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General => General discussion => Topic started by: Len on 30 November 2005, 10:09

Title: I nearly bought a Camper!
Post by: Len on 30 November 2005, 10:09
Went to look at one last night!! yes i know! But it was in a work yard with plenty of lights!

Well I said Yes - but on reflection at home later I decided it was TOO much work.
The thing was potentially a really good long term project, but I just dont want to put in 100 plus hours to get it anywhere near decent!

No engine or gearbox, which want really a problem coz I was gonna change them anyway! The raising roof was a good one with two glass panels and two opening vents. The bare bones of the sink and cupboards where still there, but the rest was totally skip worthy!!

So if anyone wants TONS of work and some heartache I know where there is one going for £300.

 :cool:
Title: Re: I nearly bought a Camper!
Post by: tobz. on 30 November 2005, 10:45
£300!!! Blimey what's the structure like? Gotta be a shed for that money
Title: Re: I nearly bought a Camper!
Post by: Len on 30 November 2005, 10:59
It looked fine!
I mean there is a lot of surface rust and the steps have gone! And the rear valance ait there! But the chassis looked fine. What we could see of it!

I gave it a few hefty kicks and nothing fell off!! :grin:
Title: Re: I nearly bought a Camper!
Post by: tobz. on 30 November 2005, 11:15
Heh heh tried and tested method of giving it a good kick.
The trouble with these things is they tend to rust from the inside out due to their not being much protection on the inside of the seams between the panels. Once the rust gets to the outer surface the damage is already done.
The main structural points to check seem to be the sills, outriggers, bottoms of the door pillars, underneath the windscreen and round the seatbelt mounts as a starting point.
Title: Re: I nearly bought a Camper!
Post by: Len on 30 November 2005, 11:23
Cant be sure about the sills and outriggers, but the rest you mentioned seemed fine.
Think the floor looked a bit suspect in places.

Oh btw its a K reg so tax exempt I think!

I had first option on it being a mate of a mate thing and I know someone else is interested, so it could only be available for a short time.
And that might have been a mates price too!!!

Obviously it will have to be trailered/A framed away, so I think its a fair price, just not for me!
Title: Re: I nearly bought a Camper!
Post by: Overseer on 30 November 2005, 11:54
sounds like a wise escape len :) .. ya wont get much camper for ya money if u pay out under 2k.. i'd try get something with a fresh MOT that runs!
Title: Re: I nearly bought a Camper!
Post by: tobz. on 30 November 2005, 12:05
The only 'cheap' option that doesn't involve weeks with a welder is to consider a T25 although if you want one that is already converted then they can be pricey.
I picked mine up in the form of an 8-seater minibus this summer for £800 with 12 months ticket. After six weeks of messing about with a saw and plenty of wood we spent two weeks in it as a camper in cornwall.
Now it's my daily driver as I've put the golf away for the winter, it's a great beast to drive.
Title: Re: I nearly bought a Camper!
Post by: Len on 30 November 2005, 12:37
Very true Overseer. Thats my thinking, get at least a driver with as much MOT as possible and go from there.

The only reason I looked at it was because it didnt have an engine/gearbox! Because I am going to change those anyway.

That might be an option too tobz. I do like the idea of a sink/cooker etc. but on the other hand do I really want to trust cooking with gas in a confined space!
With the T25's there is also the watercooled option!
Title: Re: I nearly bought a Camper!
Post by: tobz. on 30 November 2005, 12:53
I fitted my cooker behind the passengers seat next to the sliding door, I just make sure either the slider is open a little bit or the front passengers window, haven't killed myself yet!!! The other option is to have the cooker in the standard position and have a louvred/sliding window on that side of the van.
True with a T25 you have the watercooled option but they bring their own specific problems. If the wrong coolant type has been used for any length of time the head studs have a tendency to disintegrate and then the heads literally fall off. also being such a long system they are notoriously difficult to bleed. However the 1.9 water does push out 8bhp more than the 2.0 a/c
I went for the safe option and got the last of the aircooled.
Title: Re: I nearly bought a Camper!
Post by: Len on 30 November 2005, 13:03
Its just I have a spare 405 Mi 16 engine lying around mate! And if the rad and pipes stuff is already there.........

160bhp in a camper!  :grin:

Yea this one had a louvred window over sink/cooker.
Title: Re: I nearly bought a Camper!
Post by: tobz. on 30 November 2005, 13:10
That is the joy of the watercooled T25, engine upgrade possibilities are endless.
Non-turbo diesels tend to go for less as they aren't so desirable, as it's already got a golf diesel engine fitted a gti upgrade is meant to be fairly simple. Or you've allways got the 2.1 injection watercooled (112bhp) which was a standard model later on. An Mi16 powered T25 would be pretty awesome. Seen quite a few running MK3 golf gti engines and a couple with porsche engines running nitrous!!!
Title: Re: I nearly bought a Camper!
Post by: Len on 30 November 2005, 13:14
I know of a guy in town thats got a T25 van with a Vauxhall twin cam 2.0 that he says has been tuned to over 200bhp!
Title: Re: I nearly bought a Camper!
Post by: Overseer on 30 November 2005, 16:01

nice :)

i have a mate with a bay which should be having a suburu engine dropped in it around this time.. should go like stink!.. not sure about the extra rear scoop for putting air over the radiator though.. i'd rather the body remained intact..



actually a guy i know was talkigna bout getitng a bay and i explained how it'd be a bit of a money pit especially since him + his wifey arent too flush right now.. and i suggested a T25 might be a simpler way until they can afford something air cooled..
Title: Re: I nearly bought a Camper!
Post by: tobz. on 01 December 2005, 09:34
and i suggested a T25 might be a simpler way until they can afford something air cooled..

Early 25's are aircooled 'seer
Only watercooled after 1983
Title: Re: I nearly bought a Camper!
Post by: steviem on 01 December 2005, 09:39
mmmmmm Scooby engined camper
Title: Re: I nearly bought a Camper!
Post by: Len on 01 December 2005, 10:21
I too have thought about a Scooby engine. But not sure, might be to OTT!
Title: Re: I nearly bought a Camper!
Post by: Overseer on 01 December 2005, 10:39
yeah i dunno if this dudes done it.. story goes we went to croyde earlier this year to go camping for his birthday.. they arranged a huge event.. and everyone turned up apart from the guy himself and his g/f since the camper didnt make it more than 10 mins away from their house.. so they crammed everything they were bringing down into their other car. an mx5.. during the weekend they decided to book it in for the scooby engine as they'd already had a bunch of other (badly done) engine work and were sick of it..

have no idea of progress as they guy as sh!t at keepin in touch.. but he said it was getting picked up on a flat bed trailer sometime in nov about two months ago..

and i suggested a T25 might be a simpler way until they can afford something air cooled..

Early 25's are aircooled 'seer
Only watercooled after 1983

okey dokes :) .. well something thatsless of a rust bucket then! ;)
Title: Re: I nearly bought a Camper!
Post by: Len on 01 December 2005, 10:49
I was actually thinking of putting a scooby engine in a buggy! And I have seen a Buggy with a Rover V8 in it!

But I decided that going the watercooled route is a bit too much work!

So keeping an eye out for Variant engines! (2 litre +)
Title: Re: I nearly bought a Camper!
Post by: vaughn on 05 December 2005, 17:23
this is what you want in it len :wink:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=242809