buy a RHD they said hahahaha

[ice man]

so iv had my van for around 6/7 years and last year i decided to fix some of the body imperfections??? (soon became sills ect ect)
back then most people were like buy a RHD!!! now i see why most people go for an import...but when its done its done.....

also i found the best way to do it is by yourself WITHOUT the bodges and cheap panels

 

[Fortunate Son]

Here, here!! I was Adam Ant that I wanted a RHD when I was looking back in 2006. I found my Dormy quite quickly (having decided I only wanted a Devon!)

As time as gone by I have come to really appreciate how much easier it is to get a very original LHD van / bus and really grown to like them (especially Westys) but I still have a huge soft spot for any RHD.

I have been at my resto for 8 years now and it has been very challenging but I am going to have a lot of job satisfaction when it's done (and knowledge of how all of the lower 6 inches goes together!) plus the certainty that all of the corrosion has gone and it should be good for another 44 years meaning I can hand it over to my boy when My body is so worn out I can't drive any more - currently looking like 2019! (I'm 44!)

RHDs - in a league of their own!!

 

[RePhil]

Buying a RHD bus is a great way of finding out just how they were built - If you like that kind of thing.
I have at times hated having to drag my rusty bus back from the brink but I've also found it very rewarding.

Just think what these rust free import guys are missing.

Enjoy.

Phil.

 

[ice man]

very true points.. i know my van inside and out because of this .just want it to be over so i can drive it again hahaha

 

[thejinx]

I'm RHD as well only 5 years for me. Wouldn't have missed it for the world

 

[skin69]

Mines RHD & I think they can get bad press.
I found a solid starter (£750) & spent 2yrs getting it straight.
12yrs latter it's just starting to show little bubbles & these are on imported doors?
I've driven left hookers & had no hassle but life is easier in a RHD, overtaking/drive through's. Let's be honest, the UK is set up for RHD. I must admit, if I was to start again, life would dictate a LHD as I'm a bust Dad now.
Each has its pluses..

 

[easy]

Mines RHD and its supersolid! it even had factory paint on when i removed the floor pans. Its all balls really about RHD being rotten, it makes people who buy a LHD feel better that they are getting a bargain when all they want to do is drive RHD buses, which are much rarer than "another white westie" lol :lol: :sign0004:

 

[Pellwood]

Mines a RHD Dormobile and i know what you mean, I had to spend nearly £800 on welding to get it through its MOT, its had lots of work to keep it on these wet and salty UK roads.

Don't get me wrong I'm not trying to diss any imports (I love em honest and totally understand why folk go for them) but don't we have a duty to keep RHD UK buses on the road, its our motoring history isn't it? With a bit of research You can find out a lot about your bus. Mine was imported via Ramsgate and registered in West Bromwich on 1st May 1971, spent its time in Rugby, Leicester, Barnstaple and now Bristol.

Every type of bus has its part to play in the VW scene, its just unfortunate that UK buses get a bad press, but I think they are getting rarer nowadays as a result.

 

[monkeyvanwestybike]

I had a RHD 73 and it was much more solid than my LHD westy
This might be because it is a Texas import it may be very hot there but I think they also get a lot of rain
When I got it 20 years ago it had a fair bit of rust to sort.

 

[geordie]

RHD as well, been off the road for three years total restro
but its very near the finishing line.
solid as it will ever be, cannot wait to have it back on the road, Come-on

 

[Matt48]

yep sills done on drivers side, and both wheel arches, a couple of spots on body and then cab doors and bottom of sliding door and front lower windscreen, all okay but will need doing. Going to learn to weld and do some of it myself with lots of practice and welding friends!

 

[*Sam*]

I have had RHD and now a LHD, if you find a good solid un welded RHD then great but I think nowadays it will cost you far more than a LHD import especially if you import yourself, I also really like the American bits (side markers,reverse lights Etc) but then I like lots of American things so perhaps just my taste.

 

[Little_Nav]

Mines a uk right hooker. Two years after buying I'm in the process of doing both complete sill structures and since its a twin slider, I get to do the hard side twice lol. It had belly pans on when I bought it, all original very flakey underseal, and OG Neptune blue paint under that. Rest of the underneath was pretty good but doing the sills properly has meant cutting out a lot of stuff that was otherwise ok so its new riggers, jacking points, closing panels etc etc. Still, knowing it'll be good for a few years once finished is keeping me motivated.
Imports are much easier to source, and might be rust free when they come off the boat, but most have very little protection underneath and rot like a pear once they see a winter here unless the new owner invests in underseal and cav wax and a lot don't think to bother.....i looked at a few dry country imports that were already starting to rot before I bought my bus.

 

[K@rlos]

All buses need work weather their lhd or rhd

 

[Dickie524]

Very true, it was an absolute edict for me, had to be RHD or I wasn't allowed. I have an LHD car and the mrs hates driving it... :roll:

 

[SiDev]

Horses for courses and swings and roundabouts....I've only ever had RHD buses and personally wouldn't want a left-hooker, that's just me. At my local air-cooled VW specialist recently (who ive used for 20 years) they had a rust-free import from Sacramento: it was in for all 4 complete brakes, all 4 wheel bearings, plus various other bits that were all full of sand and grinding away. The guys also recommended that it was completely protected underneath as it was already showing some surface rust and a winter here would kill it. So, these buses are over 40 years old and none of them are problem-free, they just have different issues.......

 

[SiDev]

All buses need work weather their lhd or rhd

Wise words...

 

[chad]

Most of the 'rust free' parts I've bought have had some rust and I'm still treating the rust breaking through the seams on a 'rust-free' door

 

[Webbaldo]

All imported buses will need work eventually in our climate!

Thing is with imported buses a lot of the time they have been fixed in the cheapest possible way in their life abroad.

My windscreen was siliconed in and had bits of lolly pop sticks underneath keeping it in place whilst they did it! :shock:

Americans also have a love of using tons of filler for no reason and slide hammer holes :evil:

Still my 59 bug is RHD and the panels are better than my 14reg fiat!

 

[monkeyvanwestybike]

Most of the 'rust free' parts I've bought have had some rust and I'm still treating the rust breaking through the seams on a 'rust-free' door

Indeed !
I had a second hand so called " rust free Dry State" beam fitted a few years back which looked ok but had a nice crispy ginger nuts inside
that went in the skip :roll: