My 1960 SO23 Westfalia

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sean
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My 1960 SO23 Westfalia

Post by sean »

This is my latest addition, found and rescued just before the lock down.

It was offered to me purely by luck. Last week just before leaving work, I recalled needing a part at the spares shop. 5 minutes before 18:00, closing time, I ran in to grab the part. One of the regular salesman always asks how's it going with the busses. After a brief minute chat with him, there was another customer standing next me and said he knows of a bus for sale and asked my opinion. Of course I ask him what model, such as split, or bay or T3. He then whipped out his phone and showed me the pic. Well, it was a split. He then told me he doesn't have the resources to buy and fetch it and kindly gave me the owners number.

I got hold of the owner, arranged a time, and Paul and myself hit the road through the Karoo to check it out.

First gate into the farm.
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Second gate into the farm.
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The farm entrance
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Here it is. Its a 1960 SO23 Westfalia. Born 29-03-1960, making it exactly 60 years old today. 8)

Here are the numbers listed with specs on the M-plate.

368 - South African export package, Includes 6 pop-outs and Safaris

D23 - SO-23 Westfalia interior, with chemical toilet and petrol cooker, left cupboard with ice-box

156 - Second rear view mirror

168 - 88 ampere/hour battery up to Chassis No. 216 190 000

181 - Chrome hubcaps

TE - Tourist Delivery, Europe. From what I understand, it was not destined for SA, it first went to Europe and was later shipped to SA.

SK654C
Beige grey over
Sealing wax red

First look. Its been resting here for around 30 years.
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Loading up time.
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Lovely Safari's.

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Its going to need to be restored. It will be restored to exactly how it should be. Its pretty solid, but has years of old paint that will need to be removed first.
I'm very glad its a March 1960 which means it still uses a 30hp 1100 motor, not the later 40hp 1200.

More detailed pics to follow.


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Donovan D
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Re: My 1960 SO23 Westfalia

Post by Donovan D »

Nice one Sean !

I saw the guys jet washing it last week, was on my way to fastener warehouse for nuts and bolts before lock down.
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Re: My 1960 SO23 Westfalia

Post by V6 Capri »

Wow!! What a nice "barn" find! Congrats!
Will be looking forward to the rebuild.
You probably got it for a song?
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1972 Ford Capri 3L GT
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Re: My 1960 SO23 Westfalia

Post by fig »

Congratulations Sean. Awesome find and proves they're still out there.

Tourist delivery refers to an official programme that VW offered in the 1950s-1970s, where you would order a VW from your local dealer and arrange financing locally, then you would collect the vehicle from the VW factory and use it to tour Germany or Europe, before shipping the vehicle back home.

I believe this was especially popular among young doctors who did locum work in Europe for a year and then brought their cars back duty free, because the law exempted cars that had been owned by the owner for more than a year from import duties.
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Re: My 1960 SO23 Westfalia

Post by Pine »

Congrats Sean, awesome find!
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Re: My 1960 SO23 Westfalia

Post by Eugene »

Geez bud, right place at the right time....great find!
You can never have enough Garages :-(
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Re: My 1960 SO23 Westfalia

Post by Jdt1976 »

Nice find!

Funny how they go look for you.
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Re: My 1960 SO23 Westfalia

Post by Eugene »

Jdt1976 wrote: Mon Mar 30, 2020 2:21 pm Funny how they go look for you.
....yea and only him.....the man is an alien I tell you :mrgreen:
You can never have enough Garages :-(
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Re: My 1960 SO23 Westfalia

Post by sean »

fig wrote: Mon Mar 30, 2020 10:59 am Congratulations Sean. Awesome find and proves they're still out there.

Tourist delivery refers to an official programme that VW offered in the 1950s-1970s, where you would order a VW from your local dealer and arrange financing locally, then you would collect the vehicle from the VW factory and use it to tour Germany or Europe, before shipping the vehicle back home.

I believe this was especially popular among young doctors who did locum work in Europe for a year and then brought their cars back duty free, because the law exempted cars that had been owned by the owner for more than a year from import duties.
Wow, very nice to know. I never knew about this.
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Re: My 1960 SO23 Westfalia

Post by Eugene »

How about some pics of the interior?
You can never have enough Garages :-(
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Re: My 1960 SO23 Westfalia

Post by fig »

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Re: My 1960 SO23 Westfalia

Post by buggyfan »

Congrats on an amazing find. Just think if you didnt arrive at the spares shop exactly at that moment...
Is it done yet??

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Pic courtesy of @Lowlight 61 Westy thread

viewtopic.php?f=23&t=6607#p56164
http://www.aircooledvwsa.co.za/viewtopi ... tt#p269451" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Re: My 1960 SO23 Westfalia

Post by Haans »

Sean,........actually at a loss for words,.....magnatism is all I can think of. This is a very special find!!
Ps what is that brown thing next to the split in the barn,.....front facing pic of the bus?

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Re: My 1960 SO23 Westfalia

Post by sean »

Haans wrote: Tue Mar 31, 2020 6:31 pm Sean,........actually at a loss for words,.....magnatism is all I can think of. This is a very special find!!
Ps what is that brown thing next to the split in the barn,.....front facing pic of the bus?

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Hi Haans.

That is a Fiat 850. We took that part of the package deal too.
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Re: My 1960 SO23 Westfalia

Post by Eugene »

So is it done yet :twisted:
You can never have enough Garages :-(
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