Converting a non-camper Westy to a camper. (newbie here)

[trihartsfield]

I am picking up a 1990 Westfalia that is the non-camping type this Monday. According the owner, who is a family friend, it needs a clutch slave cylinder. It has a new engine and runs very well. Looks like it has been sitting for a short while. It also needs some minor body work.

I am planning a month long trip next year and would like to convert this to a camper.

I have a few question about converting it:

Has anyone done this?

If so how hard is it?

Can you get the necessary parts used and if so what would be an approximate cost?

Is there any reason not to covert it?

Is there anything else I should know as I embark on this process?

Any help from the Wesy community would be greatly appreciated.

Chris

[blakeck2]

So does it have the poptop and no ktichen stuff?
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1986 Vanagon Syncro GL, westy interior, GW 2.4 and all locked up

1973 Thing

[trihartsfield]

Yes it has a pop top.

[blakeck2]

Then adding the interior is not hard work but there is alot of it. Obtaining the kitchen stuff is the hardest part.
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1986 Vanagon Syncro GL, westy interior, GW 2.4 and all locked up

1973 Thing

[trihartsfield]

Thanks I will post some pictures next week and get some ideas.

[0to60in6min]

I would think twice before adding all the kitchen stuff in there..

so you have a Weekender, pop-top.table but no kitchen. Weekender is category by itself and some of us like the Weekender more than the full Westy camper...

I myself like the Weekender because I have more space, less weight and I never cook anything inside.

In the past I looked at some of the full Westy camper to buy.. everything is worn as it should but the kitchen and closet stuff are like brand new because the seller(s) never use it. I ended up getting a Weekender...

[fairweather]

I would recommend getting a complete van for your donor parts. I just picked up a weekender for 1K with a blown engine, look around you can probably get one cheaper. That way you can always go back and measure mounting points etc and you'll likely get your money back in extra parts. Like the above said it is tedious. The poptop conversion took 2.5 days the interior swap took a week and allow some time for unknowns that pop up.

[Sir Sam]

[fairweather]

[Sir Sam]

[J Charlton]

Lots of van interior ideas and images at http://canadianhightops.ca
Think carefully before you add all of the galley stuff. There are several good threads on "who uses their stove? and "who uses their sink" - talk to some people as well.
Personally I think that a weekender interior is better. The only item of the westy kitchen trio, stove, sink and fridge that I/we use when camping is the fridge. If I have my druthers as I build a custom interior for my van, it will be with the westy size bed all the way over to the driver's side and a fridge just inside the door on the passenger side. There will be a removeable stove/sink unit that will lift out for camping. These ideas come from how we use the camper, we always cook, eat and wash up outside - a 10' awning protects a nice cooking and eating area and its nice not to have to get right into the van to access the fridge for a cold one. A removeable unit would still allow you to use it inside the van on the rare occasion that we might want to make a hot meal while on the road.
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[trihartsfield]

Thanks for all the replies and information. I too was wondering if I would actually use the kitchen part also. It would certaining make it easier to get the van in good shape for our trip.

[Howesight]

I have had both weekender and Westy interiors. We live on the "Wet Coast" and I've cooked indoors lots of times. Mostly, if it's not raining, I cook outside on my Coleman Propane stove on a picnic table, if there is one. We cook a lot of gourmet style food when camping, so it would really stink up the inside fo the Westy.

I mostly use the inside stove to heat water, since those small Coleman propane bottles are so expensive, compared to the bulk propane in the Westy tank. We go deep into the wilderness many times in our westy syncro - - miles away from any picnic table, so the indoor stove is handy on those occasions.

I also replaced the Westy fridge with a TruckFridge TF65 (in the stock location) which has twice the capacity and actually has a freezer! I like using my built-in water tank and not worrying about bringing containers of water. I like not having to whip out the dishpan to clean up - -just use the Westy sink. It's completely self-sufficient, enabling us to leave at a moment's notice. We have to take Ferries to get to some locations like Vancouver Island. You end up in a line up for an hour or two or three before getting on board, and I like the fact that we can cook up some pasta and have a cold drink while waiting.

Just my two cents.

[Orbitald]

I'm going to convert my passenger van to a pop-top and want to put rivnuts in the sheetmetal (with a backing plate.)

Does anybody know the thickness of the sheet-metal in the roof area of a '87 Vanagon?
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'87 Syncro Westfakia, 1.9TD ADE (AAZish), 068 Injection Pump, K03 turbo, 2.5" exhaust, Mercedes nozzles, SAAB Blackstone charge-cooler w/ 800cfm fan, Micro-1000 EGT sensor pre-turbo, boost at about 13psi, 235/70/16 with stock gearing

[edgood1]

I did it the hard way, and what I feel is the proper way:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=364878
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1987 Syncro Westfalia powered by Subaru
1963 Panel to Deluxe Bus project :::: (photo album)
'65 Westfalia