Date:         Wed, 24 Apr 96 11:26:29 PDT
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         stafford@newport26.hac.com (Jack Stafford)
Subject:      Re: '73 Westy Questions

On Mon, 22 Apr 1996, dworkin@ari.net (H Steven Dolan) asks:
> How do you fold the front seats?  I have this canvas thingummy with apparent
> clips on the windshield pillars and the pillars behind the front seats ("B"
> pillars?), but the only way to get it in would involve folding or removing
> the front seats.  While I have removed the driver's seat, I was unable to
> find a latch to fold it and am dead flat unable even to remove the passenger
> seat.  Any hints? 

My '73 Westy (born on 5/73) came from the dealer without headrests on the
front bucket seats.  The canvas cot you are trying to install will not fit
with headrests in the way.  I know because I found a pair of nice headrests
at the junkyard.  Now the cot dosn't fit.  :)  Yank the headrests straight
up and out.

To remove the passenger front seat tilt the seat back toward the front.
Hold it there and lift up.  The entire seat should easily be removed.

> What was the floor covered with originally?  

I replaced the floor back in '86.  The original floor was heavy duty plywood,
masonite and grey linoleum.  There was a 'pebble' texture to the linoleum.
I used left-over grey kitchen tile (peel-n-stick).

> Was there originally a holding tank under the sink drain? Or was it designed
> to make a mud puddle outside the side door?  (how very early-'70's on the
> environmental front) Inquiring minds want to know!

No grey water tank.  From the sink drain (under the car) there is a length
of PVC pipe that diverted the flow to the driver's side of the vehicle.
The mud puddle formed behind the driver's door.  Just put a bucket under
there to catch the "liquids".

> Given that the exterior is a brilliant international orange, any guesses on
> the original upholstery and/or curtain colour?

The front bucket seats were tan "basket weave" leatherette.  The other
seats were covered with gold canvas-like material.  Curtains were a tan,
yellow and gold plaid fabric.
I have seen other Westys of this vintage with gold leatherette on the rear
seats.  Perhaps this was a factory option.

> Speaking of upholstery, the rear bed in this beast consists of the seat
> bottom and back, a rectangular foam pad in the back of most of the engine
> shelf, and a long thin clipped rectange that covers the spare tire well.
> Does this even vaguely resemble the original configuration?

In the stock configuration, the spare tire goes in the spare tire well.
A matching fabric (or leatherette) boot covers the spare tire when installed.
Some owners moved the spare to the front of the bus and added that foam
block to fill the well.

> Was a stove or refrigerator an option in this year?

Not to my knowledge.  An icebox was stock equipment.  Electric refrigeration
came with the '74 models.

Jack  '73 Westfalia (orange)
Costa Mesa, CA