TheSamba.com :: View topic - Adventure Campers get this far before RIP?

Thu Aug 21, 2008 11:08 am

When did Adventure Campers stop? Did they get into this vintage [these years?] I had a '71 but then lost track of them and only heard that the company reached it's EOL [end of life] after relocating to the Ft. Bragg area in California from Southern California.

Tell me that they made into the water cooled engine era please!

Holdout

Thu Aug 21, 2008 11:17 am

Thu Aug 21, 2008 11:33 am

Can anyone say just what year the Adventure people died out and the line ended?

Holdout

Thu Aug 21, 2008 11:46 am

Ed Anderson, the owner/creator of Adventurewagen, continued to do conversions up until 2002, I believe. Once VW stopped making the vanagon, he switched to doing his conversions on Ford vans, including Quigley converted 4wds. Ed simply retired, he wanted to devote more time to other hobbies and interests and thus closed up shop.

There is a yahoo group for the vanagon advenurewagen - check it out for more detail.
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Thu Aug 21, 2008 4:30 pm

mtnwater - Thanks for the catch-up/reminder. I did know some of that but it had gotten mixed in with too much other stuff. The good news for me is that I can look for something that I'll like now. I wasn't sure.

Holdout

Thu Aug 21, 2008 6:58 pm

Ed gave his amazing Ford Adventurewagen top molds to Alan Feld at Sportsmobile. The only person who has had SMB do one of these tops is Jimmy Buffett - who now has a veggie powered, Forest Service Green 4x4 SMB. Alan said the tops are a pain in the ass to build, but they are sure beautiful. I asked him if he'd consider doing AW vanagon tops and he said too it would be more trouble than it was worth.

Thu Aug 21, 2008 8:51 pm

That AW top saved my life a couple of months ago. It stayed on long enough to slow the roll down...

Thu Aug 21, 2008 8:55 pm

Whoa - can we see a bigger copy of that picture??

Thu Aug 21, 2008 9:15 pm

dixoncj wrote: Whoa - can we see a bigger copy of that picture??

There are several in the gallery as well as in the "RIP and What do I do now" thread.

Fri Aug 22, 2008 6:47 am

According to reports within the last year on the Yahoo group for Vanagons, someone bought the molds for the VW Adventurewagen tops and was planning to produce at least a small run of them, but I don't know what became of that plan. It might be worth checking out.

There's an aircooled AW Vanagon resting at a local (Richmond VA) repair place and has been there for months. People have been known to transfer the high roof to a different vehicle.

Fri Aug 22, 2008 8:43 am

So the rumors I've heard about Jimmy's vanagon based AW that you built for him being up for sale are true?

dixoncj wrote: Ed gave his amazing Ford Adventurewagen top molds to Alan Feld at Sportsmobile. The only person who has had SMB do one of these tops is Jimmy Buffett - who now has a veggie powered, Forest Service Green 4x4 SMB. Alan said the tops are a pain in the ass to build, but they are sure beautiful. I asked him if he'd consider doing AW vanagon tops and he said too it would be more trouble than it was worth.

Mon Aug 25, 2008 10:52 pm

mtnwater -- is that the way the group is listed? I've tried to pull it up but don't find it using: "vanagon advenurewagen"

Holdout

mtnwater wrote: Ed Anderson, the owner/creator of Adventurewagen, continued to do conversions up until 2002, I believe. Once VW stopped making the vanagon, he switched to doing his conversions on Ford vans, including Quigley converted 4wds. Ed simply retired, he wanted to devote more time to other hobbies and interests and thus closed up shop.

There is a yahoo group for the vanagon advenurewagen - check it out for more detail.
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Tue Aug 26, 2008 8:56 am

Search the Vanagon email list archives. As mentioned above someone bought the molds but could not make the tops in an economically feasible fashion. I think it's better for someone to get the molds and make a top for themselves thus absorbing the cost of labor. The discussion revolved around the method of mold production - layup vs. spray-on. I was going to purchase a high-top then I realized I NEED to be able to park in 7' parking garages.

Then again I'd love to see one of those tops done with carbon-fiber/kevlar. Mmmm....

Tue Aug 26, 2008 9:05 am

MrPolak wrote: Search the Vanagon email list archives. As mentioned above someone bought the molds but could not make the tops in an economically feasible fashion. I think it's better for someone to get the molds and make a top for themselves thus absorbing the cost of labor. The discussion revolved around the method of mold production - layup vs. spray-on. I was going to purchase a high-top then I realized I NEED to be able to park in 7' parking garages.

Then again I'd love to see one of those tops done with carbon-fiber/kevlar. Mmmm....

If its not economically feasible to make them in fiberglass I wouldnt even want to think how expensive it would be to make them in carbon fiber or Kevlar, especially since prices for c.f. have gotten so high in the past year. It would be sweet but the cost could make you cry.

Tue Aug 26, 2008 9:14 am

Here's a link to the ad of the guy who has the molds. It was posted in the classifieds a little while ago http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=642600 You can order you carbon fiber or kevlar from here http://www.aircraftspruce.com/menus/cm/index.html If anyone builds one I want to see pics!

Tue Aug 26, 2008 9:16 am

I had read the guy bought the molds, then his wife came down with a terminal illness. He kind of lost interest in making them at that point. It was about 24 months ago.

Tue Aug 26, 2008 1:13 pm

Here are some good Adventurewagen links for you:

http://members.fortunecity.com/greglyons/AdventureWagen/AdventureWagen.htm
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/Adventurewagen/

My adventurewagen top was fitted to what was originally a Syncro Transporter. A previous owner fitted a custom skylight on it (interesting to me to see the actual photos of the install on the Yahoo Adventurewagen Group). I really like being able to stand up in the van and fit 4 people sleeping in it comfortably. I can easily fit 4 bikes on the back and I feel this top will make winter backcountry ski outings easier than the pop-top would as well- this has not been tested yet though but the ski season will be here before we know it.

Tue Aug 26, 2008 1:17 pm

We used to camp with 4 up in the snow parks on Mt. Hood all the time in our AW. They're great for winter camping! Especially with the propane heaters - you can stay toasty warm.

Tue Aug 26, 2008 4:33 pm

id liek to see some interior shots of these

Tue Aug 26, 2008 5:04 pm

vw7266 wrote: id liek to see some interior shots of these
Yes fer sure______I wonder...what happens to the D pillar crossbar?