by Ben Wilby
Christmas is behind us and 2013 is just beginning, so how do you fancy starting the new year with an old tourer that will stand out at caravan parks across the whole country?
A new listing on eBay will make that a reality for the lucky auction winner – offering an incredibly rare Westfalia 310-4 caravan for sale.
While the tourer is not in the greatest condition, it still lives up to the company’s reputation for build quality and is an impressive model that is still useable despite being over 50 years old.
History
Originally founded in 1844 as a heavy horse-drawn cart manufacturer, the Westfalia Company will be a familiar name to any VW fans out there. Their biggest success was the ‘pop top’ conversions of the Type 2 Volkswagen that proved hugely popular from 1968 to 1979.
This began after the company was approached by a VW owner who asked Westfalia to add a ‘camping box’ to their vehicle, something that was so popular it went into series production soon after.
In 1962 the company released the first motorhome to feature light plastic material on the furniture and this confirmed Westfalia’s commitment to innovation within the field.
The company continued to produce the VW Westfalia model for Volkswagen until 2003 and continued to work with other vehicle manufacturers as well as produce their own range of motorhomes.
After announcing their bankruptcy in 2010, they found new support and have unveiled a new range of motorhomes that are due out later this year.
While VW models and motorhomes proved to be their most popular items, they also produced a range of tourers – including the 310-4 that is listed on eBay.
These are incredibly rare now and some estimates have stated that there are as few as 50 left in a useable condition.
Kit and caboodle
Despite its age the vehicle is near intact and is only missing the original gas powered fridge.
The pipe work remains for those who wish to fit a new one, although with the rising costs of butane and difficulty in finding a fridge from the 1950s in working condition it would seem more sensible to fit an electric one.
Little of the vehicle has been changed or modified. It still has the original badges and lights, including two working clam shell designs and the rare middle back light remains intact.
Although this is impressive, the picture of the badge shows that it needs a little TLC to return it to its former glory.
This is seen in other areas of the tourer as well. The seats and curtains match but are dated and look as though they have seen a lot of use. They also do not appear to be the original covers which may be a problem for purists.
As well as this it has some small dents and areas of the bodywork have been patched – though nothing major has been done to the shell of the tourer.
Other issues, such as water stains from the windows, a leaky water tank and gas pipes that need replacing, confirm that this tourer will require a patient owner, happy to spend the time to restore it to its former glory.
Despite all these problems much of the caravan is in great condition. The four corner steadies are in excellent condition and the hob and water pump both work fine. Along with this there is a working electric hook-up that brings the tourer more up to date.
Other features include four opening windows, a gas bottle holder, a wardrobe, an original table, seating and bunks and a working sink and tap.
From the outside it certainly has a unique style that will help it stand out, while the 780kg weight means that it can be towed by just about anything.
It may sound like the negatives outweigh the positives but considering the age and rarity of the tourer, this should prove hugely popular with both caravan fans and VW Campervan fanatics.
Fact file:
- Price: £1,040 (reserve not met)
- Length: 9’10”
- Width: 6’6″
- Weight: 780 kgs
- Berth: 4
- Axle: Single
