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Thu Sep 07, 2006 1:25 pm

Hauling bodies in my Convertible Beetle was getting old. A Vanagon seemed like a logical choice.

Actually, a buddy had a nice '70 full Westy with a blown motor back in '98 He offered it to me for $1k, but my wife said no way. I should have dumped her. He got a new motor and still drives it. Over the past few years, "Satan" has been stating we need a mini van because of our need to haul around our two demon spawn, and their many minions. Well, it was my turn to say no way. I had been eyeing this Westy a few blocks away for years and approached the owner a couple of years back. Eventually the for sale sign went in the window, the wife made it clear that under no circumstance was I to purchase the Westy, and the rest is history. It is the almost perfect all-'round vehicle (except we need AC and about 200HP more). The Westy has even warmed Satan's cold heart.

Granted there are similarities between getting a new vehicle and a new girlfriend. At first, its new, exciting and thrilling. Over time, the thrill can wear off and little quirks that at first were entertaining, become major annoyances. However, I can easily say I have never enjoyed a single four-wheeled vehicle so much as I enjoy my Westy (having owned nearly thirty four-wheeled vehicles and ten motorcycles in my time). I also think its somewhat infectious. People I know who would have never considered a Vanagon Westy, or any VW for that matter, are now starting to look for Vanagon Westies for themselves after seeing mine.

Thu Sep 07, 2006 5:57 pm

Our first Westy was a 1978 I bought in 1989 from our best friends. They bought it new and toured Europe for 3 weeks after picking it up in Germany. It was their family car for years until they let their boys learn to drive in it. When I got it, it had a dead engine, a rattle can paint job (in the school colors!) and had been sitting for 2 years. I rebuilt the engine, took out the dents, sanded off the spray paint & sent it to Maaco for their supreme paint job. 3 years later, after 50k miles, trips to CO, NM, AZ, & Canada, I sold it to a young guy heading for CA (read: New Hippy)

Since then we have had a tent trailer & a 5th wheel trailer. Last year, I saw my sweet 1987 Westy sitting in the trade-in area at a Honda dealer. I took my wife to look at it on Sunday & bought it on Monday before they had a chance to figure out what they had.

I have been slowly fixing it up to my taste and standards. We took it on a 1500 mile vacation this past summer and had a blast! Yes, we sold our 5th wheel trailer. No, we did not miss it one bit! (I hated backing the blasted thing into camp sites, 6 mpg :shock: at $3 per gallon and dealing with the nasty holding tanks)

Right now, I am working on upgrading the engine to a 2.2 GoWesty. We are planning a spring trip to pick up our daughter at grad school in Knoxville and then head to the Florida coast.

We love that:
1. It is different (don’t see a lot of these in the Kansas City area).
2. It is compact (fits in our garage).
3. We can take it anywhere (I would tell you about our secret camp site in CO, but I would have to kill you!).
4. It is cheap (have you priced a 5th wheel trailer recently????)
5. It makes us slow down and enjoy life in the slow lane (I can still smell those flowers from last summer.)

Thu Sep 07, 2006 6:07 pm

When I was 11 my Mom would let me get brochures from the VW dealer to try to get my Dad to buy a Bus instead of another station wagon.
When I was in college I got a '74 to live in for the summer in Idaho while I worked for a rafting company.
Then in '85 some family friends bought a new Westy. I drooled, I dreamed of owning it when he was through with it. In '97 I bought that van and was hooked. I've got three right now and love it!
I'm only 45, but I know when I die there will still be a Vanagon in the driveway.
Peace

Thu Sep 07, 2006 6:45 pm

1967 : just out of high school, my first van ('60), used for transporting offroad motorcycles. cost $300
1969 : College, '58 van (w/ chrome rear chevy wheels, 8" cheater slicks, powered by 36 hp), with bed (& surfboard). West coast cruising. Cost I think $600?
Fast forward 35 years (and another 6 or 7 vans), the AWD Syncro Westy is the ultimate snowboading vehicle.

Thu Sep 07, 2006 8:05 pm

I sold my old 76 Westy while caught up in a moment of blind stupidity and bought a Dodge Ram of all things. Here's the day I sold him.

I have to admit I did have some fun in the Dodge before I dumped it.

I was back in the market for a VW within a month. I was browsing through the classifieds here on Samba and came across my precious 82.
To make a long story short, a few hours later she was parked in front of my house. 8)

Fri Sep 08, 2006 11:43 am

About six months ago my wife came back from a garage sale ranting about this great VW camper for sale in some guy's front yard. I thought, "Just what I need, another heap of metal to spend weekends working on." I relented and took a look; it was a beautiful white 85 with barely 32K original on the odometer. I still wasn't biting, but after some research and realizing the PO was undervaluing his ride, we jumped. Then I discovered GoWesty, Van-Cafe, etc. We're about to have the engine replaced with a 1.8 Turbo from a newer VW, and since I'm a school teacher (my students are currently at lunch) I've been modifying Jenny (the Westy) undeterred all summer. Man, this Westy thing is like a drug, I just can't stop playing with it. The family and I love it, and my 2 and 4 year olds are constantly pointing out other Vanagons on the road now. This way they'll be able to post to the Samba in 30 years about how they first got into Westies. :D

Lundy

Fri Sep 08, 2006 3:44 pm

Lundy wrote: Man, this Westy thing is like a drug, I just can't stop playing with it.

How True, haven't done any drugs in a long time, but I sure like to get high on my Westy.....

Fri Sep 08, 2006 4:25 pm

kevinbassplayer wrote: Lundy wrote: Man, this Westy thing is like a drug, I just can't stop playing with it.

How True, haven't done any drugs in a long time, but I sure like to get high on my Westy.....

I like to think of them as a fine wine 8)

Fri Sep 08, 2006 9:21 pm

=D> Well put, I'll go with the wine analogy, I like that sound of that better!

Sun Sep 10, 2006 4:39 pm

Before I was old enough to get a drivers license I got my first car, an early 60's bug, because it was CHEAP... $175. Me and a girlfriend took out the back seats and passenger seat and lived and traveled around in it for several months. Then we found you could get the early 60's buses for $300 or less anywhere/everywhere. A quick look in any newspaper would show a half-dozen or so. I probably bought at least 20 old v.w. buses, and the most expensive was about $350, including a couple 21-23 window with the sunroof.

Sun Sep 10, 2006 5:58 pm

I was turning wrenches for a little independant auto repair shop and a friend of the owners cruised by in a gold 85 Westie GL, he also had a baby blue 84 Wesite. I told him when he wanted to sell one give me a call. I was driving an 85 Jetta at the time. A few months passed and he called me. I purchased the Gold GL Westie with 83k on the clock for $6000 back in 1998. I gave him 4 up front and he let me pay him the balance after I sold my Jetta. My dad was pisssed because he thought I paid too much for it.

Truth be told I bought it because it had armrests on the front seats. I bought it on a Tuesday and was camping at the lake that weekend. I still have it for camping duties. I even made a solo journey from New Mexico to Alaska and back in 1999.

I made it from Anchorage to Albuquerque in 105 hours... a little over 4000 miles in a little over 4 days!

Back in 98-99...except for the middle one in the group, that was 2001

and now

Sun Nov 05, 2006 7:39 pm

I know I shouldn't do this, but I decided to bump the thread to see if other members have any stories to share on the topic. Awesome stories so far, guys!

Sun Nov 05, 2006 7:57 pm

kevinbassplayer wrote: =D> Well put, I'll go with the wine analogy, I like that sound of that better!

You guys are crazy if you think you can equate Vanagons/Transporters to wine......Beer yes.......wine, no [-(

Crazy you people may be but I love ALL of you...... :roll:

Sun Nov 05, 2006 8:30 pm

As far as the wine analogy goes, I think the Vanagon/ Transporters could be compared to a good Ale or a Porter; but nothing compares quite like a smoooooooooooooooooooooooth running Westy EXCEPT maybe a bottle of BV Vineyards Private Reserve George De Lateaur 1982 Cabernet. 8) [/quote]

Sun Nov 05, 2006 10:14 pm

At 16 I started windsurfing, Lake Michigan spring/fall drysuit snow flurries gusts. The guy who taught me was the only shortboard/wave sailor around, and if you want big winds around here its usually cold. A year later, two of my cousins, and my dog and I spent the summer living in a Camry on the west coast. In the Gorge a fellow windsurfer hooked us up with some old gear and showed us his Vanagon Westy, 'luxury' I thought, and ever since I wanted one. Over the next few years I looked at many, most were high mileage/overpriced or gone the next day, usually the guy obviously not wanting to sell but the wife yelling nagging out of the house. Finally, shortly after finishing college, the day after St. Patty's Day (and a ridiculous night of partying) I saw an '84 Westy for sale on the south side. I went to my cousins house and dragged him out of bed to go look at it.

Our BAC levels were probably still over the mortal limit, but we found the house and rang the bell. An old Czech man came out (original owner), along with his son and grandson, this was obviously a family affair. My cousin and I had wasted our voices the night before chugging green beer, and the old man looked at us weerily, his son and grandson were amused. After looking it over and driving it I realized it was the cleanest Vanagon I'd ever seen, and it was a Westy, with new tires and battery. The old man had garaged it and there was 56,500 on the clock. He was asking $5900 and when I asked he cut me off mid sentance and said he wouldn't go "a penny under $5000." I said I was hoping for "somewhere in the $4000's", a sharp "no" was all he said. I thanked him and said I'd think about it.

My cousin and I sat in the car in front of the old man's house for a minute. I didn't know what to do. My cuz said, "if you don't buy that thing, I will." I went back up to the door, the old man opened it. I said "I'll take it." "For $5000!?" he asked/demanded. "Yeah", I said. "How will you pay?" he asked. "Is cash OK?" :wink: Turns out the only reason he hadn't sold it years earlier was because his wife wouldn't let him, she had recently passed. When he gave me the title he handed me $20 with a grin and said, "here's for gas and so you get your $4000's!" Worth every penny. As I was backing it out of the driveway the old man opened up the garage revealing what appeared to be an '80's Porsche 911 SC or Carrera. He, his son and grandson smiled slyly as they put the plates on the 911.

A year later, after working out the kinks, I grabbed my dog and hit the road and didn't stop driving until I was in Dead Horse, Alaska. After a month of exploring and backpacking I realized that if I didn't leave soon I'd never leave (at least until next year, winter was coming) and I still hadn't done any sailing. Three blurred days later I was back in the Gorge, and spent 3 months zigzagging the river and cruising the North Coast till late fall and my credit card was maxxed. My cuz sent me some money and I pointed it back towards Chi. Best trip ever.

Sun Nov 05, 2006 10:46 pm

I pretty much have to blame my dad. Mine was purchased new by him back in '84... bought in California and then shipped up to Alaska where i grew up. I guess i was 7 (or 8), then. After many summer road trips down to relatives (back in california), and seeing most things west of the rockies. I guess this was the bonding time. As i got older, I was the one taking those road trips (all told, i've probably done the Al-Can highway at least 20 times). That appreciation of freedom in a little box grew with every trip.

Now both my van and me are getting older, but a family and a career has prevented me from keeping it up the way i'd like (and myself, too, for that matter). The "issue" that it is a bit of a money pit has not escaped my wife... but hopefully the fact that i'm supporting her through a couple degrees will make things seem OK :lol: .

-Damon

Mon Nov 06, 2006 12:58 am

When I was sixteen I talked my grandpa into giving me his 69 beetle that had been sitting on his property for about eight years. The condition was I get it if I can get it running and if I take off the dual single barrel webers and replace it with a solex. I spent all summer fixing it and getting all of the mouse junk out of it ripping out the interior redoing the brakes cleaning the gas tank and it was time to turn it over. I put some marvels mystery oil in each cylinder and had my brother turn the key as I watched the engine crank. Right when it started a huge mouse nest shot out of both ends of the dual exhaust. Then she turned right over. Some little adjustment and it was running like a champ. Now I had to learn how to drive a clutch!!! Two weeks went by and I was in love. Driving around with my dad in the passenger seat we were cruising. Pushing all those performance parts my grandpa had put on the engine, when I look in the mirror and see smoke. I pull over and turn off the engine. We jumped out and opened the turtle deck and flames are coming from the carbs. Yes I didn’t take them off. My grandpa was pissed. The car was a bucket of rust anyways so there was no worries about the paint or the vw.

Someone driving by put out the fire and we had it towed home. My grandpa came over to see the mess and to see that I still had the carbs in it. that same day he took it home and I was never to drive it again. So for the next two years of high school I drove a two tone 79 ford econoline van. When I moved out to Seattle for school I met a girl at a party and told her how I always wanted a vw Vanagon. It just so happened that her dad was looking desperately to get rid of his. I gave her my email and told him to write me. The next day he calls me “?” and we arrange for me to come down to south bend to look at it. we meet at his house and drive down the street to his barn where the vangon had been spending its days lately. When I got in to drive it the feeling of sitting on top of the world came over me. Then he points back to the huge sunroof. I play it cool but I wanted it bad. We get out and I brought $1200 cash with me. I ask him what he was hopeing to get and he says $600. I said I didn’t know and then we agree on $500. my smile was ear to ear on the ride home. Just two weeks ago I picked up a friend from that girl at that party three years ago and she couldn’t believe that the Vanagon was still around. I told her it will be around a lot longer.

That beetle went back in the field and sat until my grandpa died two years ago and now it sits at my parents house in Spokane waiting for a brother or a Saturday to get it going again.

Mon Nov 06, 2006 8:43 am

Strangely, I got my first type II before getting into the Grateful Dead.

Found a '73 bay for $350 in the classifieds that looked good for road trips. Ran for about a year and a half with virtually no maintainance, ferrying me and up to ten friends down to The City for concerts and the like or off to the woods for parties. I was hooked.

Sold that and went vehicle-less when I moved to NYC (a BAD, BAD, BAD place for cars), but I couldn't live without. Next vehicle was a '76 Westy, which was lost in the financial chaos of a divorce. The time I spent working on the van was cited as a factor :-p

Last January, I was driving a P.O.S. Cadillac that I got in trade for a 3' glass bong, when I put in a lowball bid on a 7-passenger '85 Vanagon on ebay. Ended up getting it for $800, and I would never go back.

Wednesday morning, my girlfriend, my dog, and myself are setting out on a zig-zagging 5000+ mile road trip, living in the Vanagon for three months or so and seeing relatives/friends/national parks/etc.

Mon Nov 06, 2006 8:57 am

Good for you, Coyote. Give us a running update on your travels. I hope to do something like this next year, when semi-retirement time arrives.

Mon Nov 06, 2006 9:17 am

My getting into Vanagons was a "what-the-hell" moment. My wife and I had been talking for a while about a VW camper. I've always been into the air-cooled VWs and I was half seriously looking around for a bay window. I'd had one before and liked it a lot and I really understand the old upright AC motors. I've had many bugs, ghias and busses throughout the past 30 years. My first was a '55 bug that I let my new parents drive me home in when I was born back in '55 (I think dad thought it was his bug). Anyway, I was walking through the neighborhood about 3 years ago now, and saw this 83 waterboxer with a 'for sale' sign in the window. It was very clean and I told my wife about it. We went and looked. She thought it was very cool and I kinda liked even though I was still leaning towards a bay window westy. A couple of days later, it was in our driveway. I didn't know a damned thing about waterboxers but I figured, "what-the-hell?" I can learn about these things. Turned out there was a lot wrong with the FI system and I learned more than I ever wanted to about it. I paid top dollar for the van and shouldn't have but that's all water under the bridge now. It runs like a top and we love it. I'll never, ever get my money back out of it but, for the forseeable future, I have no plans of selling it.