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mcnajason
Samba Member
Joined: June 28, 2016
Posts: 43
Location: ottawa
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 Posted: Thu May 25, 2017 2:21 pm Post subject: Traveling across Canada in my 81 Westy |
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Hey guys, decided to take a few months off of the working grind and travel a bit in my 81 Westfalia. Left Ottawa Ontario on May 20th and I am now in Brooks Alberta. 3500kms of trouble free aircooled travel so far! Here are a few pics to start the thread off.
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dhaavers
Samba Member
Joined: March 19, 2010
Posts: 7757
Location: NE MN (tinyurl.com/dhaaverslocation)
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| Posted: Thu May 25, 2017 5:03 pm Post subject: Re: Traveling across Canada in my 81 Westy |
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Nice! Keep the pics & updates coming...
- Dave
_________________
86 White Wolfsburg Westy Weekender
"The WonderVan"
<EDITED TO PROTECT INNOCENT PIXELS> |
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jkallo
Samba Member
Joined: July 26, 2016
Posts: 208
Location: Chicago
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| Posted: Thu May 25, 2017 6:10 pm Post subject: Re: Traveling across Canada in my 81 Westy |
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Subscribed! Looking forward to hearing about the journey.
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I'm Joe
The bus is Gus, the 1982 Westy Diesel 1.6na |
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novws
Samba Member
Joined: October 28, 2016
Posts: 26
Location: Williamsburg, VA
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| Posted: Thu May 25, 2017 7:47 pm Post subject: Re: Traveling across Canada in my 81 Westy |
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You are living the life.
In for more updates.
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88 Vanagon tintop Subaru ej25
82 BMW 323i
02 Subaru WRX Wagon |
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Gauche1968
Samba Member
Joined: April 13, 2006
Posts: 1518
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| Posted: Thu May 25, 2017 10:04 pm Post subject: Re: Traveling across Canada in my 81 Westy |
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Nice!
_________________
1984 Vanagon GL
1984 Vanagon Westy |
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jimf909 
Samba Member
Joined: April 03, 2014
Posts: 7477
Location: WA/ID
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| Posted: Thu May 25, 2017 11:07 pm Post subject: Re: Traveling across Canada in my 81 Westy |
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Super sweet! Enjoy the road and keep posting pics. So much beauty to enjoy ahead of you.
_________________
- Jim
| Abscate wrote: |
Do not get killed, do not kill others.
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Current: 1990 Westy Camper - Bostig RG4, 2wd, manual trans w/Peloquin, NAHT high-top, 280 ah LFP battery, 160 watts solar, Flash Silver, seam rust, bondo, etc., etc.
Past: 1985 Westy Camper - 1.9 wbx, 2wd, manual trans, Merian Brown, (sold after 17 years to Northwesty who converted it to a Syncro). |
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BUGSLEE
Samba Member
Joined: July 15, 2012
Posts: 48
Location: Winnipeg, Canada
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| Posted: Fri May 26, 2017 1:19 pm Post subject: Re: Traveling across Canada in my 81 Westy |
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Nice to meet you the other day in Winnipeg.
Hope to see more updates from your trip.
Safe Travels!
Kyle
Frank Motors
_________________
68 Beetle - 1776
89 Vanagon TinTop Syncro - Subi 2.5 |
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MsTaboo
Samba Member
Joined: June 02, 2006
Posts: 4098
Location: East Kootenay, British Columbia
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| Posted: Fri May 26, 2017 1:43 pm Post subject: Re: Traveling across Canada in my 81 Westy |
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| jimf909 wrote: |
| Super sweet! Enjoy the road and keep posting pics. So much beauty to enjoy ahead of you. |
Yep, you're heading towards some of the most beautiful country in Canada. Take a swing down towards Lethbridge and then on to Waterton National Park, from there go north to Crowsnest pass into S.E. British Columbia past Fernie and then north again up Hwy 95 into the Columbia trench towards Kootenay, Yoho, and then into Banff via Radium Hotsprings on Hwy 93. The smaller back roads are so much nicer than Hwy 1.
Or, go past Calgary into Banff, out past Lake Louise into Golden and then south on Hwy 95. From there head towards the coast on Hwy 3.
Of course it's gonna depend on how much time you have, but the smaller Hwys are much better Vanagon routes. You can send me a PM if you want to discuss more details, glad to help.
In any case it's all really pretty this time of year with snow still in the high country and spring green in the valleys.
Have a great and safe trip!
_________________
Currently:
'90 Syncro Westy 3 knob w/Zetec
The information age has morphed into the age of disinformation and willful ignorance. Agnotology!
Help the fight against Truth Decay.
Defend democracy, support Ukraine. |
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debacles
Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2016
Posts: 4
Location: North Vancouver, BC, Canada
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| Posted: Fri May 26, 2017 3:01 pm Post subject: Re: Traveling across Canada in my 81 Westy |
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Awesome. I've done the drive to-and-from Ottawa a few times (and further east and back once), but not in the Westy (yet!). Looking forward to following your adventure—drop me a line when you get to the coast!
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1984 Westfalia 1.9L wbx ("Beatrice") |
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RCB
Samba Member
Joined: September 05, 2005
Posts: 4143
Location: San Francisco-Bay Area
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| Posted: Fri May 26, 2017 3:46 pm Post subject: Re: Traveling across Canada in my 81 Westy |
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From one air-cooled owner to another...happy and safe travels to you and yours.  |
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mcnajason
Samba Member
Joined: June 28, 2016
Posts: 43
Location: ottawa
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| Posted: Tue May 30, 2017 1:51 pm Post subject: Re: Traveling across Canada in my 81 Westy |
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About 3000Miles in now, climbing and pocking around in the rockies before a friends wedding in Red Deer on June 9th. After the wedding we will be going back through the Rockies into BC. Not sure if we should go up to Alaska or Down to California! Any suggestion?
Picture from somewhere between Jasper and Banff
The Westy is still pushing strong through the hills. No real problems so
far. Oil pressure worries me at times, 28-29psi at 55MPH when the engine gets to 220-230F oil temps, but it seems to be fine. Mostly running at temps between 190-210F. With about 35PSI oil pressure at 55MPH. |
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campism
Samba Member
Joined: September 07, 2007
Posts: 4492
Location: Richmond VA
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| Posted: Tue May 30, 2017 2:43 pm Post subject: Re: Traveling across Canada in my 81 Westy |
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| MsTaboo wrote: |
| jimf909 wrote: |
| Super sweet! Enjoy the road and keep posting pics. So much beauty to enjoy ahead of you. |
Yep, you're heading towards some of the most beautiful country in Canada. Take a swing down towards Lethbridge and then on to Waterton National Park, from there go north to Crowsnest pass into S.E. British Columbia past
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Two of the most interesting places I found in Alberta are the Frank Slide on the eastern approach to Crowsnest Pass and the Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump near Lethbridge. Not necessarily scenic, but both extremely unusual and worth a stop.
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'87 Westy in Wolfram Grey Metallic |
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bobbyblack
Samba Member
Joined: May 21, 2015
Posts: 4351
Location: United States, Iowa
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| Posted: Tue May 30, 2017 8:13 pm Post subject: Re: Traveling across Canada in my 81 Westy |
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I was happy to take several VW's up to AK. It took a couple weeks with the Bay, only a week with the splitty, but it was Heaven. I'm hopeful to take the Vanagon Westy up when I can squeeze it in. AK was totally formative in my life. 1980, 1988, 1989, 1992. and into the future, I'll be going back. That's a promise.
Also, that oil pressure thing: you got the right oil, etc? Make sure you do. Up-thick the oil for colder stuff. Castrol 20w50 is my go-to for my air-cooled stuff. Can't say as I've not had a AC Vanagon, but make sure you use the Mann or Mahle filter, if applicable.
_________________
'87 Westy 'Flossie','86 Westy 'R1','86 tintop GL - Subi2.2 'J2','83.5 stock tintop L 'ZoomBus','74 Karmann Ghia, '63 Notch |
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mcnajason
Samba Member
Joined: June 28, 2016
Posts: 43
Location: ottawa
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| Posted: Wed May 31, 2017 10:59 am Post subject: Re: Traveling across Canada in my 81 Westy |
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| using 20w50 castrol with a ac delco filter at the moment.I only ever use 20w50. The filter changes depending on whats available at that time. |
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bobbyblack
Samba Member
Joined: May 21, 2015
Posts: 4351
Location: United States, Iowa
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| Posted: Wed May 31, 2017 11:51 am Post subject: Re: Traveling across Canada in my 81 Westy |
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Well, just from my experience, I could suggest you try the recommended oil filter, and see if that makes a diff. In my case, the Mann put the pressure back up above the blinkey zone.
http://www.busdepot.com/021115351amn
or
http://www.busdepot.com/021115351aml
I guess you'd have to figure out what these are exactly, and see if you can find one on your route...
_________________
'87 Westy 'Flossie','86 Westy 'R1','86 tintop GL - Subi2.2 'J2','83.5 stock tintop L 'ZoomBus','74 Karmann Ghia, '63 Notch |
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CdnVWJunkie
Samba Member
Joined: February 01, 2004
Posts: 1110
Location: Sarnia, Ontario, Canada
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| Posted: Wed May 31, 2017 12:11 pm Post subject: Re: Traveling across Canada in my 81 Westy |
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| mcnajason wrote: |
Not sure if we should go up to Alaska or Down to California! Any suggestion?
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I've done both. I really enjoyed Alaska, Yukon and NWT. Doing that early in June means you're going to beat most of the summer tourist traffic. Being Canada's 150 and open season on our National parks I think it's going to be busy camping this Summer. |
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AndyBees
Samba Member
Joined: January 31, 2008
Posts: 2332
Location: Southeast Kentucky
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| Posted: Wed May 31, 2017 1:06 pm Post subject: Re: Traveling across Canada in my 81 Westy |
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Wow! How awesome! ........... subscribed!
Yes, keep us updated and post pics, as often as you can!
We are trying to get organized for a departure north by the end of June (about 4 weeks away)... We're considering several different options compared to previous trips north into Canada and on to Alaska..
_________________
'84 Vanagon Tin-top, ALH TDI. 1989 Tin-top
1983 Air-cool, 225k miles, 180k miles mine. Seven trips to Alaska from 1986 thru 2003. |
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bobbyblack
Samba Member
Joined: May 21, 2015
Posts: 4351
Location: United States, Iowa
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| Posted: Wed May 31, 2017 1:37 pm Post subject: Re: Traveling across Canada in my 81 Westy |
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On trips up to AK where I needed things to be somewhere to pick them up, I often used "General Delivery" to a post office where I was headed. The parts would be there (usually) when I got there. I am not sure of how that works in the Canadian mail system.
_________________
'87 Westy 'Flossie','86 Westy 'R1','86 tintop GL - Subi2.2 'J2','83.5 stock tintop L 'ZoomBus','74 Karmann Ghia, '63 Notch |
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AndyBees
Samba Member
Joined: January 31, 2008
Posts: 2332
Location: Southeast Kentucky
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| Posted: Wed May 31, 2017 4:44 pm Post subject: Re: Traveling across Canada in my 81 Westy |
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For what it's worth, I drove my 83 Air-cool Tin-top to Alaska and back 7 times from 1986 to 2003.
Although I never monitored anything but an add-on dash Tachometer, the engine done fine except for the 1997 trip. I left home knowing there were issues with the engine. Without all the details to very long story, the top ring on the #1 piston was broke... that cylinder eventually gave way to a burnt exhaust valve. Lucky, we were near Delta Junction, Alaska. The incident happened late Friday evening. We were back on the road Monday morning. (A nice guy there in DJ, AK let me use his garage and we stayed in one of his vacant apartments.)
I always used 20w-50 oil and the slim PH2870 filter. The same filter that fits a 1976 VW Dasher. Seemed to work okay and being slim allows the air to flow around and past it!
Your engine should do just fine. Just don't let it get low on oil.
_________________
'84 Vanagon Tin-top, ALH TDI. 1989 Tin-top
1983 Air-cool, 225k miles, 180k miles mine. Seven trips to Alaska from 1986 thru 2003. |
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mcnajason
Samba Member
Joined: June 28, 2016
Posts: 43
Location: ottawa
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| Posted: Wed Jun 07, 2017 1:25 pm Post subject: Re: Traveling across Canada in my 81 Westy |
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Did a huge pass, wish i would have token a picture at the top. It was about 5900ft. I believe it was called rogers pass. 2nd gear the full way up. Watching my temp guage climb and climb!!! Made it over and all was o.k. Engine cooling down rapidly as we costed down the other side. We found some good free camping with a view, and some good rock climbing!
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