2700 original mile 1971 Westfalia discovered!

[Abscate]

[TomWesty]

[earlybayjim]

Today we are taking our other 71 up to Madison, Wisconsin area for the JOGR shop party. I don't think I mentioned that we have the exact copy of the low miles bus except for the stripe.

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1971 Chianti Red Westfalia x2
1985 Westfalia
1984 tintop

[71whitewesty]

I saw this bus in your photo gallery. I am glad that this low mileage bus was found by real bus lovers. I still can’t get over it. Been telling all my friends about it even if they don’t care. Lol!
I hope you take a bazillion photos of everything for us at some point.
Would love to see this thread continued with any updates as well. This is a big deal in the world of bay windows.
Did it come with a side tent too?
Geez, I just want to see more and more of it.
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71 Westy 1600 DP, all stock Bus 1
1970's Snow Trac 1600 SP (sold 12/2016)
1968 Tucker sno cat, sold 2021
1969 Tucker Sno cat 542
2017 VW Alltrac
71 tin top stock 1600 DP (project but runs)
Twin 71 White Westy, Bus 2, that I pulled from a 15 year slumber in a dry eastern WA field in 2015.
1966 Sundial Camper "Boomer"

[Abscate]

You could do the community a great service by documenting everything, and I mean everything, in pictures. When you have a piece like this, it’s a great reference tool for rebuild detail.

You could just slowly shoot video over each surface in about 15 minutes of time.

You could probably lightly monetize this but that would make you a Richard-wad to some..most..most every.
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.ssS!

[earlybayjim]

The only monetization that's going to happen is when I sell the bus!

I'm hoping to do a side by side video of both my 71's. I'm noticing lots of small differences and their build dates are only 2 months apart: 9/70 and 11/70

I haven't touched this bus in a while... life has been busy with our two children, work, and trying to squeeze in a few more outings in our other buses.

I did however work on our other 71 last week replacing some pushrod tubes, stripping out a rocker stud , replacing said stud, and installing a vintage speed exhaust! I'd like to keep this thread just about the low miles bus, but I cant help sharing a few pictures!

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1971 Chianti Red Westfalia x2
1985 Westfalia
1984 tintop

[71whitewesty]

Whew, glad to see that VS muffler is on the driver bus. Nothing against it but that low miler deserves NOS parts of at all possible.
Still drooling over here.
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71 Westy 1600 DP, all stock Bus 1
1970's Snow Trac 1600 SP (sold 12/2016)
1968 Tucker sno cat, sold 2021
1969 Tucker Sno cat 542
2017 VW Alltrac
71 tin top stock 1600 DP (project but runs)
Twin 71 White Westy, Bus 2, that I pulled from a 15 year slumber in a dry eastern WA field in 2015.
1966 Sundial Camper "Boomer"

[earlybayjim]

[earlybayjim]

I pulled the pedal pan off yesterday. There is a solid 1-2" of nut shells, paper, mouse crap, etc! I could tell from the bottom side that it was soft and probably junk... I was right. I already have another good 71 pan to replace it.

I also pulled the bung off the fuel tank. It was totally plugged. I tried to flush it with some gas but you can tell there is a lot of "varnish" in the bottom. It's going to have to be pulled eventually, but I'm not ready to yet.

Still I put new fuel line in from the tank to the firewall along with a clear plastic filter. Fuel was flowing through the filter, but I couldn't get fuel past the pump. I have spark, but no fuel. I'll set up an auxillary tank this week to make sure it's getting fuel.
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1971 Chianti Red Westfalia x2
1985 Westfalia
1984 tintop

[Spike0180]

Yeah... sitting can kill just as easily as miles... Luckily steering, and suspension should be good still. And best of all (at least from the Midwest view) is its rust free and straight. Best of luck.
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Brutis Patches Izabich: 1970 VW Transporter - 1776cc DP
Current State: Projects never truly end...
Location: Grosse Pointe, Michigan
Other cars: 2003 F150, 2003 Jetta GLI vr6-6sp

Sambastic: adj; the quality of being nit picky, elitist, expecting everyone to do things the way they believe is best with no regard to situation, "sambastic"

[Wasted youth]

I am sure you know this... but if you pull the motor to replace your tank and fuel sender, you will be given a great opportunity to replace your equally aged fuel filler neck, vapor hoses and and also have the motor out to the point that it is very easy to pull some tin and verify the mice who lived under the pedal cover pan did not also set up shop in the nooks and crannies of the engine... blocking the air flow around the cylinder cooling fins.

Keep the pictures and story coming! Gives us all a lot of motivation.

[Abscate]

[earlybayjim]

[earlybayjim]

[earlybayjim]

https://youtu.be/Srrv78UfleU

Its alive!

Don't worry I only ran it inside the shop for just a little longer than my video.
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1971 Chianti Red Westfalia x2
1985 Westfalia
1984 tintop

[Stuartzickefoose]

[earlybayjim]

[Abscate]

Sounds pretty good for a startup

[earlybayjim]

[MrBusCo]

If a bus is going to kill you, it should be this one. Jims shop is really big, can ventilate, and hes not an idiot.

This bus is awesome! I am so glad that Shelby and Jim landed it, its literally a bus that can change your life, and they are good shits that deserve it! I'm local-ish to them, and if they slack on the pics ill go motivate them! I'm really excited to be close to the bus and able to see it.

As for the physical condition, i agree that being in a garage for 40 years can take its own toll, especially on rubber parts. it most likely got new tires when they moved it because the originals were dry rotted, that is reasonable and a good explanation for that. The aftermarket bumper things i bet were bought the day after they bought the bus originally, because they are cool, reminiscent of splittys, and add "safety".

I have a vintage smallframe Vespa with only 600 or so miles on it since new, but it has a couple dents and scrapes from when the original owner dumped it. She dumped it and never rode it again. Looking at the dents The Cole's bus has, i could see the orig owner bumping something in the first 2500 miles, being sick to her stomach and parking it.

as far as insurance, yes get as mush as you can. I wouldn't value it anything less that 50k, and if you can get 80-100k do it. lots and lots of pictures, and there are a few comparable low mile bays that have been sold for big$$ that you can use as comparable.

Its truly an awesome bus and I cant wait to ride in it at least around the yard! keep those pics flowing....