The Volkswagen van or camper is one of those rarefied vehicles which seems to transcend mere transportation. Everyone, it seems, has a soft spot within their heart for these old Vw's which hark back to a bygone age: from the very young to the extremely elderly, very few people, regardless of their color, creed or collective standing, will fail to notice the proximity of a Volkswagen van. These things simply interrogate attention!
This writer has been involved in exporting vehicles from the Usa to the Uk for a puny over 20 years. Fairly recently, however, he has been exposed to the spectacular, world of the Vw van in all its assorted guises. The old first-rate split window model (or 'Splitty' as it is affectionately known) has in recent years found competition for the affections of its many fans in the form of its more contemporary sibling, the bay window van. In the Usa, the Westfalia camper van represents the iconic four-wheeled traveling companion. So favorite was the 'Westy' that its resultant puny availability to Volkswagen dealers prompted one enterprising Oregon company to furnish its own conversion, the 'Riviera', based upon the slower selling Vw panel van.. First resistance to this new breed of camper soon disappeared once the capability of its workmanship and the brain of its form became apparent. Nowadays the Riviera has its own very strong and exact following and, although less widely-known in the Uk than the 'Westy', it is becoming a favorite selection among camper enthusiasts.
Usa
It is a sad but confident fact that although many Volkswagen campers were sold new in the Uk, the ravages of a wet atmosphere have resulted in the survival of only a puny number. Although vans sourced in the Usa are not without their problems, for the most part the levels of rust, rot and general neglect are sufficiently lower as to make them a far great proposition. In many cases it is potential to find Vw campers in the Usa which are still wearing their traditional paintwork. While it is true that some work may still be required to restore them to perfect condition, the endeavor involved in doing so is not nearly so daunting. For this imagine more and more Uk enthusiasts are seeking vans which have been imported from the Usa; the minor inconvenience of having the steering wheel on the 'wrong' side is considered well worthwhile against the advantage of having a solid structure.
Perhaps the imagine for the Volkswagen camper's enduring charm is the sheer efficiency of its interior design, making it an tantalizing selection for a small family on the road without the bulk and impracticality of a true Rv. Many owners use their camper as a daily driver, thus eliminating the need to keep a exact vehicle solely for travel.
Whereas at one point only the split-window and early bay window vans were perceived as having 'classic' status, their popularity has extended in more recent years to contain the very latest model years. The petition of a late-70's Vw Westfalia or Riviera with its practical four-berth sleeping arrangements and more powerful 2000cc fuel-injected motor has become apparent among enthusiasts.
What is de facto not in doubt is the affection in which Vw owners hold their vehicles. During the writer's travels throughout the Usa in quest of suitable vans for his customers, rarely did he encounter an owner for whom the loss of their pride and joy was not an upsetting experience. More than one person changed their mind about selling, and for two owners the parting was, quite literally, a tearful one.
Also abundantly clear is the high interrogate for these old Volkswagens: on many occasions the writer was disappointed to have missed a particular van because of a queue of other eager buyers. The quest for decent vehicles led to an odyssey face a essential part of the United States. The buy of one particular Riviera camper involved a plane flight from Miami to Salt Lake city, Utah, followed by a spectacular, drive into snow-covered Idaho. The subsequent buy (of a wonderfully rust-free 1972 'Kombi') led from Idaho straight through Nevada to Lake Tahoe, and from there into Northern California. Thick snow, requiring the use of chains to sound send motion, slowly gave way to glorious sunshine and gorgeous scenery. This is by no means an easy way to earn a living, but the rewards in terms of voyage are considerable, to say nothing of the characters one meets along the way. There is great satisfaction to be had from the knowledge that a first-rate Vw has been safely transplanted from its home in the Usa across thousands of miles of ocean into the hands of a new and equally loving owner.
Volkswagen Camper Vans From the Usa
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