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climberjohn
Samba Member
Joined: January 11, 2005
Posts: 1840
Location: Portland Orygun
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 Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 3:07 pm Post subject: |
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I love the bumper, and the video production of top notch. Very cool, good work Bostig!
-CJ
_________________
'86 Westy, 2.5 Subaru power
Know your limits. Exceed them often. |
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r39o
Samba Polizei
Joined: May 18, 2005
Posts: 9800
Location: San Diego
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| Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 3:07 pm Post subject: |
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When I see those kinds of bumpers, I just don't always know what to think.
The vans are pretty stout in the front, so the bumper was always sort of just there for looks anyways.
Integrating a full body roll cage sure is awfully useful for the off road crowd.
They are hitting a small segment of our total niche market. Not a huge group. While there are always a few that will buy anything, others try to weigh if the item is just creating a need we did not have before we saw it.
After being around these vans for a couple of decades, hammering out a bent bumper every now and then has just been fine for me.
I am a low level abuser, though.
No doubt that damage protection system is well thought out and serves a purpose for some, the general Vanagon owner will think a lot before stepping up for such a set up.
_________________
"Use the SEARCH, Luke" But first visit the Vanagon FAQ!
1990 Multivan EJ 22, Rancho trans 0.82 4th, Small Car front AC, CLKs w/ 215/65-16, homemade big brakes 303mm, Konis, Recaros, etc....
Click to see my ads for Cup holders, Subaru clutch fix and CLK wheels (no wheels currently) |
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The Raven
Samba Member
Joined: July 31, 2011
Posts: 303
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| Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 3:20 pm Post subject: |
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I've been half thinking about either using a big piece of white oak for bumpers....or using my fine (not) welding skills to fab up a custom bumper. How hard could it be?
These niche shops who make a cool products for a not so cool price seem to miss the mark when it comes to reality. Seeing such things just encourage me to say screw em...and try to make my own.
In such cases I have to refer to this $600 product. It's a portable AC for a plane. Basically a cooler with an icebox and coil which sucks in hot air and let out cool air. It's worth $200 max on a good day. Though they sell because most pilots are used to paying big prices for little product/service. I am a grounded cheap pilot... 
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buildyourown
Samba Member
Joined: March 01, 2009
Posts: 1668
Location: Seattle
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| Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 3:57 pm Post subject: |
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| The Raven wrote: |
These niche shops who make a cool products for a not so cool price seem to miss the mark when it comes to reality. Seeing such things just encourage me to say screw em...and try to make my own.
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Do you work for a living?
How much do you think your time is worth? How much would have to charge hourly to make even a slim profit? Don't forget overhead like rent and utilities and maybe benefits if you are being generous. Standard is 3x hourly wage.
Check what steel costs these days. Add consumeables like welding gas, filler, and grinding wheels. That bumper would be a bargin at $600. |
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Farfrumwork
Samba Member
Joined: October 10, 2008
Posts: 692
Location: Mile High
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| Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 4:00 pm Post subject: |
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Yes, very cool to see the engineering behind the product.
Buuuut, it is still too big and bulky for my taste (and needs... or wants I guess).
I've seen some really sweet bumpers on the SDM '11 and Mog Fest photos. Seth (syncrozilla) and I think Frankensyncro (or whatever the name is - sorry) have the besty bumpers I've seen to date. Seths were custom Burely piece$, and frankensyncro built his own (front only).
Small (lowest profile possible), aesthetic, and well built. Until that day comes, I'll be keeping my stock bumpers.
_________________
sold  -> '85 Wolfsburg Syncro / 'Built' DOHC EJ25 (a great machine!)
'07 Legacy spec.B, road tuned stgII
'17 4x4 Sprinter, stone grey, SMB pop-top, on 33"s
"Blood stains, speed kills - Fast cars, cheap thrills - Rich girls, fine wine - I've lost my sense, I've lost control, I've lost my mind" |
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SWbySWesty
Samba Member
Joined: July 01, 2010
Posts: 327
Location: Adventureville, CA
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| Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 4:12 pm Post subject: |
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What's up with the roof racks? The ones cutting the OE plastic basket up top...those look pretty neat, but I'm not sure how it would look in real life.
Has anybody done an integrated setup like that?
_________________
1986 Westy - Billie Jean
A Westy with a Jeep heart (Pura Vida)
www.theadventurebrigade.blogspot.com - Latest update: Johnson Valley - Nov 22, 2011 |
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PDXWesty
Samba Member
Joined: April 11, 2006
Posts: 6242
Location: Portland OR
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| Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 4:13 pm Post subject: |
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White Oak Bumpers! Yeah! I love it! 
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89 Westy 2.1 Auto |
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AnmlMthrM60
Samba Member
Joined: July 10, 2007
Posts: 228
Location: Prescott, AZ
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| Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 4:33 pm Post subject: |
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I plan on building my own as well. But I am interested in the price of their DIY kit.
_________________
Justin
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86 Syncro - 2.2L WBX
69 Bug - 1776cc |
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syncrodoka
Samba Member
Joined: December 27, 2005
Posts: 12005
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
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| Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 4:35 pm Post subject: |
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Finally someone is putting some thought on how a bumper functions as well as it looks. I think that the bumper could be slimmed down a bit more, but they are on the right track. The syncro crowd finally has a option that takes into consideration of actually using it off road.
Wooden bumpers on a VW? Never seen that before  |
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The Raven
Samba Member
Joined: July 31, 2011
Posts: 303
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| Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 4:41 pm Post subject: |
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| buildyourown wrote: |
| The Raven wrote: |
These niche shops who make a cool products for a not so cool price seem to miss the mark when it comes to reality. Seeing such things just encourage me to say screw em...and try to make my own.
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Do you work for a living?
How much do you think your time is worth? How much would have to charge hourly to make even a slim profit? Don't forget overhead like rent and utilities and maybe benefits if you are being generous. Standard is 3x hourly wage.
Check what steel costs these days. Add consumeables like welding gas, filler, and grinding wheels. That bumper would be a bargin at $600. |
Well, if you can get a comparable Jeep bumper for $400 like this one, there is no reason why companies charge what they do for Vanagons. I'm beginning to see it as the GW syndrome.
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SWbySWesty
Samba Member
Joined: July 01, 2010
Posts: 327
Location: Adventureville, CA
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| Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 4:41 pm Post subject: |
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[quote="syncrodoka"]The vanagon crowd finally has a option that takes into consideration of actually using it off road.[quote]
Fixed that for you...2wd vans get offroad love too. 
_________________
1986 Westy - Billie Jean
A Westy with a Jeep heart (Pura Vida)
www.theadventurebrigade.blogspot.com - Latest update: Johnson Valley - Nov 22, 2011 |
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SWbySWesty
Samba Member
Joined: July 01, 2010
Posts: 327
Location: Adventureville, CA
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| Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 4:44 pm Post subject: |
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Keep in mind that Bostig sounds like they solved the frame tie-in issue which plagues so many unibodies (Including some Jeeps). A tie-in will not only provide flex resistance for the body, but also help in the event of pulling out a stuck vanagon...especially if it's a Westy. I don't really trust that little tow loop under the stock bumper for squat.
_________________
1986 Westy - Billie Jean
A Westy with a Jeep heart (Pura Vida)
www.theadventurebrigade.blogspot.com - Latest update: Johnson Valley - Nov 22, 2011
Last edited by SWbySWesty on Wed Aug 31, 2011 4:49 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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syncrodoka
Samba Member
Joined: December 27, 2005
Posts: 12005
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
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| Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 4:49 pm Post subject: |
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[quote="SWbySWesty"][quote="syncrodoka"]The vanagon crowd finally has a option that takes into consideration of actually using it off road.
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Fixed that for you...2wd vans get offroad love too. |
True, but there are far fewer that are willing to test the limits of a 2wd. Respect goes out to those that go out and flog their 2wd for glory. |
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BushChicken
Samba Member
Joined: March 11, 2010
Posts: 250
Location: California
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| Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 4:58 pm Post subject: |
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| The Raven wrote: |
| buildyourown wrote: |
| The Raven wrote: |
These niche shops who make a cool products for a not so cool price seem to miss the mark when it comes to reality. Seeing such things just encourage me to say screw em...and try to make my own.
|
Do you work for a living?
How much do you think your time is worth? How much would have to charge hourly to make even a slim profit? Don't forget overhead like rent and utilities and maybe benefits if you are being generous. Standard is 3x hourly wage.
Check what steel costs these days. Add consumeables like welding gas, filler, and grinding wheels. That bumper would be a bargin at $600. |
Well, if you can get a comparable Jeep bumper for $400 like this one, there is no reason why companies charge what they do for Vanagons. I'm beginning to see it as the GW syndrome.
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The answer lies in volume my friend. How many Jeeps are there versus Vanagons? |
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epaddler
Samba Member
Joined: July 18, 2010
Posts: 222
Location: Slippery Rock
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| Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 5:39 pm Post subject: |
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| BushChicken wrote: |
| The Raven wrote: |
| buildyourown wrote: |
| The Raven wrote: |
These niche shops who make a cool products for a not so cool price seem to miss the mark when it comes to reality. Seeing such things just encourage me to say screw em...and try to make my own.
|
Do you work for a living?
How much do you think your time is worth? How much would have to charge hourly to make even a slim profit? Don't forget overhead like rent and utilities and maybe benefits if you are being generous. Standard is 3x hourly wage.
Check what steel costs these days. Add consumeables like welding gas, filler, and grinding wheels. That bumper would be a bargin at $600. |
Well, if you can get a comparable Jeep bumper for $400 like this one, there is no reason why companies charge what they do for Vanagons. I'm beginning to see it as the GW syndrome.
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The answer lies in volume my friend. How many Jeeps are there versus Vanagons? |
Exactly right about volume and price. Some days it seems like I see 20 jeeps a day driving around. As for GW syndrome, and the other companies charging what they do for Vanagon specific items, I'm just glad they are in business at all. When you are trying to keep a 20-plus year-old vehicle on the road, paying $200 more for a bumper designed specifically for that vehicle doesn't seem like that bad of a deal. I appreciate the fact that we have several different options for improving the bumpers, wheels, roof racks, suspension, engines, etc., on these vehicles. I'm not sure that I would have purchased my Vanagon and begun this restoration project if there weren't such vendors out there making it all possible.
_________________
1989 Syncro Westy
My build thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=450246 |
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bquigs
Samba Member
Joined: March 01, 2008
Posts: 116
Location: Kittery, ME
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| Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 6:04 pm Post subject: |
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| PDXWesty wrote: |
| White Oak Bumpers! Yeah! I love it! |
This is as simple as it gets, a white oak beam bolted to the stock bumper brackets. It has proven itself too, been bumbed pretty good at a light without damage. Not sure how you would do this up front though, but I have considered trying. Maybe some sort of glued-up laminated beam to match the shape of the front. White oak isnt cheep either though!
_________________
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87 Syncro Zetec |
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The Raven
Samba Member
Joined: July 31, 2011
Posts: 303
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| Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 6:15 pm Post subject: |
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| bquigs wrote: |
| PDXWesty wrote: |
| White Oak Bumpers! Yeah! I love it! |
This is as simple as it gets, a white oak beam bolted to the stock bumper brackets. It has proven itself too, been bumbed pretty good at a light without damage. Not sure how you would do this up front though, but I have considered trying. Maybe some sort of glued-up laminated beam to match the shape of the front. White oak isnt cheep either though!
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and for the cost of a bostic....you can get over 40 bumpers and 1/20th the weight. |
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The Raven
Samba Member
Joined: July 31, 2011
Posts: 303
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| Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 6:19 pm Post subject: |
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| epaddler wrote: |
| BushChicken wrote: |
| The Raven wrote: |
| buildyourown wrote: |
| The Raven wrote: |
These niche shops who make a cool products for a not so cool price seem to miss the mark when it comes to reality. Seeing such things just encourage me to say screw em...and try to make my own.
|
Do you work for a living?
How much do you think your time is worth? How much would have to charge hourly to make even a slim profit? Don't forget overhead like rent and utilities and maybe benefits if you are being generous. Standard is 3x hourly wage.
Check what steel costs these days. Add consumeables like welding gas, filler, and grinding wheels. That bumper would be a bargin at $600. |
Well, if you can get a comparable Jeep bumper for $400 like this one, there is no reason why companies charge what they do for Vanagons. I'm beginning to see it as the GW syndrome.
|
The answer lies in volume my friend. How many Jeeps are there versus Vanagons? |
Exactly right about volume and price. Some days it seems like I see 20 jeeps a day driving around. As for GW syndrome, and the other companies charging what they do for Vanagon specific items, I'm just glad they are in business at all. When you are trying to keep a 20-plus year-old vehicle on the road, paying $200 more for a bumper designed specifically for that vehicle doesn't seem like that bad of a deal. I appreciate the fact that we have several different options for improving the bumpers, wheels, roof racks, suspension, engines, etc., on these vehicles. I'm not sure that I would have purchased my Vanagon and begun this restoration project if there weren't such vendors out there making it all possible. |
There is also 20x the competition viaing for that customer base with jeeps. GW syndrome is strong and blinding. It stretches from the vehicle cost to the accessories. If you are willing to pay, they are willing and do charge. If you don't pay, the prices drop.
For me, I don't pay and would rather build and modify my own. |
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AnmlMthrM60
Samba Member
Joined: July 10, 2007
Posts: 228
Location: Prescott, AZ
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| Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 6:28 pm Post subject: |
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bquigs you win. Best design ever. 
_________________
Justin
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86 Syncro - 2.2L WBX
69 Bug - 1776cc |
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r39o
Samba Polizei
Joined: May 18, 2005
Posts: 9800
Location: San Diego
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| Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 6:48 pm Post subject: |
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All this whining and complaining yet I do not see a price, unless I missed it.
_________________
"Use the SEARCH, Luke" But first visit the Vanagon FAQ!
1990 Multivan EJ 22, Rancho trans 0.82 4th, Small Car front AC, CLKs w/ 215/65-16, homemade big brakes 303mm, Konis, Recaros, etc....
Click to see my ads for Cup holders, Subaru clutch fix and CLK wheels (no wheels currently) |
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