VW bus to trailer conversion

[Pat]

Hi Folks...

In our younger, more flexible years, my wife and I travelled
extensively in our 69 VW Westphalia camper. With many years on our
engines and transmissions we're looking at more modern conveniences
like heat, more than 45mph uphill, etc. I am, however, way too cheap
to pay the asking price for a newer camper or trailer so have been
considering gutting the Westie and converting it to a camping trailer
of my own design.

I'd appreciate hearing from anyone who has done something like this or
who can point me in the right direction for hints and suggestions.

Thanks

Pat Hayes
Rivulet, MT.

[Tex Houston]

Post by Pat
Hi Folks...
In our younger, more flexible years, my wife and I travelled
extensively in our 69 VW Westphalia camper. With many years on our
engines and transmissions we're looking at more modern conveniences
like heat, more than 45mph uphill, etc. I am, however, way too cheap
to pay the asking price for a newer camper or trailer so have been
considering gutting the Westie and converting it to a camping trailer
of my own design.
I'd appreciate hearing from anyone who has done something like this or
who can point me in the right direction for hints and suggestions.
Thanks
Pat Hayes

I can't help you with this project but have you seen the latest Westfalia?

http://www.airstream.com/product_line/motorhomes/westfalia_home.html

Tex

[Pete Dumbleton]

I would do a yahoo/google search on the subject; I know there are VW
groups, and at least one guy I know pulls a Scamp trailer with his
Westie. There may even be a group devoted to nothing but VW campers.

Within reason, and maybe a few lucky trips to wrecking yards, you
might be able to do a better job than the manf. Think in terms of
Coleman Black Cat heaters, portapotties, 12VDC cooler/refrig, etc.
The small fiberglass trailers have a lot of small stuf built in or
added.

If your camping style is CGs with 120VAC available, it makes it a lot
easier, or you can carry a genset (please get something like a Honda,
for the sake of the rest of us<grinz>). You save a lot of space and
weight and complication by relying on CGs for toilets and showers,
with a portapotti and diaperwipes as backups.

Required reading for traveling and living simply in a van is "Blue
Highways" by William Least Heat Moon.

Post by Tex Houston

Post by Pat
Hi Folks...
In our younger, more flexible years, my wife and I travelled
extensively in our 69 VW Westphalia camper. With many years on our
engines and transmissions we're looking at more modern conveniences
like heat, more than 45mph uphill, etc. I am, however, way too cheap
to pay the asking price for a newer camper or trailer so have been
considering gutting the Westie and converting it to a camping trailer
of my own design.
I'd appreciate hearing from anyone who has done something like this or
who can point me in the right direction for hints and suggestions.
Thanks
Pat Hayes

I can't help you with this project but have you seen the latest Westfalia?
http://www.airstream.com/product_line/motorhomes/westfalia_home.html
Tex

[Brian Elfert]

Post by Pat
Hi Folks...
like heat, more than 45mph uphill, etc. I am, however, way too cheap
to pay the asking price for a newer camper or trailer so have been
considering gutting the Westie and converting it to a camping trailer
of my own design.

You'd be a lot better off finding a large enclosed trailer to convert, or
finding an old Airstream to fix up.

With your van you'd need to remove the front wheels and all the steering
gear before you welded on some sort of tongue and coupler. The van would
be awful heavy to tow since it was designed to propel itself.

Brian Elfert

[Carl A.]

Post by Pat
Hi Folks...
In our younger, more flexible years, my wife and I travelled
extensively in our 69 VW Westphalia camper. With many years on our
engines and transmissions we're looking at more modern conveniences
like heat, more than 45mph uphill, etc. I am, however, way too cheap
to pay the asking price for a newer camper or trailer so have been
considering gutting the Westie and converting it to a camping trailer
of my own design.
I'd appreciate hearing from anyone who has done something like this or
who can point me in the right direction for hints and suggestions.
Thanks
Pat Hayes
Rivulet, MT.

Take a look at a modern Westy, built on a Ford Econoline chassis and
available for around $40K.

www.gtrv.com

[Brian Collingwood]

Post by Pat
Hi Folks...
In our younger, more flexible years, my wife and I travelled
extensively in our 69 VW Westphalia camper. With many years on our
engines and transmissions we're looking at more modern conveniences
like heat, more than 45mph uphill, etc. I am, however, way too cheap
to pay the asking price for a newer camper or trailer so have been
considering gutting the Westie and converting it to a camping trailer
of my own design.
I'd appreciate hearing from anyone who has done something like this or
who can point me in the right direction for hints and suggestions.
Thanks
Pat Hayes
Rivulet, MT.

Pat,

I know you are looking for advice on doing your conversion but my experience
says there are a ton of gently used trailers out there for very reasonable
prices.

Brian

[becida]

Post by Pat
Hi Folks...
In our younger, more flexible years, my wife and I travelled
extensively in our 69 VW Westphalia camper. With many years on our
engines and transmissions we're looking at more modern conveniences
like heat, more than 45mph uphill, etc. I am, however, way too cheap
to pay the asking price for a newer camper or trailer so have been
considering gutting the Westie and converting it to a camping trailer
of my own design.

See if you can find somone who re-engined a vanagon westie with a Subaru
engine, 130hp, real heat, better engine and still a Westphilia.
Take a look at the subaruvanagon list at yahoo.