My Vanagon, then and now!

[rmcd]

Then

Now.

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VW LT40 build. Like a Vanagon but 30% larger in every direction and 40% slower even in metric.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=749359&highlight=

[vino de vano]

Buster, Warm dry and waiting.
Slimvest, Love the Reimo pop top.
RMCD, Yaa Baby!
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what a long strange trip it's been

[levi]

The one surprising thing I've discovered from this thread is the number of tintops that have been converted to poptop or hightop.

I never would have thought it was so common.
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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

https://youtu.be/cSrL0BXsO40

[mikemtnbike]

[Zeitgeist 13]

[Slimvest]

[dobryan]

[vino de vano]

Now 300 more visits and only one more van? Lets see your creation, come on it's easy.
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what a long strange trip it's been

[Buster Van Winkle]

[coqcitywesty]

Okay - I’ll play. 1991 acquired in September 2016 with 205K KM’s on it. Lots of mechanical work over the past four years which has allowed it to travel through BC, Alberta, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Idaho, Oregon, California and Washington including a 7500 kilometre trek trek last year over three weeks. Covid killed this year’s road trip -fingers crossed for 2021..... Currently sitting at 225K KM’s.

Fall 2016

Summer 2019

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1991 Westfalia EJ251, 1972 Volvo 1800 ES

[ilocan]

Me, my sister and my Dad back in 1985.
We just bought the Westy and took it on its inaugural road trip.

July 2020 Camping at Ocean Shores, WA. My 5yrs old niece (my sister's kid) lounging next to the van. My father passed away a year ago and now I carry on the family camping tradition as the new owner of my father's Westy.

[Abscate]

[B.O.B.Wanders]

OK. In the interest of increasing the photo count here is BOB, the Butt-ugly Orange Bus. These pics are from the AutoTrader ad where I found him.
In spite of the large amounts of my paycheck that have been submerged into the van, you can't really see a a significant amount of difference.

In the PO's driveway in Indiana

From my recent "if I get stolen" mug shots. Look Ma! No kitchen seam rust!

The backside Before and After.

And as a bonus: BOB from some photos the once-removed PO (Grand-PO?) took during a cross country trip a few years before. BOB was actually called "Ginger" at this time. I didn't find out until BOB was already BOB so there it is. (No idea who the other happy camper is with the Bay)

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83.5 WBX 2WD Assuan Brown Westy, B.O.B.

"It feels good to be lost in the right direction” - unknown

[uberaudi]

[vino de vano]

Coqwesty, Looks super clean all fixed up.
ilocan, great van even better story, that's a nice inheritence.
B.O.B. I can't agree with you, first she is certainly not butt ugly, she's not orange, she is a bus. I see more of a Ginger, just needed a little tarting up.
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what a long strange trip it's been

[tarandusVDub]

Great thread! Bought mine in 2010 from a good buddy, slowly did a LOT of work on it, most of which doesn't show. 2.5L Suby, rebuilt tranny with Peloquin, Propex, discs all around, 1.5 lift. Love, love, love this thing and hope I get to pass her on to our daughter.

In this photo I'd already added the 15" wheels, but rest is stock.

Now, more or less.

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1990 Syncro 16" DoppleKabine 2.1 DJ 112i
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Sold: 1972 Bay Campmobile; 1984 Westy, base model, 2WD.

[thomast]

Then: Picture from TheSamba classified add prior to buying it a couple of years ago.

Driving it home after purchasing it. Picked it up at the Oakland CA airport and drove it back to Minnesota. This is just west of Grand Junction CO.

Now:

On the exterior I've just added the Yakima bars, Truck Mirrors, Fiamma awning, new tires, auxiliary light and a few stickers. Many hours and many dollars have been spent updating the cooling system where it ties into the SVX motor (custom ss coolant pipes that tie into the GW ss coolant pipes) new radiator, updating all front end components including the T3 HD sway bar and end links, new clutch, brake lines, ball joints, many electrical updates and and and... The van is awesome, we love it and like tarandusVDub, I hope to pass it on to my son someday.
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1986 Westy Syncro SVX

[tjet]

Nice color

[vino de vano]

tarandus, A true beauty. Vary nice pic. Also your daughter is one lucky girl.
thomast, I'd take that before or after. Your son is also a vary lucky boy.
Thanks for posting your van-bus. Mark
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what a long strange trip it's been

[Ahwahnee]

30+ years ago (I love seeing Vanagons from when all we had was our 35mm cameras):

Alas, the Merc is long gone.

And today:

I only wish I could have changed that little in those intervening years.

Be good too if the world had not changed quite so much.