Date: Mon, 1 Apr 1996 08:33:40 -0800 (PST)
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: David Schwarze <des@teleport.com>
Subject: Re: Report on '74 Safare (longish)
Your what hurts? writes:
>
> The dash
> had been replaced because the old one was dried and cracked.
> The new dash is gorgeous, but all the knobs don't match (ie.
> there's a wiper control on the steering stalk, and a wiper
> control knob on the new dash).
Sounds like a '72 dash. The '72 (and probably 68-71) busses
had the wiper control nob on the dash instead of the stalk.
> No accessory battery in the engine compartment,
> and I didn't see hookups for it either, so that'll be an
> early project.
All Safares I have seen have had the bottom of the spare tire well
cut out (Safare converters were butchers!) and a continuous-duty silver
colored relay mounted at the edge of the cutout. You should at least
have that - if not I bet you can find the holes where it was mounted.
You can pick up a new one at most RV stores for around $12.
> Benches and beds all in fine shape, too.
Are they covered with Vinyl? If so, they are original. If they are
original and not torn up I will be amazed!
> Owner is throwing in (!) an extra engine, two extra doors,
> and (bonus!) a set of louvered windows from another bus that
> he stripped. I'm not sure if I want to swap out the louvred
> windows - the existing ones give the bus a nice clean profile,
> but the others would be nice for camping ventilation.
I picked up some louvered windows too, but haven't put them in yet. I
agree that they will hurt the looks of the bus, but after GNATT I am
convinced I need them. There's nothing like being in 90 degree heat and
not being able to open the windows cause of mosquitoes. I'm considering
the sliding windows that came in the late 70's busses also.
> Oooh, Joel! You can add another '74 Safare Custom Camper to the
> list of statz. (Do we get a separate Safare classification now?)
Poor Joel. :)
If anyone else is interested in a high-roof Safare camper there is one
for sale here in San Diego. It's a blue '73, like mine, completely rust
free with nice paint, slight body damage in front, good tires.
Unfortunately most of the camping equipment was tossed by the current
owner, a surfer who claims to work at a local VW repair shop. He says
it runs great, but the engine compartment was missing the main seal
which leads me to believe he isn't the VW guru he claims to be. The
paint is also not original (he claims it is). He is asking $1800 as-is
or $2,000 with smog cert. If anyone is interested let me know and I'll
dig up the phone number.
All I can say about having another Safare high-roof camper on the list
is, WOO HOO!!!! I feel like my long-lost brother has just walked in the
front door! Welcome to the list!
-David
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David Schwarze '73 VW Safare Custom Camper (Da Boat)
San Diego, California, USA '73 Capri GT 2800 (Da Beast)
e-mail: des@teleport.com '87 Mustang Lx 5.0 (13.986@100.81)
http://www.teleport.com/~des '93 Weber WG-50 (Da Piano)
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