TheSamba.com :: View topic - 1988 Vanagon Westfalia Restoration Questions

Tue Sep 09, 2014 11:39 am

First off, I'm not shy about talking money because that will give more of a big picture as to the total expense of the entire project. For example, if I purchased a rust bucket for 20k, putting another 10 into it may be questionable. But if you got the same vehicle for free, that same investment becomes different in many ways.

Long story short:
A month ago, I flew from LAX to Chicago, bought an 88 Vanagon from some random guy for $6000 and drove it back to Los Angeles with nothing more than an oil change and new tires. I found an entire exhaust system including a California catalytic converter with parts and labor adding up to about $700. It still runs fine and passed CA smog with flying colors.

My Questions and work specifications:
1. First off, given how much I paid for the vehicle, is it worth restoring?
2. I live in Los Angeles, does anyone know of a body shop that can restore my vehicle. I'm not looking for a showroom $12,000 job. I want something that will keep the rust down to a minimum and last me a minimum of 10 years. Color doesn't matter... whatever's cheapest.
3. I will not want the camper hookups installed. I will not be using the origional fridge and those hookups just seem like a hastle to maintain so simply removing them will save on parts and reduce rust points. Will that make the job easier/harder?
4. I've seen rolling shells for sale all the time that are cheap. Will buying a doner vehicle make this process cheaper?
3. My budget is $6000 for body and paint. Is that possible/reasonable?

Any other advice, tips, or knowledge of any sort would be very appreciated. It feels great to finally own one of these amazing vehicles but the dream won't become a reality till I get it the way I want it. My vehicle's name is Darwin.

Tue Sep 09, 2014 11:45 am

I would think your money would go further with a California raised Vanagon. We here in Chicago usually go to LA instead of the other way around.

btw- I think I saw that Vanagon on craigslist several times. Glad you made it home and good luck.

Tue Sep 09, 2014 12:11 pm

well, it's your now

1st "restoration" usually means a high-value sports car is put on a metal rotating frame, stripped to the bare unit body, and treated while the many boxes of stuff are repaired, tuned and put back on over the next several years or decades - I have seen several men die of old age while that process is going on; the $70,000 they spent is gone but their kids get a nice looking chassis/jigsaw puzzle in primer

but you want a driveable, survivable Van and not the above, right?

I think the only way to find the answer is to find all the rust - strip off the interior panels and look there first; next put it up in the air and pressure wash the entire body - hard - when it dries go after it with a screwdriver

do you know how to weld? have space and equipment? same for body work and painting
- if the answers are yes, you have cut your costs down to maybe $1,000 - 3,000 if lucky

Tue Sep 09, 2014 12:37 pm

best value there is to drive the ysht out of it.
roadtripping memories are better than your neighbors admiration of a beauty (and expensive) van..
take $$12k and roll it down Highway 1.
you only live once and they're not going to bury ya in a nice shiney westy..
live like tomorrow is your last day, afterall it is someones last day today.

Tue Sep 09, 2014 12:46 pm

I'm on my phone so I did not spend time on the pictures. Regarding your desire to remove the frig and close the hookup openings, those are the items that make your van valuable. I would not do anything permanant that will reduce it's value. Sure, pull the frig and some cabinets if you want, but store them. Put new hookup covers on and make some rubber gaskets to put behind them to keep the water out. Then in 10 years, or possibly earlier, you can put it all back and still get a good price for it. If that is not possible, at least put in a complete weekender interior. Home made interior beds and cabinets seldom add to the value and often are a major detraction.

Good Luck!

Hans

Tue Sep 09, 2014 12:51 pm

danfromsyr wrote: best value there is to drive the ysht out of it.
roadtripping memories are better than your neighbors admiration of a beauty (and expensive) van..
take $$12k and roll it down Highway 1.
you only live once and they're not going to bury ya in a nice shiney westy..
live like tomorrow is your last day, afterall it is someones last day today.

Agree! ^^^^

The pictures show rust and paint with a value a good bit more than $6000 if done right.
If you can weld and paint and have time, the actual cash layout will be far less. Time, well that's another thing we won't talk about right now!

Patch it, monitor it yearly for rust rebirth and go camping!

Focus on the mechanical needs so you get there and home again without worry.

Dave

Tue Sep 09, 2014 1:07 pm

Unfortunately, your van has been repainted. In order to know what you really have, it will need to be taken down to bare metal. Is it worth it? I don't know. I would attempt to slow the rust where possible. Ospho, Por15, wax sealers etc. Then live with it.

Ben is a regular contributor and has done some major rust buckets. To remove the old paint, cut out the rust, do the body work, and paint with a good quality paint, you are probably at or near the amount you stated you'd rather not pay.

http://www.benplace.com/bjp_travaux.htm

Tue Sep 09, 2014 2:07 pm

if that rust is not real deep on the body panels, I'd brush it with a brass brush, then use a rust reducer (convertor) such as Osho to change it chemically into non-oxidized iron

then I'd prime with a one designed specifically for rust then paint

many many threads on here re treatments with some disagreement as to what is best

you can drive it and use it while fixing the rust ... UNLESS you have structural rust underneath

also take care that it does not explode into a fireball while driving it and fixing the body

Tue Sep 09, 2014 3:26 pm

these 2 pics mean that you have afair bit of bondo in the previous respray. which was not professionally done in the 1st place else they would have applied a new $5 decal instead of feathering it with overspray.

fill the inside seams with Fluid Film and don't let the insulation touch the bottoms.

Quote:

Tue Sep 09, 2014 4:18 pm

Thanks for all the info!

Tue Sep 09, 2014 5:15 pm

Metal replacment,body work, and paint in So Cal. will be 10K plus. There is alot of rust. Check my posts about my van. Then you would have an empty shell to start what you want for the inside. More $$$. If your going to take the time and $$ to fix it up do it right. In the long run you will be happy you did. Or just patch repair the rust and use it.

Tue Sep 09, 2014 5:37 pm

Sell it and buy a California one. You will be money ahead and can start using it now.

Tue Sep 09, 2014 9:59 pm

Cave & pave it with some more Bondo--
Then do the popular left coast Go Westy update--

Paint from the windows down with bedliner--
You'll never see the body work, and it's like slapping a plastic bag over the Van--
It'll last a long time--just don't rub any pedestrians standing on the corner waiting for a bus--you'll eat them up--

6 grand you did OK--as long as it runs good--you won't lose anything.