Help me "Pimp My Vanagon": Advice Needed and a Dis

surfinwesty

This site is the greatest thing since slice bread! As a starving college student, the advice I have received on this site has taught me to become a ‘wanabe’ VW mechanic, and has saved myself tons of cash in the process! Thank You All!

However, I need any advice on what else I could do to "Pimp my 84' Vanagon" Westy Camper. To save costs, I pretty much do everything myself; so any possible upgrades that are cost effective affordable are preferred. Here are the pictures of what I have done so far:

The Bus:
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Visual Media: 18" Drop down LCD, 7" Wide screen dash screen & 4.5" TV and GPS unit (this works as a speedometer too, as the one on the bus is broken).
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Subwoofers/low-range: Kicker solobaric subwoofers that have mounted handles on top with 'quick-release' speaker terminals. These guys can be moved out with one minute.

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High range: I did not want to ruin the cosmetic of the original door, so I mounted tweeters behind the factory grill (which was a pain to remove the speaker from), and mounted tweeters on the dash that reflect off the window to brighten up the front sound stage. I also put a component set of midrange speaker and tweeter in the rear westy speaker location.

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Midrange: To increase the soundstage in the middle of the vehicle, and increase the mid-to-low tones, I made a little box and mounted some kicker 6.5" coxial drivers.
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Front Stage: To get the sound to come from in front of the person, opposed to the side of a person via the door panels, I fiberglassed some kickpanels with some speakers in them.
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Under the rear seat I installed the power plant of the stereo:

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At Night

I installed an inverter as well as three optima red top gel batteries. These are powered by two solar panels in the front window:

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To make the interior look better, and without having to buy all new carpeting, a friend of mine had thrown away a Pier 1 imported orange/brown carpet. Nonethless, it is now laid down in the bus.

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And if nature calls, I mounted a chemical toliet which is the best thing money can buy!

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To live-in up the nightlife in the VW, I installed orange neon lights that make the bus glow. I would like to get a disco ball for the bus as well. Does anyone know where I could find a 12volt Disco ball?

I must satisfy my addiction to make the bus better, better, and better. Curretnly, I am running out of cool stuff to do on the bus and I need some help!

I use the bus to primarily surf up and down the coast of California with my buddies, and to get away and hit the textbooks when I study. Is there any other links or similar vanagons that can inspire my quest to build the perfect surf bus?

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Thank You!

Matt
Southern California, OC Cool

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VW Search and Rescue Squad!
So Cal.

jsSyncro · Posted: Mon May 26, 2008 11:00 pm Post subject:

That's a sweet ride Matt!

I'm thinking an awning and slick Sun Shower setup would be
pretty useful. 2nd propane tank/side mounted BBQ would be cool too.

Have fun!

js
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++++++++++++++
87 Syncro Westy

iltis74 · Posted: Mon May 26, 2008 11:26 pm Post subject:

Crap, when I was starving in college I could barely afford cheap gas and just hoped the battery would hold on so I wouldn't have to push start the rest of the year.

When I envision yours cruising around the beaches I think tube bumpers with driving lights and a winch. Maybe our beaches are different though.

Oh yeah, and I have gotta second the grill off the side. I was reading through some older posts about marine grills a few days ago and am thinking that is just about the coolest thing going. Having a stove inside is really just not the same at all.

cheekoman · Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 4:03 am Post subject:

with a stereo like that I would seriously consider sound deadening. I spent about $150 on it and it's an incredible difference. Also, save up a few bucks and buy a new carpet kit from sewfine.... put our new carpet kit over the sound deadening and you'll be GOLDEN!

cheekoman
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My employer. We build websites and do internet marketing for car dealerships. Great company and we're hiring. Wink

I'm the dork in the videos. www.dealer.com

FF-Z · Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 4:59 am Post subject:

I would get the black plastic cover for the front bumper on the passengers side Very Happy

floggingmolly · Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 9:41 am Post subject:

Lights mounted to the undercarriage. I've been thinking of doing that to mine just for laughs.
_________________
'85 Wolfsburg Weekender

RCB · Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 12:27 pm Post subject:

Hey dude, did the bass speakers do that to the windshield wipers Shocked

OxygenDestroyer · Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 12:48 pm Post subject:

Very nicely done. I'm about to tear into the sound insulation and stereo myself.

surfinwesty · Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 3:03 pm Post subject:

Does anyone kow the cheapest material to sound dampen? I no the dynomat stuff is very expensive. Also, how do you mount an outside barbeque? Any pictures on this site?
_________________
VW Search and Rescue Squad!
So Cal.

levi · Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 3:14 pm Post subject:

Geez...

I'm surprised you haven't replaced that CRAPPY interior fabric. Not intending to be negative on your van. It actually looks a lot better than mine on the outside. Maybe it's just me..... but that funky pattern probably didn't look good in 84. That would have been the first thing I would've done.
_________________
One of these days I'm gonna settle down,
but till I do I won't be hangin round.
Going down that long lonesome highway,
gonna see life my way

floggingmolly · Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 3:21 pm Post subject:

oldskewlsk8ter

mr_vanagon · Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 4:44 pm Post subject:

Two words: AIR-HORN

http://www.ricksontruck.com/airhorns_train.html
_________________
"Furthermore, it is my opinion that Carthage must be destroyed."

iltis74 · Posted: Wed May 28, 2008 1:41 am Post subject:

Volksaholic · Posted: Wed May 28, 2008 5:45 am Post subject:

cheekoman · Posted: Wed May 28, 2008 6:14 am Post subject:

Wheels baby: you need wheels on that pig if you're gonna be cruising to the beach.

Some porsche phone dials would look amazing with that orange color. I also agree with a previous poster that you should do a carpet install from sewfine and also a reupholstery job including doors from sewfine. minesinabottle has a great post on that job under search... for "sewfine"

Also, here's a link to the sound deadener I bought....

http://www.raamaudio.com/cgi-bin/index.cgi?p=pr
_________________
My employer. We build websites and do internet marketing for car dealerships. Great company and we're hiring. Wink

I'm the dork in the videos. www.dealer.com

cheekoman · Posted: Wed May 28, 2008 6:15 am Post subject:

Oh, and you may want to seriously think about an alarm with that kind of system in there..... you're an easy target in CA.
_________________
My employer. We build websites and do internet marketing for car dealerships. Great company and we're hiring. Wink

I'm the dork in the videos. www.dealer.com

McVanagon · Posted: Wed May 28, 2008 7:00 am Post subject:

Volksaholic · Posted: Wed May 28, 2008 8:06 am Post subject:

Yeah Baby... that's what you need! Can you build another subwoofer into the bottom of the porta-john? You want to feel that bass!

Boegrrl · Posted: Wed May 28, 2008 9:57 am Post subject:

Just awesome job! But this is your mother speaking...
DO watch that base volume, or you will be wearing a hearing aid at 40.
I have my hearing tested every six mos for work, and the amount of damage is shocking.

Additions... PeaceWheels.com for Peace symbol on front grill instead of VW logo.
Tie Dye something or other to velcro in the rear window for privacy.
That is really in the spirit!

Airconditioner window unit about 65oo BTUs (buy sleeve WWW.BUSSTUFF.NET ) for when you have hookup access - you wont BELIEVE how neat this is!

Again, Kudos to you kiddo, very very nice job!
[/b]
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'87 Wolfsburg Weekender
2000 9-5 Saab Wagon

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