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bluestripe
Samba Member
Joined: May 21, 2017
Posts: 11
Location: AZ
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 Posted: Tue Jul 25, 2017 10:29 am Post subject: First bus! 1973 Trinity |
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Greetings all,
My name is Eric and my wife Sukey and I went on our honeymoon in Scotland where we rented a VW camper van (specifically Lola) from
https://www.vintagevwcampers.com/
We had an absolute blast; Richie and Ishbel were awesome and super helplful, patient and all the rest. We had such a good time, my wife decided she wanted a camper of our very own to travel more locally (central Arizona.) We found a good (we hope) low rust example in state at a price we could afford and we have taken the plunge! We will have A LOT of questions here, many of them dumb, and we appreciate all the help we know we will get here so thank you in advance.
What we know about it: 1973 with what looks to be a Sportsmobile roof and upper bunk, but a non folding three across bench in the back, table and one rear facing seat behind the driver. It does not have a sink, stove, fridge etc. but it is our plan and hope to retrofit these things into it, probably doing a total DIY custom interior. The exterior is pretty solid and we haven't decided yet on whether to keep the patina, or to sand it down to metal and give it a fresh re-spray. It will, however, likely remain orange. Lola was orange and my wife is a sentimental about such things, definitely helped seal the deal on purchasing this one.
With a slight leap of faith, we are told it ran, but poorly, with a battery (purchased w/o one) and drove, turned and stopped etc, recently. But the tires are a total loss and will be the first purchase along with a battery to try and get it to turn over. I do not currently know the engine size. It is our (probably naïve) hope that we can get it drivable in just a few weeks.
Anticipating some likely responses, I will post photos here very soon.
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Eric & Sukey
1973 Trinity Camper |
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Spike0180
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Joined: June 06, 2015
Posts: 2269
Location: Detroit, Michigan
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Wasted youth
Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2012
Posts: 5134
Location: California's Hot and Smoggy Central Valley
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| Posted: Tue Jul 25, 2017 10:43 pm Post subject: Re: First bus! 1973 Sportsmobile |
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Pictures are super helpful... because the things you see are not the things we see, and vice versa.
Pictures will help explain so much more than mere words..
Looking forward to seeing your bus! Welcome!  |
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vwwestyman
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Joined: April 24, 2004
Posts: 5688
Location: Manhattan, Kansas, USA
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bluestripe
Samba Member
Joined: May 21, 2017
Posts: 11
Location: AZ
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| Posted: Wed Jul 26, 2017 8:21 am Post subject: Re: First bus! 1973 Sportsmobile |
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Here are a couple of pics of our bus.
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Eric & Sukey
1973 Trinity Camper |
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Vee Dub Nut
Samba Member
Joined: April 25, 2004
Posts: 1184
Location: Dallas, GA
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| Posted: Wed Jul 26, 2017 9:28 am Post subject: Re: First bus! 1973 Sportsmobile |
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Congrats on the Bus.. Looks dry from those few pics. That's a big plus!
Keep us posted on updates.
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Fightin' Texas Aggie Class of 2006
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74 Transporter (EJ25 Swapped) - Build Thread: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0
See all my VW pics on Instagram @ vee_dub_nut |
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vwwestyman
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Joined: April 24, 2004
Posts: 5688
Location: Manhattan, Kansas, USA
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alman72
Samba Member
Joined: October 09, 2014
Posts: 2573
Location: MICHIGAN
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| Posted: Wed Jul 26, 2017 12:09 pm Post subject: Re: First bus! 1973 Sportsmobile |
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| you should post in the "sportsmobilers unite "post with a pic as well. I would like to see what is left of your interior. If the awning is a SMB awning, that is a rare SMB acessorry. I do wonder about the table attach point on the slider, as this was not a SMB thing if I recall correctly. There were a couple of other makers of campers that used the penthouse, like country homes campers. one possible piece of evidence is a sticker that SMB put behind the drivers seat. If it is not there, it means nothing, as they fell off over time, but if it is there, then it is a SMB. (We tend to be freaks about our SMBs. I am a 73 owner as well. Welcome.) |
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Tcash
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Joined: July 20, 2011
Posts: 12844
Location: San Jose, California, USA
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Tcash
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Joined: July 20, 2011
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Location: San Jose, California, USA
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TDCTDI
Samba Advocatus Diaboli
Joined: August 31, 2013
Posts: 12860
Location: North Carolina
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| Posted: Wed Jul 26, 2017 1:15 pm Post subject: Re: First bus! 1973 Sportsmobile |
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Just don't post pics of the m-plate before you have a chance to decode it yourself, some jackass will do it themselves.
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Everybody born before 1975 has a story, good, bad, or indifferent, about a VW.
GOFUNDYOURSELF, quit asking everyone to do it for you!
An air cooled VW will make you a hoarder.
Do something, anything, to your project every day, and you will eventually complete it. |
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bluestripe
Samba Member
Joined: May 21, 2017
Posts: 11
Location: AZ
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| Posted: Wed Jul 26, 2017 9:03 pm Post subject: Re: First bus! 1973 Sportsmobile |
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Update and more pics! It turns out our beloved new bus has a Sportsmobile roof installed by Trinity Campers.
Left the factory as a 7 seater, still in the original two tone of pastel white and brilliant orange.
At some point before 1974 when as i understand it Trinity Campers closed up shop, it had a Sportsmobile roof installed along with a table and an awning, but no sign of ever having any cabinets or rv appliances installed.
Type 4 engine, 1679cc, carbureted, (amusingly my spellcheck doesn't know the word carbureted) with a 4 speed manual transmission.
PS: Can the title of a thread be edited since now I know it isn't a full Sportsmobile conversion?
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Eric & Sukey
1973 Trinity Camper |
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pioneer1
Samba Member
Joined: February 11, 2008
Posts: 2069
Location: Ontario Canada
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| Posted: Thu Jul 27, 2017 5:24 am Post subject: Re: First bus! 1973 Sportsmobile |
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read the sticky about tires before you purchase new ones
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"Always waiting for tomorrow ruined everything"
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alman72
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Joined: October 09, 2014
Posts: 2573
Location: MICHIGAN
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| Posted: Thu Jul 27, 2017 6:26 am Post subject: Re: First bus! 1973 Sportsmobile |
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that is a great Trinity sticker. can you post a close up of that for that for the folks that want to reproduce one for their bus? the sportsmobile top is called the "penthouse" top
As I am sure you will notice, and when you get the motor dialed in, you are missing your tin foam seal around the motor. It helps keep things cooled. |
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Tcash
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Joined: July 20, 2011
Posts: 12844
Location: San Jose, California, USA
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Tcash
Samba Member
Joined: July 20, 2011
Posts: 12844
Location: San Jose, California, USA
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| Posted: Thu Jul 27, 2017 7:06 am Post subject: Re: First bus! 1973 Trinity |
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Edited Title 7/27/17
Tcash |
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bluestripe
Samba Member
Joined: May 21, 2017
Posts: 11
Location: AZ
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| Posted: Tue Aug 01, 2017 6:58 pm Post subject: Re: First bus! 1973 Sportsmobile |
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| alman72 wrote: |
| that is a great Trinity sticker. can you post a close up of that for that for the folks that want to reproduce one for their bus? |
Here you go.
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Eric & Sukey
1973 Trinity Camper |
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stsexton
Samba Member
Joined: May 27, 2009
Posts: 22
Location: Alaska
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| Posted: Sat Nov 03, 2018 11:15 pm Post subject: Re: First bus! 1973 Trinity |
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Hey Bluestrip...My dad and his brother owned Trinity Campers in Ojai CA until 1974 and then they closed it down and we moved to Alaska. I found another one of their conversions on this site and bought it for him 4 years ago. I will see what kind of info I can dig up on these bus conversions and share. Love seeing these buses!!
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71whitewesty
Samba Member
Joined: February 25, 2010
Posts: 1544
Location: oregon
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| Posted: Sun Nov 04, 2018 9:11 pm Post subject: Re: First bus! 1973 Trinity |
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^^^ this is super cool. I’d love to hear more about the history.
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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" |
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KentABQ 
Samba Member
Joined: September 11, 2016
Posts: 2406
Location: Albuquerque NM
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| Posted: Mon Nov 05, 2018 4:20 am Post subject: Re: First bus! 1973 Trinity |
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| 71whitewesty wrote: |
| ^^^ this is super cool. I’d love to hear more about the history. |
X2. That's got to be an interesting story.
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-Kent-
1976 Riviera, 1.8l FI chrome yellow VAN - "Chloe"
"I must say, how can you be in a bad mood driving this vehicle full of vibrant color.
Cars of today are so bland in comparison. It's like driving a celebration!" ---WildIdea
Bus ownership via emoticons:
        ---williamM |
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