In the flesh! (Geekout warning)

[ProvoCyclist]

I saw an actual GoWesty Westy yesterday on my way home. Full camper, Rhino-lined rocker panels, GW steel bumpers, 16" GW wheels. It had the temporary plates on, looked brand new, really pretty.
Oh yeah, this was on I-15 S.B. in Draper UT.
</vanageekout>
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Clark
Current: 1986 Tintop GL 2wd, stock 2.1L, manual trans, Flash Silver LP7Y.

Past: 1985 Sunroof GL, 2wd, Subaru 3.3L, manual trans, resprayed to Diamond Silver L97A

[pjackman]

What are "Rhino-lined rocker panels"? Is that their "black-out treatment"? Is this how to beat lower seam rust?

[droogvan]

I'm going to try to give mine the same rhino-liner treatment this winter. I'm going to pull the kitchen and insulation first to address any issues there before I seal off any lurking water within. I've also got to order new inner door step replacement metal from OEveedub and get those welded in and sealed up. I'm not sure on the bumpers yet. If gowesty ever "engineers" a spare tire carrier that may be an option. I'm thinking of also coating inside and outside of my battery trays. I think some of these bedliners are pretty resistant to battery acid. Has anyone looked at the red syncro westy on gowesty's vehicles for sale page? Expensive but sick! I'm too computer illiterate to post the link, maybe someone else can step in here?
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89 Westy zetec
Some ol bullshit

[hiram6]

You mean this one??

http://www.gowesty.com/vehicle_details.php?id=883
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1985 Westy, 1.9L automatic (Daisy)
1996 Mazda Miata
1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.9 Limited

You can't lie around on the beach and drink rum all day.................unless you start first thing in the morning.

[psych-illogical]

That is one beautiful van, man! Expensive but, we've come to expect that from GW. I'm sure it's worth it to the right person. Heck, if I was one of those people who doesn't bat an eye at dropping a grand for a hotel suite or feel faint at the thought of eating dinner in a 200-buck-a-plate 4 star restaurant, I'd probably buy it. Gotta love that red paint job.
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83 1/2 Westy waterboxer
'57 Beetle-sold
Coupla '81 BMW motorcycles (R80G/S; R100RS)
'96 BMW R1100GS

[jakebayless]

I am sorry... but man... that van makes jesus cry.

Perhaps he cries because it is so beautiful... but more likely he is crying because it is just so REDicioulous. (pun intended.)


I like my rusty maroon syncro with hackjob feels-like-a-westy-to-me accoutrements.

$60k is just plain stupid for any kind of vehicle - unless it has wings. (which, btw, is my next project )


~jake

[tikibus]

Rhino Liner or Raptor Liner.

Heculiner too.

All Painable bead liners that in fact work. Used Raptor liner on the interior and exterior (undercarriage). Bear in mind Humidity and temp. when doing this treatment.

It works Only if the paint is prepped properly. Will flake off if not scuffed with 400 grit sanding.

For even a more robust barrier to stave off rust, Paintable sound deadener then the Liner. My thought process was ( especially in the wheel wells) create a "pillow" to take the flying debris the tires, etc. kick up. Under the "pillow" is Chassis saver then POR-15. A Barrier system.
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Happy Trails!
Mark
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Founding member of the Empire State VW Camping Club.
http://www.empirevwcamping.org/
1984 Westy - Tiki
1997 Honda Civic -The Green Hornet
1971 Volvo P-1800E- needs TLC

[fyrgrrl]

Uuuuhhhh....it ain't Rhino Lining. I was there at GoWesty last November when I saw a beautiful beige Vanagon from Colorado that they "restored". I saw that rubberized coating....and dreamed of doing it to mine. So I asked the service manager (can't remember his name but he was short and had a beard) if that was Rhino Lining on the beauty and he said, "Nope". He said that GoWesty had thought about using the liner but was concerned it was too thick and would create a water trap. So they went with something thinner. He wasn't sharing much and I left it at that. So whatever it is, I don't think it is Rhino Lining unless he was a tryin' ta trick me.
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1987 Vanagon Westfalia (manual) - "Van Hildegaard"
1987 Vanagon Westfalia (auto)
1985 Vanagon GL 7-passenger van (auto) - "Blau Frau"
1985 Vanagon GL 7-passenger van (manual) - "Braunkuh"
1998 Subaru Legacy Outback (auto)
2003 Subaru Legacy L wagon (auto)

[jakebayless]

[rockfish]

I've been restoring my 89 Westy for the last six months ... I've got a friend who has a GoWesty ... Westy ... it is gorgeous. And no, he did not pay anywhere near $60K.

Having access to my friend's Westy, I've been able to somewhat duplicate some of the upgrades that GoWesty offers --- including the "black out" treatment. So that people understand, GoWesty can do two different things:
- undercoat the under side of your Westy
- apply bedliner to the bottom portion of your exterior

I did the bedliner application - all the way around, including the front and back from the bumper line down. I went to the local Line-X shop (San Jose, CA) and they did the job for $500. The only difference between what my shop did and what GoWesty does is that GoWesty will also "line" the footwells and the "step up to look into the luggage rack" area of the wheel wells. I'm not sure what GoWesty charges for the exterior treatment, but my impression is that they charge way more than $500.

If you're on a tight budget, then I suppose you can do the Rhino route. However, one of the big advantages of the Line-X application is that it is a guaranteed application (they heat the chemicals to 180F as they spray onto your vehicle). They are professionals and they can get the job done in one day.

I also had my Westy painted (after body work, etc.). If you're going to paint or body-shop your Westy, get the body work done first (including sanding, primer, etc.) ... but don't paint! Do the Line-X job before painting, then do the paint. The Line-X guys do not want to apply their product to new paint (over old paint) - just in case the paint is not perfect and ends up peeling.

I've been procrastinating about posting pictures ... I hope to get to it sometime next week.

[fyrgrrl]

http://www.gowesty.com/library_article.php?id=845

"Below are photos of an ‘86 Westy. It has been fitted with a set of GoWesty 1/8” plate steel bumpers, powder coated in a wrinkle finish satin black. This vehicle also has our GoWesty “pre-runner” black-out truck bed-liner type texture coating applied all around the lower body and inside the front door thresholds. There are some subtle details to notice that we have arrived at by trial and error........"

Full description at the link above.

As for the cost:

[Raggamuffin]

I'd happily trade a testicle for the red Syncro Westy...HAPPILY!

[fyrgrrl]

And if ya wanna talk paint job, here's another tidbit from GoWesty:

[fyrgrrl]

HOLY CRAP!!! I just looked at the very Syncro this topic is about. No wonder people are talking about trading body parts. It's gorgeous!
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1987 Vanagon Westfalia (manual) - "Van Hildegaard"
1987 Vanagon Westfalia (auto)
1985 Vanagon GL 7-passenger van (auto) - "Blau Frau"
1985 Vanagon GL 7-passenger van (manual) - "Braunkuh"
1998 Subaru Legacy Outback (auto)
2003 Subaru Legacy L wagon (auto)

[ChesterKV]

The funny thing about the "red syncro" is that even though the guy paid 80k for it, GoWesty DIDN'T paint the interior. It's still the original grey. So for a 10k to 12k paint job, GoWesty is NOT touching the interior? Unbelievable...
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1984 Wolfsburg 7-passenger stock sunroof
1992 Subaru Legacy EJ22 boxer motor installed.... van is now sold.... currently playing with a 1987 Toyota MR2 with 1.6 liter twin-cam motor. Better than the Subaru boxers....... I'm impressed. Well, okay, in an "apples and oranges" kind of way.

[jakebayless]

Oh, but you might have missed the red seatbelts.

They offset the lack of an actual proper different-color paintjob, don't they?

...to the cleaners...

[Dogpilot]

It really is nice. If you want, anybody can make theirs like that. Just add money and testicles.

Personally, I like restoring mine, it is one of the fun parts. Mine is going for new paint in a month or so. Just as soon as Texas cools off a bit. My old paint shop manager, who now reps a paint company, has set up a small side-line custom shop. So he has offered to do the little body touch up and paint, with real paint, after we have disassembled the van. Much better deal in Georgia, without the material restrictions the pervade the west.

You know, I may have Beltmasters re-do my seatbelts in red while I'm out there, they are in Griffin. They owe me. Maybe I'll go for the gold plating on the hardware too.
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Geology with a Syncro rocks!
86 Syncro Westy AKA "The Bughunter"
98 Disco I
08 Range Rover SC
08 VW Rabbit S
1951 O-1G

[bucko]

[Volksaholic]

Clark, did the thing have Utah temporary stickers? I'm curious whether it's a local purchase or just passing through. It would be interesting to see it up close and drool on the carpet, but definitely too rich for my budget. Besides, I'm with DogPilot: it's nice to have a vehicle to tinker with an get it all dialed in rather than plunking down a 2nd mortgage on somebody else's work. To each his or her own, though; it's great that GoWesty is providing that service for folks that want to go that route.

One detail that bugs me, though, is the fact that they replaced the front seat belts with red webbing and left the back stock black. I know it's a small thing, but I would have wanted to be consistent if I were inclined to go red on the belts at all. More likely I would have stuck with black.
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1988 Wolfsburg Edition, 2001 Subaru EJ251

[Dogpilot]

You would be amazed how many 'shoe shiners' we have, that when they do their seatbelts opt for gold plated fittings. In fact I'm going to get right on it when I finish building this computer for the van:

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Geology with a Syncro rocks!
86 Syncro Westy AKA "The Bughunter"
98 Disco I
08 Range Rover SC
08 VW Rabbit S
1951 O-1G