1960 Split Screen Kombi Westphalia Camper VIN 588201
Originally a Californian bus, this 1960 Split Screen Kombi Westphalia Camper is known around the samba community as the “Burnt Westy”. A fire in the front cabin many decades ago has given the bus the raw external and internal front look that has been preserved ever since. This raw front matches well with the preserved patina of the rest of the body appearance. We have researched on the net its life in Cali and have many images saved that can be shared of its early life there before arriving in the UK. Original equipment includes the full Westfalia factory camping interior with rock and roll bed, original safari windows and sub-hatch and side opening windows. Full length roof rack in matching patina came supplied from the USA as well. Sometime early in the new millennium the bus was purchased by James of the Swindon VW Club in Bristol region in UK. I still have James’ phone and email details as we have stayed in contact if anyone ever wanted to contact him to discuss the bus. We purchased the bus from James in 2010 and had some touring preparation work done on it at Vanshack in Oxford. I remember we fitted a new “Kennedy” heavy duty clutch before undertaking some cruising around Europe before eventually shipped it from Zurich to Brisbane. James did a lot of modification and improvement work with it in the UK including placing a new 2165 motor in the back with 48 idf’s and a freeway flier gearbox so there is plenty of power and a nice top speed at low rpms. Has a 5” narrowed beam, dropped spindles with a raised box and shortened column and 2” hubs. Rear is IRS’d narrowed 1” either side running NOS type 3 drums. Single Fog lamp and headlight protectors were also fitted by James. Since it arrived in Brisbane, we have raised the low ride height that James preferred. In my opinion it is high enough now that it doesn’t drag on gutters and speed bumps anymore but helped by the low profile tyres still exhibits nil body roll into the corners and with super direct feeling through the steering it corners on windy road seriously like a rally car. In our 15 years of ownership, we have fitted a full front and back sound system and amplifier and only recently matched that with a 9” Panasonic touchscreen Apple Carplay /Spotify/Radio head unit and auxiliary DVD player. Also fitted a tachometer, fixed the fuel gauge and added a new oil temperature gauge. In the last few years, we have spent over A$20K on having the whole underside of the vehicle reclad in fresh tin and refitted chassis sections where required. Work from reading the invoice included lower front inner and outer and left and right inner sills and outriggers and wheel arches and new work was matched in nicely with existing patina around the lower external body area. Whole underside was then finished with a full black sealant treatment. Underside pictures and invoice are available on request. Mattress and seats recently had new foam applied and covered with new material with curtains dressed also in matching material. Braking system underwent recent overhaul and whilst removed, drums have been painted bright red in a heat proof gloss and wheels have been sandblasted and powder coated silver and matched in with 2pack black and new black wheel nuts and 2 new Michelin 175x65R15 fitted to front and 2 new Michelin 195x60R15 fitted to the rear. Wheel bearings were greased at the same time and invoice can be supplied. Tyres have probably only seen 500km of driving since fitted. It is now time for someone else to enjoy this turnkey and trouble free (starts every time even after months of inaction) bus. For sale A$65000 ONO any reasonable offer contact John +61-417-733057 or [email protected] (We run an auto shipping business and can arrange national or international transport to a seller anywhere) Video footage can be seen here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFIKPwwbMNE
