Aircooled VW South Africa

I know the German westys were sent as complete vehicles less some windows and sun roofs to the Westfalia works for completion as campers. My question is, I have a 1972 South African built Westy, does anyone of our resident experts know where and by whom they were assembled, were the furniture kits sent from Germany, did VW SA finish them or were they subcontracted out? And any other information would be appreciated

AFAIK the first 200 or so early bay westies sold in SA were full imports. My 70 westy was one of them. It was built in the first week of August 1969 (first week of 1970 model year) and collected from Lindsay Saker in Mooi Street Jhb by the original owner in November 69. After that the westies were assembled in Uitenhage, making them the only Westfalia campers in the world that were not finished in Wiedenbruck.

VWSA assembled pop-top westies in SA through the 1973 model year. This involved importing specific bodies which were not the normal SA baywindows, as they are specific to westy pop-tops. They are similar to sunroof buses, but are missing some of the body fittings of sunroof buses (you can't just remove a westy pop-top amnd install a factory sunroof as some of the mounting bits aren't there).

In 1974 VWSA introdueced a new "Kamper" based on a nor mal hardtop baywindow bodyshell, just like all the rest of SA-assembled baywindows. From a brochure I have, the interior still looks like Westfalia, but I have never seen one of these buses in the metal. I think they made the change because of the expense of importing and building the full pop-top westies in SA.

Intertesingly, the SA early bay westies were the first production run of RHD westies; before that RHD westies were special order only. The conversion of the SO67 interior to RHD forced VW to make the RHD westies bulkhead models, when the default for baywindows was walkthru, because of the spre wheel well interfering with the cabinets on the LHS of the bus, which would have been on the right in a LHD bus. The bulkhead models had the spare wheel under the front seats, like the pick-ups.

TYSM Fig, as usual you are a fount of information

Hi fig,

I have bolded the section below that I am interested in. Any way you can share the 1974 Westfalia "Kamper" Hard Top brochure with me. I am still trying to establish the exact pedigree of this vehicle?

fig wrote:AFAIK the first 200 or so early bay westies sold in SA were full imports. My 70 westy was one of them. It was built in the first week of August 1969 (first week of 1970 model year) and collected from Lindsay Saker in Mooi Street Jhb by the original owner in November 69. After that the westies were assembled in Uitenhage, making them the only Westfalia campers in the world that were not finished in Wiedenbruck.

VWSA assembled pop-top westies in SA through the 1973 model year. This involved importing specific bodies which were not the normal SA baywindows, as they are specific to westy pop-tops. They are similar to sunroof buses, but are missing some of the body fittings of sunroof buses (you can't just remove a westy pop-top amnd install a factory sunroof as some of the mounting bits aren't there).

In 1974 VWSA introdueced a new "Kamper" based on a nor mal hardtop baywindow bodyshell, just like all the rest of SA-assembled baywindows. From a brochure I have, the interior still looks like Westfalia, but I have never seen one of these buses in the metal. I think they made the change because of the expense of importing and building the full pop-top westies in SA.

Intertesingly, the SA early bay westies were the first production run of RHD westies; before that RHD westies were special order only. The conversion of the SO67 interior to RHD forced VW to make the RHD westies bulkhead models, when the default for baywindows was walkthru, because of the spre wheel well interfering with the cabinets on the LHS of the bus, which would have been on the right in a LHD bus. The bulkhead models had the spare wheel under the front seats, like the pick-ups.

You can see the 1974 VWSA Kamper brochure here:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/lit/74kamper.php

Thank you so much. This is the exact one I just bought. Just red

fig wrote:You can see the 1974 VWSA Kamper brochure here:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/lit/74kamper.php

I'd be very interested to see pics. I have never seen one of these 74 Kampers in the metal. From the brochure, it looks like the furniture might be Westfalia, but nobody really knows. Pics of your bus might solve this mystery.

From your description, I suspected your bus may have been a German import to Rhodesia. Can you confirm whether it was assembled in SA or brought in fully built to Zim? You should find the necessary ID plates on the bulkhead behind the front seats, or on the ventilation ducting under the left side of the dash (if it's a German-built bus).

I have not collected it yet. Probably pick it up next week. I will look for the info and let you know. There are a couple of small exterior fixes but in general in good condition and running. Here's a couple of pics.

Thanks. Please start a thread in My Rides when you have more pics. It does look like the 74 Kamper and the interior looks like it may be original Westfalia.

fig wrote:I'd be very interested to see pics. I have never seen one of these 74 Kampers in the metal. From the brochure, it looks like the furniture might be Westfalia, but nobody really knows. Pics of your bus might solve this mystery.

From your description, I suspected your bus may have been a German import to Rhodesia. Can you confirm whether it was assembled in SA or brought in fully built to Zim? You should find the necessary ID plates on the bulkhead behind the front seats, or on the ventilation ducting under the left side of the dash (if it's a German-built bus).

It's taken a while to come back but I have confirmed that it was assembled in SA.

I will start a new thread in My Rides with more pics


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Great! Looking forward to all the detailed interior pics. This is the first of these buses that I've seen surviving. It does look like Westfalia interior furniture.

Will upload shortly.

Another question quickly. With the history on this bus (bought in SA, shipped to Rhodesia, sold there to someone else, brought back to SA and registered here again) we seem to have a discrepancy on the year model of this vehicle. The reg papers from Rhodesia from the people we bought it from says it's a 1980 model.

We do however know that it had to be way earlier than that as it was my wives dad's (brand new) and there are enough family memories to place it way before 1980. I am not sure if somewhere in the back and forth something went wrong with the dates. My question:

Is there somewhere I can trace the model on this vehicle either by serial numbers or something?

Tx

The VIN number is the only definitive way to date a car. The registration papers can never be trusted.

If you bus is a 74, the VIN will read: 234 2 xxx xxx
2 = Type 2 (Transporter)
3 = Kombi
4 = 1974 model year
2 = Extra digit to differentiate from 1960s buses
xxx xxx = sequential production number

This plate is on the bulkhead. Does this help?