Things your van did recently

[bobbyblack]

Took my Mom for a ride at dusk. My dad didn't seem too interested in seeing the nearly full moon from the hill.

But mom (a '37 model) loved it. Hadn't been in a Westy since we drove my '67 back from AK in '93. We did the Homer AK to NE Iowa run in 3 days and 14 hours, just us two. We always stopped a bit overnights. I drive well into the dusk, which ended around 2 the first couple nights. She was up early, and it was dawn early too, like 4AM maybe? Anyway, she'd get up and drive, I'd sleep until we had to make the first stop. Usually fuel for the rig, and some breakfast. I've always looked for perogies on menu's, but so very rare south of the border. After that, we'd take turns til she got tired out and turned in on the foldout. Was a good run.

Was funny, when I said I think we could make it to AK in Flossie, she said, "Sure, we'd make it back, too"

On the little gravel we live at the dead end on, I switched off the headlights. It was a moment she had been wanting to have back for years, as all the modern cars she's had all have lights you can't turn all off. Purred home in the moonlight. Best part of today, hands down.
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'87 Westy 'Flossie','86 Westy 'R1','86 tintop GL - Subi2.2 'J2','83.5 stock tintop L 'ZoomBus','74 Karmann Ghia, '63 Notch

[Jake de Villiers]

[sanchius]

[sanchius]

Putted over to the nearby gliderport to have a leisurely lunch and watch the sailplanes

Fifi was in town last weekend

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The Syncro years (2005-16) - The 2WD years (2017-23) - Westy & WBX rebuild spreadsheet - Sanchius & Tuna: The Video
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[sanchius]

After a long, long week, my wife and I met for an early dinner. Then we cruised out to our favorite overlook to watch the sun slowly set over the Front Range of Rockies.

_________________
The Syncro years (2005-16) - The 2WD years (2017-23) - Westy & WBX rebuild spreadsheet - Sanchius & Tuna: The Video
Your gold star membership keeps this awesome list going!

[UngaWunga]

[BCE56]

Returned home yesterday from a trip thru the Mountain states. Some stats:
2200 miles round trip, SoCal > AZ > NM > CO > AZ > Home.
Drive time split about 50/50 between interstate, and 2-lane mountain roads over 5000 ft. Several passes at 8-1000 ft. Very little dirt toad travel this trip.
Temps: low @ Trinidad CO-27'; high on I40 W of Kingman-103'. Ran the A/C about 20% of the time, intermittently and downhill to avoid overheating and maximize MPG.
Encountered significant windy conditions, notably on I25 NB> Raton Pass quartering 30 MPH headwinds, 40 MPH Headwinds on WB 160 at Wolf Creek Pass, and gusty winds from all directions on I40 WB from Kingman.
Avg MPG 19.8, Best 24.6, worst 17.6
Gas prices $2.00-2.40 reg. I usually ran mid-grade.

The only casualty on this trip was a lost window trim molding clip. Very happy (or just lucky.) *Knocks wood*

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Some notes on my Syncro: this tintop has a Frankenmotor and for some reason the PO installed (I think) a .77/1 top gear. Motor runs like a champ, but poor choice of gears w/ these tires. Cruises comfortably between 60 and 70 MPH at 3000-3500 RPM. But tall top gear doesn't like headwinds or long uphill grades, and large gap between 3rd and 4th requires a downshift on steep passes when RPM drops to about 2300. 4500 in 3rd gets me about 52 MPH.
Engine temp rises to about 2/3rds when pulling these grades in 3rd, but returns to normal within a mile or two on the downhill side.
Now this is interesting- sometimes the temp indicates below normal when coasting downhill after the pass. I can't account for this. If anyone has any insight, please do tell!

This Syncro weighs about 4500# fully loaded. The springs and shocks are a good combo on pavement, but skittish and rattly on washboard roads. Boges or Bilstein shocks might allow faster travel on dirt roads than the current OMEs. I imagine taller, stiffer springs would be torturous.

some photos:

Bottom pic w/ fuzzy leg shows instruments at cruise on I40 WB into a moderate headwind, A/C on. Speedo correction would be +5 MPH.
Note cabin temp!
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=BCE56=

'86 Syncro tintop
EJ22, OBD II early SC adapter plate conversion

Side project: '69 Frankenbug "It's alive!"

[crukab]

Hauled home this 1970's Cement mixer that was at my Folks house. My Grandfather was a Mason, and my Dad worked for him from age 10 to 22, we have done many concrete projects over the years, kind of a odd family heirloom.....
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Tom

My Pops:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=604100&highlight=
I know you will always be with me, rest in peace with no more pain. 8/13/14.....

In the yard right now:
'51 Dodge 5 window truck
'65 Bug
'66 Singlecab
'82 Rabbit Truck Diesel from CALI
'86 Doublecab W/T
'91 Vanagon carat/wolfsbrg.Tiico
'88 Dodge Ram pickup
'11 Jetta Wagon

[campism]

[JimmyJagged]

Took us on a VW campout.

Took us off-roading so that we could go on a hike.

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Current:
1971 Tin Top Weekender Bus
1973 Squareback
1985 Pop Top Weekender Vanagon (my 19yo son's first car. father/son project)
1985 Pop Top Weekender Vanagon w/ 2.5 Subaru

Past:
1976 Rabbit diesel (my first car). RIP. totaled by drunk driver (not me!)
1973 Pop Top Westfalia Weekender Bus. RIP. Blown engine due to 25yo ignorant of VW maintenance (me).
1986 Vanagon Transporter. RIP. totaled by drunk driver (not me!)
1987 Vanagon Syncro. I never should have sold.

[joetiger]

Cookie pick-up, for the seventh year in a row.

I act like it's a hassle, but every year the workers who load me up are extremely complimentary. "Nice Vanagon, man! I love these things!"
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Joe T.

'86 NAHT Vanagon GL Syncro/ supercharged ABA 2.0 "Pigpen"
'04 GTI 1.8T
'04 Golf R32

"get metaphysical with it. if it's simply a means to get to and from places, it will let you down. if it becomes your zen, it can't fail you." -dabaron

"Still, it's good to be afield."--VWagabond

Available Now! Vanagon to Louisiana--A Two-Lane Reckoning Through Past and Present

www.josephtrussell.com

[DehlerPEB]

Joe, how long does this last? 1 year?

peb

[Jake de Villiers]

[joetiger]

[DehlerPEB]

AHHH ....

that explains the extensive stock!

Being from "goo' ol' Germany" I was always under the assumption the BoyScouts (Or Girl Scouts) sell home-made cookies. You never stop learning ...

And certainly a Vanagon serves better as a mascot than one of the stylish, modern cars ...

thanks for explaining

peb

[dhaavers]

Thin...MINTS!!!

(Do want.)

Please give?



- Dave
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86 White Wolfsburg Westy Weekender
"The WonderVan"
<EDITED TO PROTECT INNOCENT PIXELS>

[86scotty]

Hauled a transmission and transfer case home, plus lumber for wall paneling later. Nice to have a drivable van again!

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86 Vanagon Westfalia 87k
1998 Ford E350 4x4 camper build
Vans flip flops

[DehlerPEB]

86scotty,

you bet! (with the driveable van).

But, unluckily, parking in front of a friends company, I noticed my van 'marking' his territory.
At the moment it's unclear if it's cooling water, drivetrain oil (most likely) or just motor oil.

Nevertheless, the next weekend on the lift is pretty soon, my largest kid wants to get the Dehler to go to St.Peter-Ording (a 900km drive one way) uo on the North sea in 2 weeks ...

I'm not certain if I'll get the two RMW Drawers will be in by then, but at least they arrived. Man, again: RMW at it' best, i like their products!.


So nothing to push to far ...

peb

[andrewvwco]

Took my 2 year old son and maple are 1985 today into RMNP to walk around and eat some snacks. Weather was almost 40 out and was like early spring. We saw a white vw van early 90's model too and waved hello.

[DehlerPEB]

With the Dehler being in the hands of my daughter and this the first longer trip, the last days were a little ... nervous.

And of course: Things happened! I got the call from Lago di Garda, that on one morning the van didn't start anymore. Roughly 600km from home, the remote troubleshooting started ....

In the end it had to get towed and the local mechanic shop figured out the root cause of the problem: Throttle cable slipped during the drive and by that more gas than air got into the combustion camber. Lead in the end to a successful arrival -- but to wet sparks, a nervous daughter + her boyfriend (both roughly 1 year of driving experience, with modern cars of course ...) stranded there at a parking area at Lago di Garda.

After the towing and in the hand of a nice chap there at the shop, they both were on the road again in the afternoon .... and now have, together with pictures of the climbs they made there in the mountains, the other pictures of the nice towns down there also have a story to be told by being stranded one morning with a non-running van.

I'm glad everything worked out that well -- and I'm certain it will not hinder them to ask for the car again

peb
Dehler T3svx 2+2 Whitestar