Best place to buy a VW 60s campervan?

TRADESIZE

i've been running these vehicles for over 10 years. I've had splits (pre 67) bay's (68-79) and later T3's (80-90) (known as T25's in the UK).
To own one you really really need to be very practical, or if not you need to have quite a lot of disposabal income.
There's a huge scene for these vehicles. Join and look at this forum:http://www.volkszone.com/VZi/
Ask as many questions as you can before buying one. Make sure Join a local club before you buy one!!!
I cant emphasie this enough ITS VERY EASY FOR A NOVICE TO BUY A LEMON. For 60's or 70's your best bet is to buy a import from california. They are mostly rust free. Whatever you do DO NOT BUY ONE THATS BEEN IN THE UK ALL ITS LIFE. USA import are genrally rust free, i'm afraid you might have to learn to put up with LHD. Its easy to learn.
For a 1970's one you;re going to be looking at a minumum of £8500 for a decent one. For a pre 67 one for a decent one it'll be £15000 upwards for a decent one.
Mazda bongo's do represent far better value for money!!!
Its very easy to lose a lot of money on these old vw vans.
here is a very good small specialist in bristol that really knows their stuff and very competativley priced.
If you insist on a old VW camper he can inspect it or source you a good one etc.
http://jeffsvwshack.wordpress.com/

Please be careful with what you buy.
Good luck,

TRADESIZE

http://www.ssvc.org.uk/phpbb/ for pre 67 vans
http://thelatebay.com/ and earlybay.com for 68-79 (bay window vans)
http://forum.club8090.co.uk/index.php for 80-90 (T25) vans

maninthestreet

OP - what is your budget??

LandyAndy

TRADESIZE wrote: »

i've been running these vehicles for over 10 years. I've had splits (pre 67) bay's (68-79) and later T3's (80-90) (known as T25's in the UK).
To own one you really really need to be very practical, or if not you need to have quite a lot of disposabal income.
There's a huge scene for these vehicles. Join and look at this forum:http://www.volkszone.com/VZi/
Ask as many questions as you can before buying one. Make sure Join a local club before you buy one!!!
I cant emphasie this enough ITS VERY EASY FOR A NOVICE TO BUY A LEMON. For 60's or 70's your best bet is to buy a import from california. They are mostly rust free. Whatever you do DO NOT BUY ONE THATS BEEN IN THE UK ALL ITS LIFE. USA import are genrally rust free, i'm afraid you might have to learn to put up with LHD. Its easy to learn.
For a 1970's one you;re going to be looking at a minumum of £8500 for a decent one. For a pre 67 one for a decent one it'll be £15000 upwards for a decent one.
Mazda bongo's do represent far better value for money!!!
Its very easy to lose a lot of money on these old vw vans.
here is a very good small specialist in bristol that really knows their stuff and very competativley priced.
If you insist on a old VW camper he can inspect it or source you a good one etc.
http://jeffsvwshack.wordpress.com/

Please be careful with what you buy.
Good luck,

Although I am not a VW camper fan, I have been involved in the classic car scene for 25 years. The above is good advice. Those prices are right. Decent ones are very expensive for what they are.

You really, really have to want one.

mrsmasterplan

maninthestreet wrote: »

OP - what is your budget??

We figured that within two years we could save 10k. We did have a look on Ebay etc and gained a reasonably realistic view of how much they would actually be .

MY OH did have the same thoughts as someone who posted above - reckoned they would be a few grand - i knew better thankfully!


LandyAndy - its been a childhood wish - i do really REALLY want one!!:j

Thanks for all the advice everyone - i will be researching lots and lots more - i give it another year and a half before we seriosuly start looking - good to get a grasp of it early though!

mikey72

My daughter wants one of these. Currently has a classic mini, and also drives my beetle based kit car. She has a 70's kit car we're restoring, so I need to sort a van one out for when she's 21.
Probably aiming for a mid price runner, but it'll not be a complete restoration, just to be a decent runner for everyday use after some work.

LandyAndy

mrsmasterplan wrote: »

We figured that within two years we could save 10k. We did have a look on Ebay etc and gained a reasonably realistic view of how much they would actually be .

MY OH did have the same thoughts as someone who posted above - reckoned they would be a few grand - i knew better thankfully!


LandyAndy - its been a childhood wish - i do really REALLY want one!!:j

Thanks for all the advice everyone - i will be researching lots and lots more - i give it another year and a half before we seriosuly start looking - good to get a grasp of it early though!

You'd have to:cool:.

My ex FiL had a bay window in the late 70's/early 80's. It was a deeply unpleasant thing to drive even by the standards of the time.

Hammyman

mrsmasterplan wrote: »

Me and OH are saving up for a Campervan and wont have enough for another year at least.

Want to start researching early and finding out the best places to look/avoid for buying an old VW Campervan.

California or any of the US desert states unless you want to pay £20k for a restored one or buy an unrestored one full of tin worm.