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indytriple Samba Member
Joined: April 27, 2009 Posts: 710 Location: Brownsburg, Indiana
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Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2011 8:12 pm Post subject: Using Our Vanagons for Our Business |
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My wife and I run a mountain bike event promotions company called Sub-9 Productions (http://www.sub-9.com). You can click on the link to get an idea of the kinds of events that we do.
We use our two Vanagons as part of our business (my accountant thinks I'm nuts). They play a functional role (camping, hauling, shelter, providing ride support), and they also play a marketing role (cool, fun, quirky, different).
I've always looked around The Samba and on the net to see if other people are using Vanagons for business purposes. The most similar business use to ours that I have seen is Coyote Shuttle in Moab (http://coyoteshuttle.com). They use the vans for function and marketing as well, and they are a cycling-related business.
Our most recent event was held last weekend. It is called the Sub-9 Death March (http://www.sub9deathmarch.com/). It's a self-supported ride, but we use our passenger van to roam the course as a kind of random mobile support vehicle. We give out important things like water and power food, but we also give out other staples like Tecate and Funyuns. Needless to say, our events are a bit unconventional, but really fun.
Here are some pics:
Here's our Westy set up for event registration at our Fall event, The Brown County Breakdown, which attracts over 600 mountain bikers from all over the Midwest and further flung locales.
We also run one of the largest and longest-running women's mountain bike clinics in the US, and one of the only "Super D" mountain bike gravity races in the Midwest.
I'd like to extend an invite to any Vanagon owners on The Samba to join us at any of our events. Vanagons are a purposeful and unique part of all of our events, so it would be great to see more of them there. If any of you decide to join us, drop me a PM, and I'll make sure that you get VIP treatment, free entry into the event and free camping. For certain events like the Death March where I need Vanagon-based mobile support I am willing to pay for gas and cash to make it worth your time. If you're into camping, bikes, the great outdoors and talking to cool people about your van, then you might just like to join in on the fun.
I'd like to close this post by saying that it really wouldn't have been possible to do this without The Samba and the wonderful people that reside here. You have helped us out in countless ways over the last few years. A heartfelt thanks. It's really cool to make our living while utilizing these vehicles as an important part of our business.
Cheers,
Jonathan and Tania Juillerat _________________ "See The Glass As Already Broken."
87 Vanagon Westy Auto Bostig
www.bluegrassbicyclecompany.com
Last edited by indytriple on Thu Mar 17, 2011 9:37 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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danfromsyr Samba Member
Joined: March 01, 2004 Posts: 15144 Location: Syracuse, NY
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Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2011 8:19 pm Post subject: |
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bicyclers are a strange breed, and fit in fairly well in the Type-II VW crowd...
congrats and wishing successful returns on your efforts.
Dan _________________
Abscate wrote: |
These are the reasons we have words like “wanker” |
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indytriple Samba Member
Joined: April 27, 2009 Posts: 710 Location: Brownsburg, Indiana
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Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2011 8:23 pm Post subject: |
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danfromsyr wrote: |
bicyclers are a strange breed, and fit in fairly well in the Type-II VW crowd...
congrats and wishing successful returns on your efforts.
Dan |
You know, there is some similar quirkiness to both crowds (which I very much enjoy). However, thank goodness the VW van crowd isn't into tight, ugly lycra.
Thanks for the kind wishes. _________________ "See The Glass As Already Broken."
87 Vanagon Westy Auto Bostig
www.bluegrassbicyclecompany.com |
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PNW Westy Owner Samba Member
Joined: August 02, 2005 Posts: 104 Location: Portland, OR
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Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2011 8:51 pm Post subject: |
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Nice pics. Here in the NW, it is typical to see several Westies and Eurovans at MTB and 'Cross races. Not as race/ride support vehicles, but folks have figured out that a westy can be a great place to hang out in, change in and out of bike clothing and generally escape the weather (especially during 'cross season).
The closest I will get to Indianapolis will be Louisville in January 2013 - probably as a spectator. |
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canasync Samba Member
Joined: June 28, 2010 Posts: 656 Location: BC
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Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2011 10:20 pm Post subject: |
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I used to be a factory sales rep and I used my Syncro as my work van. My territory was BC and Alberta so it got around. I hauled all my samples in it and used it for my accommodations as well. Co-workers and customers thought that I was nuts, especially when they found out that sometimes I would skip the campgrounds and 4x4 somewhere to a lake, which I used as a bathtub even though it was about 16 degree Celsius water(don't worry I used biodegradable soap). _________________ 1987 Syncro
3 knobs
PumpeDüse TDI (17mm Garret Turbo, bigger injectors, stage 4 malone tune, intercooled)
Cruise Control
Remote Start/locks
Custom Lift
Custom Bumpers with receivers
Coast Mountain Hightop - Comming Soon
1985 2wd Vanagon Pre-runner in the making
soon to be powered by 2.5L Subaru
Custom Lift |
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hdenter Samba Member
Joined: October 14, 2008 Posts: 2753 Location: San Luis Obispo, CA
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Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2011 11:09 pm Post subject: |
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I use mine for work in construction. People look at me a little funny until I explain that it hauls 2000# of tools and materials while still averaging 17mpg. My chevy 1/2 ton only gets 11mpg when it hauls my trailer. This van is my DD weekender, I have a tin top I bought at an insurance auction that will hopefully become my full time work van by summer. The van is wide enough to haul full sheets of plywood or sheetrock laying flat plus all tools I need.
Hans _________________ '79 triple white convertible bug
'84 sunroof vanagon
'85 weekender |
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insyncro Banned
Joined: March 07, 2002 Posts: 15086 Location: New York
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Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2011 6:17 am Post subject: |
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hdenter wrote: |
I use mine for work in construction. People look at me a little funny until I explain that it hauls 2000# of tools and materials while still averaging 17mpg. My chevy 1/2 ton only gets 11mpg when it hauls my trailer. This van is my DD weekender, I have a tin top I bought at an insurance auction that will hopefully become my full time work van by summer. The van is wide enough to haul full sheets of plywood or sheetrock laying flat plus all tools I need.
Hans |
x2 for 10 years as a custom home builder.
Loved it!
This experience propelled me into Subaru swaps and beefing up the vans.
Look at me now.
www.insyncro.com
dylan |
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teej Samba Member
Joined: November 26, 2010 Posts: 897 Location: Seattle
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Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2011 6:39 am Post subject: |
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I'm interested in getting a basic hardtop for my next work rig (general contractor). There are a couple vans I see at the lumberyard, and a doka.
I've also seen around here a decent looking one, blue, SA grill, ladders on top, with a chimney sweep logo on the side!
Our camper, however, is not going to become the work rig! _________________ 1986+ Wolfsburg Weekender Pop-Top 2.3 WBX Manual Trans |
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wynnep Samba Member
Joined: May 16, 2006 Posts: 174 Location: Winston Salem, NC
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Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2011 7:08 am Post subject: work van |
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1987 westy 2.1 manual. I use my van in my real estate business as a daily driver. I also use it in my clock and radio business. I go to several car shows a year. Use my van as a backdrop at the shows and also stay in it during the shows. It is amazing how much attention the van gets at a carshow. The van holds all of my equipment and supplies and I save money by not having to go to a motel at night. I install quartz movements in old car clocks and convert old car radios to AM/FM 180 watt 4 speaker systems. It is nice to pack up Saturday night, sleep in the top bunk, get up Sunday morning, drop the top and start driving home. |
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j_dirge Samba Member
Joined: August 08, 2007 Posts: 4641 Location: Twain Harte, CA
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Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2011 7:34 am Post subject: |
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You guyz have me seriously wanting to escape my cubicle for a life of freedom and uncertainty. _________________ -89 GL Westy, SVX.. finally.
-57 pan f/g buggy with a 67 pancake Type 3 "S"
"Jimi Hendrix owned one. Richard Nixon did not"
-Grand Tour, Season 1, episodes 4 and 5
danfromsyr wrote: |
those are straight line runs with light weight race cars for only 1/4mile at a time..
not pushing a loaded brick up a mountain pass with a family of 4+ inside expecting to have an event free vacation..
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gbrandt Samba Member
Joined: April 04, 2006 Posts: 578 Location: Calgary
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Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2011 8:16 am Post subject: |
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My wife and I run a software development and technical writing consulting company http://marionette.ca. This summer we are taking the van on the road for three months while we work.
We will be working 5 or more hours a day and then travelling the rest of the time, weekends will be for recreation.
We are going down the West Coast to San Francisco for a conference, the van will go to GoWesty for a 2.3l engine during the conference. Then we head across the states to Newfoundland, Canada to visit some friends and then back home.
We have lived in the van for long stretches at a time before (6 months during a year long sabbatical in 2007) so we know we can do it. And we took a test trip to Bali for a family wedding where we worked and played to see how it would go, and it went very well.
So the van will be our mobile office
Gregor _________________ 'Lucky' our 1987 Red Westy, ASV 1.9 TDI ~130HP, Peloquin differential (had a GW 2.3 that we loved, but it died, we drove it hard!)
We've driven in 49 countries and 5 continents to date
Canada to Argentina and back, 2015 to 2017.
Canada to Europe and back (including Turkey, Morocco and Iceland), 2017 to 2019
Mexico 2022-2023
https://www.instagram.com/live.travel.play/
http://livetravelplay.ca |
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73thingsale Samba Member
Joined: September 09, 2009 Posts: 103 Location: North Carolina
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Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2011 1:22 pm Post subject: Advertising rigs ? |
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Anyone use their vannie as a rolling billboard? I saw one for sale (in GA I think) that had one of those wraps on it for a business.
I was curious if anyone ever offered to wrap their van for money like letting some business pay you to drive around with their "billboard" on your unique and eye-grabbing vehicle.
I had an idea to offer this up to a specific outdoor activity center in exchange for free access...but I have to get a van first |
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werksberg Samba Member
Joined: February 08, 2005 Posts: 2151 Location: Prescott Valley, AZ
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Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2011 1:28 pm Post subject: |
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Funny you bring that up...I was kicking around a wrap on my Ford van to have one side a split window bus, the other side a bay window bus and the front & rear a VANAGON wrap! _________________ Werksberg Products....Products that work!
Follow my new products on my Facebook Werks Berg
Click the below ADs link for products & feedback.
Search "werksberg" on Photobucket for products photos & Please remember to buy "American made products!" |
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JED THE SPREAD Samba Member
Joined: July 14, 2009 Posts: 626 Location: South London UK
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Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2011 1:47 pm Post subject: |
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I use my Syncro Doka for work every day. I am a Plasterer and it is perfect for the job, especially when the whole of London comes to a stand still in less than 1" of snow in the winter and I just rock up eating a bacon sandwich in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other all casual like wondering what all the fuss is about. I even find time to scratch my nuts while ringing my customers door bells when they expect me not to turn up because of the "harsh conditions" No chance I have bacon sandwiches and coffee to buy, and someone has to pay for it
jed _________________ Visit CAMPERVANCULTURE.COM real camping and video uploads
Subscribe to Campervan Culture by Email
Follow us on Facebook, Campervanculture.com |
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Perales Samba Member
Joined: May 07, 2007 Posts: 2046 Location: Nova Scotia
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Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2011 1:54 pm Post subject: |
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mmmm bacon _________________ -- 1987 Westfalia automatic (Captain Vino) |
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JED THE SPREAD Samba Member
Joined: July 14, 2009 Posts: 626 Location: South London UK
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Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2011 2:21 pm Post subject: |
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Perales wrote: |
mmmm bacon |
Dont, I am starving.. Its 9.25pm here and about Bacon sandwich time
jed _________________ Visit CAMPERVANCULTURE.COM real camping and video uploads
Subscribe to Campervan Culture by Email
Follow us on Facebook, Campervanculture.com |
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