Vantastic voyage: WV travel addicts circle globe in VW (1 Viewer)

[scotjimland]

Link Removed
World travelers Will Foertsch (left) and Larry Calhoun check on "Greenbrier Billy," the Volkswagen van that serves as their mobile hotel. Stickers on the windows indicate various countries they've visited since Calhoun bought the van in 1998.

Link Removed

 

[Snowbird]

Many thanks for that one Jim,they are an inspiration to all travelaholics.
I admire those two so much for there get up and go attitude.
I love my VW LT and am despiratly trolling the German sites for a Westfailia for my daughter.Those old VWs are so practical for touring and are vertualy indestructable.

 

[scotjimland]

Many thanks for that one Jim,they are an inspiration to all travelaholics.

Indeed they are.. I would like to have seen a picture of the shower..

We are thinking along the same lines, small panel van conversion to do more extensive traveling. Reading this story made me realise it is not only possible but can be done on a limited budget .. that is the real challenge.
Just need to wait until Chaz can look after herself ..

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Snowbird]

Best part about those VWs is they travel on ferries at the same price as a car,being under 5 metres long.I had a VWT4 and toured all Scandinavia with it for 4 months one summer.Can honestly say I never once missed the conviniances of the RV,it didnt have a shower but I had one of the sun bag showers outside and also used to swim a lot.In the 4 months tour I never used a campsite once.I think we have become conditioned to believe we nead all the bells and whistles,when in actual fact if the weather is good we only actualy nead a bed.I did almost all of my cooking outside even though I had cooking facilities inside the van.Although I love my old RV,the VW is far more practical for serious traveling.When I think back to when I was working I lived in a truck cab very comfotably for months on end,traveling half way round the world, and the living quarters were a quarter of the size of a VW.I know I would never have been able to make the trip with the RV as most of the roads were unmade.American vehicles like european MHs are just not made for that type of punishment.

 

[novawight]

Best part about those VWs is they travel on ferries at the same price as a car,being under 5 metres long.I had a VWT4 and toured all Scandinavia with it for 4 months one summer.Can honestly say I never once missed the conviniances of the RV,it didnt have a shower but I had one of the sun bag showers outside and also used to swim a lot.In the 4 months tour I never used a campsite once.I think we have become conditioned to believe we nead all the bells and whistles,when in actual fact if the weather is good we only actualy nead a bed.I did almost all of my cooking outside even though I had cooking facilities inside the van.Although I love my old RV,the VW is far more practical for serious traveling.When I think back to when I was working I lived in a truck cab very comfotably for months on end,traveling half way round the world, and the living quarters were a quarter of the size of a VW.I know I would never have been able to make the trip with the RV as most of the roads were unmade.American vehicles like european MHs are just not made for that type of punishment.

Thats why I love my VW Topaz ,any where i like as long Jayne says OK

 

[wivvy's dad]

Those old VWs are so practical for touring and are vertualy indestructable.

Yes

Err....no actually. The gearbox on mine destroyed itself. Ever tried getting a Type 4 gearbox rebuilt?

The cars / campers I've had more problems with have all been Volkswagens.
411LE - Aberspacher heater; fuel pump
Beetle - rusty bodywork
Corrado VR6 - 3 automatic gearboxes in 2 years

etc etc

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Snowbird]

Yes

Err....no actually. The gearbox on mine destroyed itself. Ever tried getting a Type 4 gearbox rebuilt?

The cars / campers I've had more problems with have all been Volkswagens.
411LE - Aberspacher heater; fuel pump
Beetle - rusty bodywork
Corrado VR6 - 3 automatic gearboxes in 2 years

etc etc

Why would you want to rebuild a T4 box...loads of good ones for sale 2nd hand.
That probably explains why there are more older VWs running around than any other make,not very reliable eh.
Aberspacher heater...nothing to do with VW.
Rusty bodywork on Beatle...most Beatles are over 20 years old now,entitled to have a bit of rust.
Agree with the Corado autobox...Only one auto box thats any good in my opinion,and thats an Allison.

 

[wivvy's dad]

At least Calhoun did the right thing and replaced the pancake engine with one from a Subaru - I harboured a desire to do that, before mine got stolen.

 

[Snowbird]

I must be one of the lucky ones.
At the moment am running 2 VWs,my everyday transport is a MK111 golf 1.9D,runns happily on bio,even in this weather,had no problems with that apart from replacing shockers.
My Lt28 6cylinder diesel runs happily also on bio,have had no problems with that apart from upgrades which have done myself.Am of the opinion that the older VWs are like the older Mercs,agricultural mechanics that can be repaired with a bed spanner and bike spanner.I know that technology has moved on in later years but only to make things more complicated and less chance of the owner being able to do his own repairs.The Westy in the original post was of the agricultural variety,which says a lot for older vehicles.I know these vehicles are slower and less fuel efficiant,but they do make up for it in reliability.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}