1971 Vw Volkswagen Van Bus Westfalia Camper on 2040-cars

Up for auction is a 1971 Volkswagen Wesfalia camper.  This camper runs well, drives well and is mostly original and mostly complete. It does have its flaws, however, and needs a decent amount of TLC if you want a camper you can bring to VW shows.  Because of this, and because I don’t want to inadvertently mislead anyone about its condition, I am going to say that this VW is a parts car.  It’s absolutely good for parts if you’re already working on a similar VW project.  The good thing about this parts car is that it’s a strong enough of a runner that I’m confident it can be driven from its current location in northern Indiana to anywhere you want in the continental US.  I’ve posted some photos here that show the good as well as the bad and I’m going to try to be thorough about my description of its condition.

Body: Not original paint job.  Looked pretty sharp once but those days are gone. Paint is cracked and peeling in spots. Body is rusting through in spots, but not bad for a 43 year old VW.  Floor is rusting through under driver floor mat (see photo). Front bumper has detached from under passenger’s door due to rusting (see photo). There are small dings here and there in the body but no major smashes. The pop-up top is complete minus the fabric. The previous owner removed the fabric with the intention of replacing it but never did.  The pop-up top is secured in the down position via ratchet strap that you can see above the windshield in one of the photos.  Without the strap the top will pop up an inch or two at highway speeds.  None of the door locks work with the ignition key, some door handles have their lock cylinder missing.  Something is wrong with the sliding door so that it takes two hands to open it, but it closes fine with a slam.  The rear hatch is locked and I can’t figure out how to unlock it so currently the rear hatch can’t open.  The previous owner told me it worked fine for years then one day he locked it somehow and it’s never opened since. The engine compartment door functions fine as does the gas cap door, driver door and passenger door.

Engine: Nothing special, appears as stock (sorry about the blurry photo).  The engine starts well, runs well but drips oil near one of the valve cover gaskets when running.  We drove this camper from Michigan to South Dakota and back last summer over a period of about one week.  We folded down the seats and slept in it at Walmart parking lots along the way.  It drove 55mph well and didn’t give us any problems.  Because of the oil drip we checked the oil every morning before starting it up and added a half pint or so each day.  The oil drips down onto the exhaust manifold so sometimes I can smell the burning oil while driving at very slow speeds or at stop lights.

Transmission: 4 speed manual.  No goofy noises or problems shifting in any gear, clutch seems like it has plenty of life left in it.

Brakes: No noises, problems or leaks. It stops smooth and straight.  Brake pedal feels firm for a no power assist system.  However, parking brake does not function.

Steering: Turns well, no pulling or bad shakes at highway speeds.  It’s fairly tight considering its age.

Tires & wheels: Tires worn but wearing evenly, they have about 15% tread left on them. One or two of them have very slow leaks so tire pressure should be checked regularly.  I think all tires are the same brand and were all replaced together at the same time as a set.  The spare is full size, has a factory cover and is mounted on the interior of the camper. All five wheels are the same type and are in decent condition with four matching hubcaps.

Interior:  Mostly stock and fairly complete.  All cabinets and doors seem to be there, sink, table and cooler too.  Some cabinet door handles are damaged but functional. Camper seat cushions are there and in good condition. Original wood headliner and trim around it is missing. Driver and front passenger seats are not original (see photo). The previous owner claims the current seats are from a VW but I can’t verify that.  The seat rails are not welded in so the seats can move around a bit while driving which is sometimes annoying but not that bad. Front seatbelts are functional. Carpet is not original. No radio. Fuse panel is not secured (see photo) but there doesn’t seem to be any problems as all fuses are intact and functioning well, also aftermarket cylinder head temperature gauge dangling in same photo. Gauge manufactured by VDO and does not appear to be hooked up.  One sun visor is missing and the other one doesn’t stay in place that well.

Dashboard and lights:  Speedometer functions and seems accurate.  The five digit odometer functions and reads around 9,500 miles, I don’t know if it has rolled over once, twice, three times or more. Fuel gauge functions but is not accurate over 3/4 tank.  The gauge reads 3/4 tank when full, then seems accurate once fuel level is below 3/4 tank. All turn signals function but do not self-cancel.  Headlights work, high beams work, all marker lights work. Brake lights and tail lights work and brake light indicator on the dash board also works. Hazard lights work.  License plate light works.  Reverse lights do not function. Horn does not function. Gauge illumination lights work. Interior light does not function.  Windshield wipers work but need new blades, windshield washer does not function.

Glass: The windshield is discoloring or delaminating weirdly and should be replaced (see photo). One of the slotted camper windows doesn’t crank open, the other one works but not well. All other windows seem okay and function well.

Fuel tank: Holds fuel with no leaks.

Title and repair manual:  Both in hand and ready to go.

Any questions as to condition please ask.

Terms of this auction:  This vehicle is listed for sale locally so this auction may end at any time.  If you win this auction a $500 deposit via Paypal is due within 24 hours of auction end, no exceptions.  Payment in full via Paypal is due within 72 hours of auction end or by other arrangement if agreed upon by both parties in writing. Vehicle must be picked up from northern Indiana (near Fort Wayne) within 14 days of auction end unless other arrangements are agreed upon by both parties in writing. Any violation of terms or written agreements will result in forfeiture of monies paid and relisting of the vehicle, so please do not bid unless you’re confident you can follow through.

Delivery option: As I stated before I’m confident this vehicle can drive to anywhere in the continental US and therefore I’m willing to deliver it to you by driving to your lower 48 location for a fee. If interested please contact me before auction end so we can talk about location, fee and timeline.

I am a long time Ebay member with 100% positive feedback so you can bid with confidence.  Thanks for viewing this auction and happy bidding.