much time and effort in this westy... and now also a tree

[alaskadan]

Oh sheeite, that's a good one! Glad you are ok. You seam to be dealing with it well. I had a 74 baywindow with my custom full roof rack that got mangled by an alder tree during an ice storm. Small dent in roof, rack needed surgery. My current 87 syncro and I had a near miss on a nice calm, sunny afternoon in Washington. Driving along a 2 lane backwoods road doing 40 or so and something ahead on the left side of the road caught my eye. It was a big rotten alder that finally decided to fall across the road! A split second decision to stomp the gas and swerve to the right shoulder and get passed it resulted in the top of the tree clipping the A pillar at the top corner of the windshield and exploding. Thankfully really rotten and caused no damage other than bark and wood fibers jammed under the windshield seal.

[mtnhome]

Think I'm getting the chainsaw out and eyeballing any large trees within falling distance...

I'm impressed with your ability to have some humor in the face of such a disappointing event! I agree with the others on here. See if you can buy it back and store it under a cover. While you may not have time to deal with it now, the time may come you can use it as a donor for another build. Heck, park it in the exact same spot, what are the odds of another tree....
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'84 Westy, '93 Subaru ej22 and Subarugears 5speed
Build thread: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=763098&highlight=

[kamzcab86]

_________________
~Kamz
1986 Cabriolet: www.Cabby-Info.com
1990 Vanagon Westfalia: Old Blue's Blog
2016 Golf GTI S
"Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance." - 孔子

[skills@eurocarsplus]

meh...

i'd fix it, but i'm fucked up in the head like that.

it's just about how much effort do you want to spend. i've literally been involved with restorations that got built around a VIN number

i know, its a cost/benefit thing but these are getting harder and harder to find. i have a whole van that could be used for parts.
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[16CVs]

See what happens when you paint your wheels black ! I love your sense of humor with regards to this. Having a good Ins policy is a great backup plan, without it you just have a squashed van.
Buy it back for the 10%, you should be able to get a few grand for the carcass with all that work done. Looks like you have a decent yard to keep it while you find the proper buyer. For someone with a train wreck camper this is the perfect companion.

Stacy
_________________
1987 Syncro Westfalia Triple knob (bastard)
1989 Syncro Tristar Triple knob "Swedish"
2013 Jetta Hybrid a true "Zwitter"
Samba member # 14980
Call anytime number 650 722 4914 .
Keep Your van running and upkept tastefully for the love of the hobby.
Don't let your van end up in an "abortions" thread.

[WestyWanter]

*twiddles thumbs....*

So I'm looking for a brown interior...

[djkeev]

One of many great lines from the movie The Money Pit was

"we have weak trees"
_________________
Stop Dead Photo Links how to post photos

Ghia
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=392473

Vanagon
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6315537#6315537

Beetle
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482968&highlight=74+super+vert

[xoo00oox]

Just get the tree out of there and drive it as-is.

[Steve M.]

Ya just gotta be impressed by the load rating of those tires!

Be careful getting the tree off that the sudden weight movement on either side doesn't cause it to shift and hurt someone even though it looks like it's in there pretty solid.
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This free advice is worth exactly what you paid for it.

There are seven days in a week. Someday is not one of them.

[Walty87]

Nothing a little duct tape can’t fix..

Sorry for your loss!

[slo356]

Very sorry to see the loss of your Vanagon. Difficult to handle I am sure. The Vanagon community will miss it as well...always enjoy and celebrate seeing another bus on the road.
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'65 T1 Sedan
'87 T3 Syncro

[jfu057]

Thanks everyone for the sentiment. I appreciate the thoughtful responses and laughs. As far as taking it hard or well, I have never found that anger and anguish over what amounts to money has ever done good for anyone. I got a lot of good out of building up this glorious van and driving it around the east coast from Key West to Newfoundland and I'm also happy I missed the very end of it

This all happened a couple weeks back. So, maybe the post was a little misleading this morning, the wound is not quite fresh.

Unfortunately, I need it removed quickly so that I can cut down some more of these damned Sweetgum trees (worthless) and rebuild a fence. The trees are gonna fall right where the van is now.

I did ask the insurance agent and they will be auctioning this van as is, not junking it. The buy back offer is $5800 from the insurance. I just need it hauled away quickly. Hopefully it goes locally but at least it will not be destroyed.

Here are some pics of the tree removal.

Here it is now:

And the last camping trip to OBX:

He was a good van, Wembley.

[Howesight]

What a terrible end to your Westy. It's so fortunate that nobody was injured. The Samba community is great and everyone expresses their heartfelt sympathy.

I just noticed that we Sambanites are not the only ones who care - - it looks like even the dog gives a shit:

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'86 Syncro Westy SVX

[vanis13]

[jfu057]

[jfu057]

[quote="vanis13"]

[jfu057]

[elizer]

All I see is an open cab westy. Insurance companies must see the value in vanagons now.

I agree with the sweet gum sentiment. But, they are pretty when they turn color.

[4Gears4Tires]

$5800 buy back means the payout was hefty. That's good to hear.
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'87 Syncro
Ferric Oxyhydroxide Superleggera Edition

[PDXWesty]

It may be too late, but I'd strip all the aftermarket parts off it before giving it up. The awning, box, exterior accessories. I'm surprised at $5800 buy back. That's really high for the totaled van. If you were going to get another one it might be worth it. Most people don't know you can negotiate the buyback as well. Here's mine after it was bought back. Hardly anything left after being stripped.

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89 Westy 2.1 Auto