Date: Mon, 19 Jun 95 15:14:13 PDT
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: lars@RNS.COM (Lars Poulsen)
Subject: Dictionary ... part II
I knew there was a reason I was confused, but piecing together the
pieces from several sources, it is getting much clearer. Here is what
I've been told so far:
- Safari Bus
Mike Wright:
Dave Schwarze has a Safare, which has a permanently raised
fiberglass top--sort of looks like a rowboat upside down on top
of the Bus.
Joel Walker:
well, one definition of a Safari bus is those tour buses in
Kenya that take tourists around out in the plains. but usually,
when refering to buses, Safari means those tilt-out windshields
on the Microbuses (split-windows) ... it was designed for very
hot (equatorial) climates, to get much more air and ventilation
into the bus.
Dave Kautz:
Another US-made camper conversion.
Dean Aukes:
This is a conversion done in the U.S. - David Schwarze has one
- he is an expert on these - his is a '73 and has a solid
high-top (fiberglass), not a poptop. I'm not sure if all of
them were like that. His came with A/C, refrig, closet, bed,
and much more. His web page has pictures of it.
- AdventureWagen
Steve Johnson:
There is a company that converts the basic VW bus/vanagon with
a bubble top and various interior layouts that are made at the
customers request. They are in Northern California.
Matt Goike:
the adventurewagen i have is an 81. it has no amenities aside from the
extended top and storage area, and a fold-out bed (bench seat) below.
fuller conversions included a pull-out bed upstairs, and possibly
more. i do not know if pre-brick adventurewagens were made, but the
phone # of the company (adventure campers) is (707) 964-4298.
Joel Walker:
a company in the u.s. that made camper conversions out of vw
buses. still in business (ft. bragg, ca) but not using vw buses
anymore (fords and chevies and such nowadays). characterized by
HUGE roof replacement, sticks WAAAAAY up, lots of headroom.
... they also made 1968-1979 and even 1980-> models.
somebody on the list has a 1981 Adventurewagen made on a
vanagon. but it's just a vw bus that someone other than
vw/westfalia converted and sold as a camping bus.
- Campmobile
Steve Johnson:
I always thought that this refered to all VW buses with the
camper outfit.
Mike Wright:
I drive a 68 Campmobile. It's a Westfalia without sink, stove,
fridge, & poptop. Just the bed, a table, the closets & the
jalousie windows. These were the poor persons Westfalia, I
think.
Joel Walker:
the name officially given by vw to the camper models (by
Westfalia) during the 1956-1979 model years. some die-hards
still call the Camper (which is what vw uses when refering to
the vanagon camper models) a Campmobile. :)
Dave Woodward:
I believe that a Campmobile is the English conversion, I've only heard
of them in pre 70's campers.
Dean Aukes:
This is the official name for the Westfalia conversion (done in
Germany at Westfaliawerk and sold in the U.S. by the dealers)
for the years '68 thru, I think '89 - when the Vanagon came
out. After that I think it was called Camper.
The layout is the same for the '68-'73; two front seats, one
rear facing seat, two seatbelts on the bed/seat. Single cot
in the upstairs pop top. Luggage rack on the back, pop top
hinges at front.
'74 & on breadloafs; double bed upstairs in the pop top, two
front seats, two seatbelts on the bed/seat and more camping
hardware with non-folding tables. Luggage rack on the front
(smaller than '68-'73), pop top hinges at rear.
- Weekender
Dave Woodward:
The weekender is minus the poptop and stove/fridge/sink but does have
cubboards and the bed.
Steve Johnson:
Well, I think this is the 7 passenger Vanagon with a poptop like the
camper a table, and a rear seat that folds out into a bed. It came with
an optional 12V refridgerator/cooler.
Dave Kautz:
This is the tough one, I've heard it used several ways. This is
a camper by Westfalia that has less camping equipment and often
has more passenger seating. I think it often includes a pop-top
and curtains but will not have a refrigerator or stove. The
Eurovan MV with the weekender package has a bench seat which
converts to a bed in the rear, two backwards facing bucket seats
in the middle with a folding table and two seats up front. I
think there is a little cooler under one of the rear facing seats
but I'm not sure.
Dean Aukes:
I think this was a lesser camper version (Vanagon?,
Eurovan)with a smaller closet, fold down bed, fold up table
(like the '68-'73 Campmobile) - no camping hardware like
refrig, sink, stove, etc (although see post earlier today about
the removable refrig offered at least in '85, with the special
power socket).
- Westfalia ?
Steve Johnson:
All Type II conversions made by the Westphalia company.
Joel Walker:
the models produced by a company called Franz Knobel & Sohne in
some place like Wiederbru:ck ... the conversions are called
Westfalia (not the same spelling as the german state) and come
in several different models. the one most commonly seen in the
u.s. is known in germany as the Westfalia Joker.
/ Lars Poulsen