Scene tax == insane.

[Pillock]

Mutters.... what have I started?

 

I'll own up - if I was insanely rich, as in totally beyond comprehension well off, then I'd have one. It'd be your typical burgandy-and-brown early splitscreen with a lairy motor out the back, on gas burners and airbags.

I love the way they look, I love the way they drive.

i'll even confess to loving the 'scene' as much as a lot of my friends I met through VW shows and whilst it's not as laid back and hippy as it used to be, it's generally a lot more fun than, say, the Ford Cortina Mk3 Owners Club.

 

But if I was in the market for an old camper, no way would I be saving and working overtime and eating Value bread to save up the £10,000 minimum for a MoT'ed running splitty. I'd have a CF camper, or a Commer or something equally cheap. Type2s are nice, but they're not sell-your-kidneys nice and let's face it, Beetles used to be a fair few thousand pounds in the 90s - now you can't give them away. Same will happen to the humble camper, mark my words.

 

And for those saying they're slow, uncomfortable and handle badly - you've not been in the right one. It's either been modified badly, or it's broken in some way. They're no traffic light drag star but they keep up with modern traffic ok around town and you could probably level the same argument at most standard pre-80s cars. IMHO Beetles are even better, I had a 1303S with MacP struts and a 1641 engine (roughly 60bhp) and that was more than capable of getting away first from the lights. Totally ran out of puff at 70 like but who cares

[shite_meister]

Underpowered, slow, horrible gearchange, evil handling

My 1600 Air-Cooled jobby was more than capable of keeping up with and overtaking traffic on the motorway, sure a 1959 Split-Screen on reduction boxes might not be lightning quick but neither is a CF or anthing else of the same age and class. I also suggest you've never driven one with a well-sorted gear linkage-mine was no worse than alot of BMWs I've had half the age and I really don't expect a van of that age to 'handle' in any way other than an old van.

[shite_meister]

But if I was in the market for an old camper, no way would I be saving and working overtime and eating Value bread to save up the £10,000 minimum for a MoT'ed running splitty. I'd have a CF camper, or a Commer or something equally cheap. Type2s are nice, but they're not sell-your-kidneys nice and let's face it, Beetles used to be a fair few thousand pounds in the 90s - now you can't give them away. Same will happen to the humble camper, mark my words.And for those saying they're slow, uncomfortable and handle badly - you've not been in the right one. It's either been modified badly, or it's broken in some way. They're no traffic light drag star but they keep up with modern traffic ok around town and you could probably level the same argument at most standard pre-80s cars. IMHO Beetles are even better, I had a 1303S with MacP struts and a 1641 engine (roughly 60bhp) and that was more than capable of getting away first from the lights. Totally ran out of puff at 70 like but who cares

This is the most sense I've heard on the subject-damned right, as Pillock says if you want a classic camper you could find better value for money in something like a Commer. People pay huge amounts of money for these to be part of the scene and they are popular because they are or were good at what they did.

[Station]

at what point did we start slagging off certain vehicles just because they happen to be popular with a certain demographic?

We are slagging off/showing concern for the certain demographic that pays 15k for a shitty old van. :)I like how people can take a rotten Beetle or campavan and just strip it down and then weld old/new or fabricated panels onto it though.

[Pillock]

at what point did we start slagging off certain vehicles just because they happen to be popular with a certain demographic?

We are slagging off/showing concern for the certain demographic that pays 15k for a shitty old van.

'tis true, most replies seem to be 'they're nice but how much????' rather than out and out slagging them off.

I'd say you're not a H8R unless you turn one down for £500

[FredTransit]

I don't think I would want a Commer for £500, unless I had a job for it, or a buyer.....

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

VW's are horrid and stupid money, Commers/CF's are just horrible. A Mark 1 Transit Martin Walker though......with a decent 2 litre Pinto, 5 speed box etc would be okay.The smart money however is a Californian import mid sixties Chevrolet or a Ford Econoline - the SWB one with a low tune 260 V8 would do it. Both are great lookers, and unlike the Splittie you don't look like a skateboarding surfer twat.VW's? Early Mark 1 small bumper Golfs are immense and so are unmolsted pre 1960 Beetles.If it's 'scene', it's wank. Minis are an absolute pet hate of mine. I had so many lovely Mark 1's including two stunning Cooper S's, but the Mini scene has been taken over and ruined by deluded fuckwits who think The Italian Job is the high water mark of Cinema.

[FredTransit]

I think you will find a 60s econoline is either more or about the same money as a mid 60s transit, and the bits are harder to get.

[Father Ted]

deluded fuckwits who think The Italian Job is the high water mark of Cinema.

Isnt it?Oh But its got Minis in it..... And a Land Rover.... And gold.... And Michael Caine....You mean it isnt... Oh... ((Crushed))

[Pillock]

*shrug* I quite like the film, but not for the minis. It's just a good film.

[mk1_4dr]

...The smart money however is a Californian import mid sixties Chevrolet or a Ford Econoline - the SWB one with a low tune 260 V8 would do it. Both are great lookers...

 

I totally agree, infact, apart from wanting to 'belong' to the scene, I can't think of any reason to choose a type2 over either one of these vans.

Lets face it, they're rarer, have a better noise, are undoubtably swifter and I can't imagine them being epically thirsty or at least more so than a 1600 aircooled housebrick.Hell, you'd even be able to tow with them, you certainly can't do that comfortably with a type2.

 

I wouldn't worry about parts either, unless you want to get all anal about uber-rare trim, everything will be available from the states.

 

Have some pics to keep it interesting.....

 

 

Another British alternative?

 

 

Instead of....

 

 

 

Or of course, you could do the job right to begin with..

 

[ayd]

you don't look like a skateboarding surfer twat.

I do both of the above

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

I think you will find a 60s econoline is either more or about the same money as a mid 60s transit, and the bits are harder to get.

But they're so much better, just like 60's US Fords are better than ours. Hmmm. Galaxie 500 or a Zephyr 6? 1964 Falcon or a 1500 Cortina? That's a tough one!

[Volksy]

I was a member of the VW 'Scene' for quite a few years, had a selection of different cars and vans, Bugs, Type 3's, A Splitty, A Bay, Sciroccos, Audi Coupe's, Early Passats..It was good fun, and mostly a good crowd of people, some complete anoracks, a selection of wacky 'Dudes', I didn't buy into the whole - Spend millions on it to be the best trailer queen around, as some did. My VW's were all daily drivers, rough round the edges, which was how I believed they should be, as thats pretty much how the scene started in the first place.It's quite sad that people will tar everyone involved with a 'scene' with the same brush.Yes VW's are not the best vehicle to drive, however, they arn't that bad compared with other vehicles of the same era. My Splitty was a '63, I doubt that any other van of that period would drive much better. If they were that bad, how come they sold in such great numbers?I wouldn't pay the inflated prices that they are at now for one. Look at Karmann Ghia's for example, they used to be the 'ultimate' in price as far as common place VW's were. In the whole scheme of things they aren't that expensive now. So i'm sure that Splitties and the like will follow.On the flip side, i had a '69 NZ built CKD CF Van, and loved that too, It had it's merits, and its failings, impossibly heavy steering etc. I would like a MK1 Transit, they have really grown on me recently, would have to be in its purest form i.e. a SWB Flat front V4. If I see a splitty cruising down the road, it does brighten my day, although the same can be said of a CA or any elderly van/car.

[pompei]

Am I the only one who doesn't like camping?

[Station]

I think the reason why people like having vans with plenty of space and reserves/resources is in case 'something' happens.

 

Wonder if these will be worth a bit in the future?

 

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Man, that's so 'scene' it hurts.Early Delcia Exceed?

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

If I see a splitty cruising down the road, it does brighten my day, although the same can be said of a CA or any elderly van/car.

I saw a lovely red 1962 Beetle today whilst walking to the shops. Looked utterly stock, down to the VW mudflaps.As for the 'scene', there are the real VW enthusiasts and those that cheque booked their way into the Dub lifestyle, Dude.

[AXrescuer]

If it's 'scene', it's wank.

Now you're talking my language!

[Justin Case]

My choice would be one of these:

 

[retrogeezer]

I'd have one of these for sure:

 

[FredTransit]

My choice would be one of these:

 

Nice, but hideously rare. I know of a van for sale that's £6,000

[shite_meister]

I've got a 1989 VW T25 camper thats about as cool as genital warts but its good at using it for its intended purpose.

 

I would love one of these though:

 

Or a Renault Estafette:

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

 

As Michael Caine might say;

 

YOU, YOU, YOU................IN THE DORMOBILE!

[j-j]

I've got a 1989 VW T25 camper thats about as cool as genital warts but its good at using it for its intended purpose.

 

I would love one of these though:

 

Or a Renault Estafette:

= win

 

Love the Estafette - I mean slidey doors ffs, can go cruizin Paris cops in the 60s style

[155V6]

One of these for me please

[Mat.T]

hiace all the way:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1975-classic-camp ... 0351876977

 

mine

[retrogeezer]

Is yours on the road now Mat??

[fotorabia]

A few years back my lil cousin came over from England so we could have a road trip holiday around the island..cos he was only 20 we couldnt rent a wreck..so buy was the idea..we tried out a $400 Beetle..Rory hated the driving position...then a Citroen GS Break..but had a hole in the exhaust and was real noisy n to expensive..in the end a mate offered to lend us his 72 Holden ute..3.3ltr wif a Celica 5spd...went all the way round the island..then up to Mt Ruapehu for snowboarding..and whilst all the ski bunnies couldnt even get their new Range Rovers off the snow..our baby having a diff lock pulled off nae problem..i fell in love with it and bought it eventually...

[shite_meister]

One of these for me please

Jesus I've never heard of one of these before-more details please!