Suzuki Club UK

I'll start from the beginning for anyone interested that hasn't read my previous thread.. I've bought a 1973 RHD VW camper van.. Twin slider, tin top, 2 litre air cooled engine, twin dellorto carbs.. Runs lumpier than a lumpy thing and was described as solid by the previous owner
I could see from a mile away that it was far from solid but it is forty years old this year..
Got it home on a trailer.
The interior was purple and blue crushed velvet :yuk:
looked like a gothic whore house.

nice purple upholstery

Strip it out, get is painted 2 tone on the outside and white 'n' pine on the inside.

Edweird wrote:Strip it out, get is painted 2 tone on the outside and white 'n' pine on the inside.

trotter wrote:nice purple upholstery

The purple upholstery was the first thing that was removed and burnt, also the four layers of nasty stained ply board on the floor The floor under the ply was surprisingly good
As for strip it out and get it painted.. I think there'll be a little bit more to do than that, it has eleven coats of paint on it.
Started to remove some of the paint.Windows out, doors off, engine out.

Getting cold and wet now working on the drive..Also having windows removed and no security is a bad idea so started the search for a workshop..
A workshop big enough for the camper and the Suzuki.. Weeks of searching.. Found one

Hired a car transporter and moved the SJ first then the camper.

Got them in their new home the day after boxing day.. Now I can start work

In the last couple of pictures you can see there's a hole in the roof where a sunroof has been fitted.. Not happy about this.. Why would you cut a hole in a tintop camper?

Going to rectify this so I bought a front roof cut from a seventies T2 so I've got original steel with the original shape/bow.. Going to cut the panel, joggle the edge, weld from inside and have a go at lead loading the outside.

That's not a Suzuki, now is it?

What makes you think we'd want to see that?







Putting the poor quality humour to one side - AWESOME veedubya! I love these as much as Mk1 Golf GTI's.

And I can't afford either.

Still, I can live vicariously through you...

I'm looking forward to this build, looks like youve got yourself a nice size workshop as well! It makes life so much easier when you have indoor space to work on them.

A sunroof in a camper??? That's a new one! Guess you'll be welding that up then

Splicing a section into the roof and leading it. Hope that goes well. Shame some one in the past has commited such a crime.

Doesn't look in too bad condition overall. Personally i think the interior was a bold statement about a previous owners lack of a grip on reality. Crushed velvet, nice!

Liking the build

Jordi

Given that it used to be matte black with purple velvet inside, I think the previous owner was after a gothic bang bus.

Off tangent a bit but here goes.. We all love to go to shows and vehicle related events..
I recently went to a VW show, looking to buy a drivers side door, a passengers side door and an engine bay door.. I was after good second hand doors as the newly made doors are poo/rust away in no time.. I found all three items at a total cost of £520
Needless to say I passed on the sale and went to ebay, found all three original items in better condition than the show items and bought them.
For £120. It cost me a further £40 in fuel to collect the items.. £160.. Saved £360

And yes they are stored in the spare bedroom(with loads of other SJ/VW stuff)

Bare metaled the dash, ready for painting. ( love them smith and arrow strip and clean discs)
Also had my first play with the joggler.


Puts a nice lip on the edge so the outside edges are flat.

I'm thinking this must be stronger than butt welding?
The other joggled side.. Still a poo welder.

I think I need a new welders mask as I can see f-all when using mine.

Looks good I bet it took u ages to do that dash