideas?

Thu Oct 16, 2025 1:19 pm

emtlibby wrote: I'll get some photos, it was actually for sale here and I think the ad is still up. 1971 Riviera ASI in Merrimack NH.

We do have a mystery though. It was smoking quite a bit, but mostly at idle and on decel. Thought maybe a brake booster. Pulled the line and it wasn't that.

My mechanic (air cooled VW guy) pulled the plugs and #4 was oilly, bad. But good compression, like 135. He also mentioned that it was running a bit rich.

He mentioned maybe the ring gaps lined up. Anyone have any ideas?

Back in the 90s when I was mid journey with my 73 Panel, in haste, I forgot to install an oil ring on one of the pistons when I was putting things back together at the side of the road after dropping a valve.

That cylinder smoked a lot and I soon realized my mistake after finding the leftover oil ring. Pulled it back apart again, installed the rings and it ran fine after that.

Maybe you have a stuck oil ring or as your mechanic mentioned, the oil ring gaps are aligned.

Do you know when the engine was last rebuilt or had the top end looked at?

Thu Oct 16, 2025 1:27 pm

I don't know when it was last rebuilt, but it looks fresh. All compression is good, and it runs good, sans the smoke. Gonna drive it a bit, and then decide if I need to pull that cylinder head.

Thu Oct 16, 2025 2:28 pm

emtlibby wrote: I don't know when it was last rebuilt, but it looks fresh. All compression is good, and it runs good, sans the smoke. Gonna drive it a bit, and then decide if I need to pull that cylinder head.

Can you see where the smoke is originating from? Out the exhaust? Are the pushrod tubes or valve covers leaking?

Thu Oct 16, 2025 3:33 pm

Here is a photo of the roof mechanism.

As far as the smoking, its coming out of the exhaust, and the plug in 4 was oil soaked. Now that it has a new plug, its smoking much less, but still a decent amount.

Thu Oct 16, 2025 3:40 pm

Thats a nice looking mechanism, frome what I remember theres a few companies online that can custom make the Riviera fabric to whatever dimension you need. The only thing that may be tricky is keeing the fabric away from the brackets as its folding down so it does not tear or snag.

Thu Oct 16, 2025 3:53 pm

OB Bus wrote: Nice looking bus. Post a picture of the power top when you have a chance.

Also, let us se the interior that you are starting with.

Right off the bat....those wheels look like they are from a bug and possibly too narrow for your bus. Also please check the size and weight rating (and production date!) on those tires. In the picture they look small.

Good luck on your journey.

Tires are 185R14C, so I think they're correct.

Thu Oct 16, 2025 4:30 pm

emtlibby wrote: OB Bus wrote: Nice looking bus. Post a picture of the power top when you have a chance.

Also, let us se the interior that you are starting with.

Right off the bat....those wheels look like they are from a bug and possibly too narrow for your bus. Also please check the size and weight rating (and production date!) on those tires. In the picture they look small.

Good luck on your journey.

Tires are 185R14C, so I think they're correct.

Those tires should be fine. We have 195R15c Hankooks on our 69.

Thu Oct 16, 2025 10:49 pm

did ya buy this bus from a guy named Jeff?

it is an interesting one ;-)

can't wait to see how you make out with it... Rivieras are awesome!

i wonder if stretch tent material might be useful on that top :)

Fri Oct 17, 2025 4:11 am

This is why I do not let my wife read thesamba forums....she might expect busses for birthdays then.... :-)

Our bus (not a riviera but Westfalia) was the first VW my wife ever helped me to work on, and I am not allowed to sell it. Busses and wifes. Cant live with them....can't live without them :-)

Nice bus and good luck with the work.

Fri Oct 17, 2025 5:43 am

Canvas -

Country Home Campers did both of ours - and both custom.

One of them was just different screen openings, but the one for Big Emma was made several inches taller, and the circumference was slightly different - so had to be adjusted.
For Big Emma - the fabric and all the screening were all custom as well.

Its several years out - but they were great to work with. We had an issue with the Big Emma canvas and with no hesitation, they took a return and remade it. I recommend them highly.

I wonder if you could do the canvas in three circumference bands with the center band being sort of an elastic panel - so when the top was lowered this band would contract and pull the canvas inward as the top goes down?
Maybe just sew an elastic band into the canvas? The stretchy-ness might make this problematic... bit that top is going to have a lot of canvas to wrestle with.

Good Luck !
Rivieras are The Best.

andreWTF

edit: wanted add that I think New Hampshire is also great.
I used to live in Holderness

Fri Oct 17, 2025 7:24 am

Quote: Country Home Campers did both of ours - and both custom.

This. I ordered my canvas from them and it was 2" too short. I sent it back and they added 2". I'm sure they could easily go up five feet.

Incidentally, I converted my Rivi to a powered top using linear actuators. My wife has a bum shoulder, so that was the primary reason aside from the cool factor. If it ever fails, I still replaced the springs w/new ones so it can still be mechanically raised/lowered.

Mon Oct 20, 2025 5:16 pm

metahacker wrote: did ya buy this bus from a guy named Jeff?

it is an interesting one ;-)

can't wait to see how you make out with it... Rivieras are awesome!

i wonder if stretch tent material might be useful on that top :)

Yes I did! Stretch is a good idea....

Mon Oct 20, 2025 5:17 pm

andrewtf wrote: Canvas -

Country Home Campers did both of ours - and both custom.

One of them was just different screen openings, but the one for Big Emma was made several inches taller, and the circumference was slightly different - so had to be adjusted.
For Big Emma - the fabric and all the screening were all custom as well.

Its several years out - but they were great to work with. We had an issue with the Big Emma canvas and with no hesitation, they took a return and remade it. I recommend them highly.

I wonder if you could do the canvas in three circumference bands with the center band being sort of an elastic panel - so when the top was lowered this band would contract and pull the canvas inward as the top goes down?
Maybe just sew an elastic band into the canvas? The stretchy-ness might make this problematic... bit that top is going to have a lot of canvas to wrestle with.

Good Luck !
Rivieras are The Best.

andreWTF

edit: wanted add that I think New Hampshire is also great.
I used to live in Holderness

Thanks for the connect!