February 2004
I read a message on the Type2.com mailinglist that a Champagne bus is for sale. My first thought was "Let's see if there is a link to any interesting pictures"...no intention yet to buy anything. Reading through the message I though "this van sounds pretty good"...then I read the price....I started reading back to the description of the bus. Before I knew it I was checking out shipping prices to the Netherlands :-) I made a few phonecalls with the seller. Contemplated the risks involved in this adventure. Then finally on the 18th of February I decided to buy the bus. I called the seller again to hear if it was still there...and it was!!....woohoo!

March 2004
The bus was driven aboard the Ro/Ro ship 'Texas' of Wallenius Wilhelmsen on the 18th/19th of March. Coincidentally 'Texas' is also the state where the bus was first sold in June 1978.

April 2004
On the 5th of April the bus arrives in Flushing, The Netherlands. 9 Days later, Wednesday the 14th, my father and I drive to the harbour with my '82 Vanagon to pick it up.

 

Vehicle history

The first owner bought the bus June the 6th, 1978 at Economy Cars Inc, Dallas, Texas. He sold it December 22nd, 2003. Here is an overview of the previous owners:

owner	from	until	mileage	town	country
1st	June 1st, 1978	December 22nd, 2003	000025	Dallas TX, later: Virginia Beach VA	United States
2nd	December 22nd	February 18th, 2004	129705	Virginia Beach VA	United States
3rd	February 18th, 2004	- now -	129706	Leeuwarden	The Netherlands

Pictures

Vehicle Data

The Champagne Edition II package
The special interior and the striping on this bus are part of the Champagne Edition II ('CEII') package (the thin white stripes were added by the first owner I think). The CEII buses came in a 7-seater microbus version and as a Deluxe Westfalia Campmobile. The Campmobile has a totally diffferent look than the microbus. The only similarities are certain optional extra's, and the 'Saddle Brown' colored parts that were used such as the dashboard unit.

M-plate

Here's the data from the M-plate. It's fixed on top of the fresh air pipe under the dashboard (right beside the fusebox). On 1976 models and earlier it can be found on the metal partition behind the driversseat.

 

82 115 939   4817V1 D61 227 14 3 7270 UB 2218 61

82 115 939 Chassisnumber: 8 - modelyear 1978 2 - extra nr. to distinguish it from 60ties chassisnrs. 115 939 - serial number 4817V1 paint and interior: 4817  - bodycolour: dattelbraun LH8A    - roofcolour: fuchsrot LH3A V1 - interior: siena (rot-braun)(cloth) D61 Collection of M-codes: 012 - exhaust emission control installation and speedometer in miles instead of kilometers 067 - 12 V 54 A battery instead of standard 12 V 45 A battery 102 - rear window heating 162 - rubber strips for bumpers 508 - one sliding window in sliding door and one in the opposite side panel of the passenger compartment 568 - tinted windows and windshield, with laminated windshield 652 - interval switch on windshield wipers and wash-wipe installation. 765 - special salescampaign USA (Champagne Edition II package) 227 M-code: detachable headrests for all seats in cabin 14 3 planned production date: week 14, day 3(=Wednesday), 1978: 5th of April, 1978 7270 code used for production planning UB destinationcode: USA, Columbus via Baltimore 2218 modelcode: 2 - VW Type 2 (= Transporter) 2 - microbus 1 - LHD, sliding door right 8 - 7-seater version (= M147) 61 engine and transmission: 6 - 2000cc aircooled engine with fuel injection 1 - 4-speed manual gearbox

Champagne Edition links