Just purchased a van that seems a little...screwy...

[Classicvibe]

1986 Westy Syncro, manual, locking diff.

Here is the deal, this is a 7 seater, from the factory. Now I realize this is possible, but it seems soooo unlikely. Of course this could have been requested from the customer, but has anyone actually seen a set-up like this? So to be clean, two rows of seats, no table, no rear cabinet, no A/C. Taking to the shop in a few days to verify...I hope it is the real deal because it was a decent deal! BTW - I do not have the van in front of me, so I cannot verify at this time. May have some additional pics today. thanks!
Johnny
_________________
On a mission, the destination is just an excuse.

Syncro Solstice 2022...see you there!

1986.5 Wolfsburg Syncro Westfalia Poptop Weekender Transporter

[stormforge]

Does it have a pop-top and say "Westfalia" on it?

Cheers,
-Bill
'89 Syncro GL

[mightyart]

They didn't make them like that from the factory.

[edgood1]

I think you're saying you have a "pop-top" van with a 7 seater interior. Is that what you mean is screwy?

yes. that is screwy. they didn't come like that, and I'm 99% sure you couldn't order them like that. Not in the US anways. If it has a pop top, someone probably put it on.

There are a few ways to be certain. First and foremost is the VIN. The 4th "digit" in your VIN specifies the body type. Factory Westfalias have a 'Z'.

The 11th "digit" being a G means it was a stock syncro. That specifies the assembly plant where it was put together. I know thats not in question here, but its one I often look at.

Usually its pretty obvious if it was a westy (and why would someone want to convert it to the less desirable passenger van?!)
If it was a factory westy, there will be nutplates in the floor where the fridge/sink cabinet mounted, and more in the back where the rear seat mounts. You'll have some holes in the rear sheet metal near the engine cover where the cabinets were assembled. There were also holes in the body for the water/power hookups and vent that would have been filled.

If it was a factory weekender, it may be a little trickier to tell, and I know lots less about those. Check the battery box under the passenger seat. Weekenders and westys had a black "box" that was riveted to the body, with a small vent to the outside (to the wheel well) at the bottom of the box. Passenger syncro vans didn't have this black box... just a normal cover and no vent. Most weekenders had rear facing seats behind the front seats, you'll see the brackets or holes where they were.

My money would be that someone installed the pop top on a passenger van.
Some people just cut a hole in the roof and bolt on the pop top. The correct way IMHO is to cut the entire roof assembly out at the spot welds and transplant it to the passenger van.

Unless they were a pro, you'll be able to see evidence of either a big hole cut, or welds where they did the transplant.


Post up some pics and show it off. There's no shame in having a "fake" syncro pop top (I'm doing one right now, actually)


And make sure you replace the fuel lines
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1987 Syncro Westfalia powered by Subaru
1963 Panel to Deluxe Bus project :::: (photo album)
'65 Westfalia

[mightyart]

[edgood1]

[Classicvibe]

Excuse me, I feel like I am at a loss on this, and appreciate your assistance. I like the van a lot, and even though the top looks screwy, I would be down, as long as it was original, and does not have some screwy functionality issues. I am not familiar with the earlier Westfalia tops, but this looks a little weird to me.

_________________
On a mission, the destination is just an excuse.

Syncro Solstice 2022...see you there!

1986.5 Wolfsburg Syncro Westfalia Poptop Weekender Transporter

[Classicvibe]

http://scoot.net/gallery/austria3/johnny/
_________________
On a mission, the destination is just an excuse.

Syncro Solstice 2022...see you there!

1986.5 Wolfsburg Syncro Westfalia Poptop Weekender Transporter

[?Waldo?]

That's an ASI top. The ASI vin will appear the same as a 7-passenger syncro. Looks like the proper ASI hole was cut and since they converted vans after-the-fact, then a customer would have certainly been able to keep the 7-passenger interior. I'm not saying the top WAS added by ASI, but I don't see anything to indicate otherwise.

[simd0ggie]

I never heard of an ASI without the ASI camper interior... Still seems like some PO cut it and bolted on...
_________________
-Matt
'85 Westfalia w/EJ25, '14 Tiguan R-Line 4 Motion

"There are two possible outcomes: if the result confirms the hypothesis, then you've made a measurement. If the result is contrary to the hypothesis, then you've made a discovery.”

[edgood1]

[edgood1]

[Classicvibe]

Is the ASI conversion regarded as good, and comparable to the Westfalia? It seems very similar, and if it is real, it seems quite rare and pretty cool. Yes, what I am really asking for is an opinion on this. I intend to convert to a weekender, so if this is the real deal, at $8k this seems like a great deal-the interior looks nice. What do you think?
Thanks, love the Vanagon obsessed tribe here...
_________________
On a mission, the destination is just an excuse.

Syncro Solstice 2022...see you there!

1986.5 Wolfsburg Syncro Westfalia Poptop Weekender Transporter

[edgood1]

[edgood1]

I found this page that includes information on the ASI/Riviera conversion:

http://wetwesties.tripod.com/riviera/

It confirms my suspicion that they did not convert any water-cooled vanagons. From that documentation, it appears that they didn't offer a "pop-top" only option. that's not to say its impossible, but the more likely explanation is that someone transplanted the roof only from an '80-'83.5 air cooled ASI/Riviera vanagon.

I hope this helps. I just want to make sure you know what you have here.
_________________
1987 Syncro Westfalia powered by Subaru
1963 Panel to Deluxe Bus project :::: (photo album)
'65 Westfalia

[Steelhead]

Very cool. From a purely practical point of view, I think that's a highly, highly desirable set-up. Now that I have kids and move people around, the standard 7-passenger has a lot of appeal. It can still be great camping rig with or withoutthe middle bench installed), but you get a more "car-like" functionality for the day-to-day. Rear facing seats are a poor substitute for front-facing for any situation but camping, and its nice to have your passengers in hollering distance or where you can interact a bit more with the little ones (instead of having them WAY back there).

From a camping-with-kids perspective, its pretty great because you can all sit towards the front and all the stuff can be in the "back" with the rear bench down.

I've actually thought recently that my ideal rig for my current life would be a poptop syncro in a front-facing 7-passenger configuration. Call me crazy, but its a super practical set-up. Especially if your rig is 80% family-hauler and 20% camping/tailgating/etc. Granted the ASI doesn't have the classic westy look, but I'd definitely pay $8k for that if it was mechanically strong and the body was in good shape. I have a similar vertical poptop (country homes camper) and it really like the space of the upper bunk.
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'77 Bay Window / '89 Caratsburg (aka. the Stormtrooper)

[Classicvibe]

Here are some photos I found of another Riviera.

http://s119.photobucket.com/albums/o150/kingpin1938/riviera/

What do you think? Seems like mine is a little "shatty" on the install, mainly looking at that interior black gasket, it's not quite as nice as the piece that this rig has.

ALTHOUGH: They both seems to have the same bolt pattern on the side of the Fiberglass.
_________________
On a mission, the destination is just an excuse.

Syncro Solstice 2022...see you there!

1986.5 Wolfsburg Syncro Westfalia Poptop Weekender Transporter

[j_dirge]

[mightyart]

You're both crazy.

Don't worry about it being rare, just make sure it was well done.

[crazyvwvanman]

There were lots of watercooled ASI Campers sold. I have been in a few 85s and my family owns an 83 that I worked on a few days ago. It has left enough coolant on my driveway over the years.

Don't recall any Syncro ones though. The ASI top is inferior in materials and workmanship to a Westy top but still does the job just fine.

Mark