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Rebuilding my dad's Westfalia Westy VW Camper

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When my father was 82 (Summer 2001) unbeknownst to me, he went out and bought a 1983 VW Westfalia Camper. This van recently had an engine overhaul, but was making a knocking noise. So, I brought the van to my farm, parked it in the barn and we pulled the engine out to investigate. Minor problem... all I had to do was replace a hydraulic lifter.I can't count how many VW engines my dad pulled in our garage back in El Paso.Man did I learn about engines when I was a kid, but my dad remained the mechanic in the family. My father retired flying jets all over the world and he was also a licensed "A&P" mechanic. When I was a sophomore in high school, I got a used 1965 Mustang and he rebuilt the engine in our garage at home. He would go on to rebuilding two airplane engines in later years... You should have seen the projects in between! Boats, trucks, dune buggies, home-made motor cycles... It was "pay-back time" and I decided to rebuild my 80 year-old father's NASTY Westfalia Camper.After pulling the engine, I tackled the interior. The insides were so nasty, no way I was going to let my old-man ride around or go camping in an ugly VW Westy, so I gutted the interior, fixed all the dents, re-primed the van and put a new paint job on it and installed a new tent.Fortunately, this van spent it's life in Southern New Mexico and West Texas, a dry region of the USA and it didn't have any rust, not a single speck. It did have dozens of small dents that I had to fix.I also installed new seat covers, new carpet and new chrome front and rear bumpers and I pulled the roof off to install a new canvas tent. What a project this was! It took me 2 months, but my 7 dogs seemed to enjoy watching.A little more than two months later, my dad had a Westy Camper with a custom paint job that looked like it just came out of the showroom... He only drove it for a short time and was diagnosed with colon cancer.The Westy was sold to a nice Airman at nearby Dyess Air Force Base, and I still see it running around town, 7 years after my rebuild.I only hope when I am 82 years old, I'll have half the energy, gumption and drive my dad did... People from this age group indeed are what Tom Brokaw called, "The Greatest Generation" and my father also epitomized the book, "A Father Is For Spending Time With."

Channel: Autos & Vehicles
Uploaded: December 31, 1969 at 6:59 pm
Author: tuutuutango

Length: 03:38
Rating: N/A
Views: 20803

Tags: Bus  Camper  repair  VW  Westy  

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Video Comments

tuutuutango (December 31, 1969 at 6:59 pm)
You are welcome and I think the best dads are ones who epitomize the book, "A Dad Is For Spending Time With." I hope you and your son have many great adventures in the garage and in the Westy.
leolipert (December 31, 1969 at 6:59 pm)
tuutuutango, thanks for sharing this with us. My dad and I used to tinker around in the garage all the time when I was a kid. He's gone now, but I just spent a day with my own son swapping engines on my Westy. There's a time lapse video of it on you tube. Special times that probably won't come around again.
prflyer68 (December 31, 1969 at 6:59 pm)
Props to you for spending time with your father as much as you did!we should all do this, and I gurantee you the world would be a better place
tuutuutango (December 31, 1969 at 6:59 pm)
My dad sold it to a young guy in the Air Force who was enjoying it very much when we saw him last. Unfortunately, I don't know where he was re-assigned to and the van is long-gone.Thanks for your comment.
GameStrata (December 31, 1969 at 6:59 pm)
sorry to hear about your father. i'm surprised you haven't re-purchased the westy from the people who bought it from you!
tuutuutango (December 31, 1969 at 6:59 pm)
The one behind the camera. My dad was scraping the bondo with a knife.
weipeiwu2000 (December 31, 1969 at 6:59 pm)
tuutuutango, which one in the video was you? The one with the camera?
Chrisradioman (December 31, 1969 at 6:59 pm)
Excellent job, very sad that your dad passed away, nice to have a bit of video memory.
tuutuutango (December 31, 1969 at 6:59 pm)
This Westy had no rust. It spent it's life in the dry regions of West Texas and Southern New Mexico. Thanks for your comments.
rukatas (December 31, 1969 at 6:59 pm)
so...you had restored a magnific van withaut take out the glasses??? the wourst rusty place!! that restoration is so god as my english!! my van is bog syncro at europe ..but very nice indid ! hugs

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