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Vanagon Nut Samba Member
Joined: February 08, 2008 Posts: 10347 Location: Sunshine Coast B.C.
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Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2018 9:05 pm Post subject: 1989 2.6 Litre Caravelle Vanagon. Rare? |
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Just stumbled upon this. Don't' know seller, blah blah blah. From the ad:
"Options: Reputedly one of 6 brought into Canada by VW for use as transport for their executives. This is the 2.6 litre 5 cylinder, & the engine, along with the rest of the van has been well maintained with invoices to prove. It's mated to a 4 Speed Manual Transmission with a higher gear ratio in 4th for cruising."
https://nanaimo.craigslist.ca/ctd/d/volkswagen-vanagon-caravelle/6621588803.html
At first I assumed it was an engine conversion by a skilled independent but the interior and engine sure look legit to me. That said, I do see a bit of the adaptor plate and have to wonder if its a KEP.
_________________ 1981 Westy DIY 15º ABA
1988 West DIY 50º ABA
VE7TBN |
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D Clymer Samba Member
Joined: December 22, 2005 Posts: 2978 Location: Issaquah, WA
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Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2018 9:30 pm Post subject: Re: 1989 2.6 Litre Caravelle Vanagon. Rare? |
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That one is a puzzler. It's a Caravelle Carat - a top of the line "Business" model they never sold in NA. But the body appears to be of NA spec with rear marker lights. So it may very well be that VW of Canada did order it. The part that makes no sense is the 5 cylinder conversion. It's all VW of South Africa components, but VW didn't start putting the 5 cylinder in their Vanagons until 1992 and this is a 1989. My guess is that it was originally a Wasserboxer and someone did an Overland 5 cylinder conversion on it later. The raised lid looks factory, though. |
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Zeitgeist 13 Samba Member
Joined: March 05, 2009 Posts: 12103 Location: Port Manteau
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Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2018 10:22 pm Post subject: Re: 1989 2.6 Litre Caravelle Vanagon. Rare? |
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I'd sure love to have all those trim panels around the windows, pillars and along the ceiling _________________ Casey--
'89 Bluestar ALH w/12mm Waldo pump, PP764 and GT2052
'01 Weekender --> full camper
y u rune klassik? |
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D Clymer Samba Member
Joined: December 22, 2005 Posts: 2978 Location: Issaquah, WA
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Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2018 11:07 pm Post subject: Re: 1989 2.6 Litre Caravelle Vanagon. Rare? |
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Zeitgeist 13 wrote: |
I'd sure love to have all those trim panels around the windows, pillars and along the ceiling |
Yeah, me too. It would solve the wrinkling, peeling, adhesive bleeding problem with the regular glued on vinyl. Those were only used on european Caravelle Carats and unfortunately are very rare. |
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Zeitgeist 13 Samba Member
Joined: March 05, 2009 Posts: 12103 Location: Port Manteau
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Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2018 11:48 pm Post subject: Re: 1989 2.6 Litre Caravelle Vanagon. Rare? |
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Looks like a Claer rear bumper
_________________ Casey--
'89 Bluestar ALH w/12mm Waldo pump, PP764 and GT2052
'01 Weekender --> full camper
y u rune klassik? |
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levi Samba Member
Joined: February 11, 2005 Posts: 5522 Location: Las Vegas
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Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2018 12:12 am Post subject: Re: 1989 2.6 Litre Caravelle Vanagon. Rare? |
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What's with the serious discoloration of the panels in the above pic., on the hatch as well as the left rear panel, and right rear panel. _________________ 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 |
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Vanagon Nut Samba Member
Joined: February 08, 2008 Posts: 10347 Location: Sunshine Coast B.C.
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Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2018 12:27 am Post subject: Re: 1989 2.6 Litre Caravelle Vanagon. Rare? |
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levi wrote: |
What's with the serious discoloration of the panels in the above pic., on the hatch as well as the left rear panel, and right rear panel. |
The van is listed as having a "rebuilt" status. But that may not be related to that discolouration. To my eye, it sure looks like it was repainted.
I noticed that rear bumper Casey. Seemed odd to me to have two tail pipes for an inline 5 cylinder but whadda I know anyways?
Neil. _________________ 1981 Westy DIY 15º ABA
1988 West DIY 50º ABA
VE7TBN |
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OddN Samba Member
Joined: August 19, 2010 Posts: 690 Location: Northern Norway
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Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2018 4:34 am Post subject: Re: 1989 2.6 Litre Caravelle Vanagon. Rare? |
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D Clymer wrote: |
That one is a puzzler. It's a Caravelle Carat - a top of the line "Business" model they never sold in NA. But the body appears to be of NA spec with rear marker lights. So it may very well be that VW of Canada did order it. The part that makes no sense is the 5 cylinder conversion. It's all VW of South Africa components, but VW didn't start putting the 5 cylinder in their Vanagons until 1992 and this is a 1989. My guess is that it was originally a Wasserboxer and someone did an Overland 5 cylinder conversion on it later. The raised lid looks factory, though. |
I agree. this is a tricky one.
The 2,6 actually wasn't available in SA until 1995 and differs from the 2,5 in having electronic injection (the 2,5 had the old Bosch K-jetronic) and this is definitely the 2,6 injection.
Rear marker light is an easy thing to retrofit, and actually a rather popular thing to do over here. So that could easily have been fitted to a European Caravelle Carat, either here i Europe or when imported to Canada.
However, the Caravelle Carat was never officially available in any red color at all and this particular one looks even darker than the Tizian Red color that other Caravelle models were available with so that is a puzzle also. Some special order Oettinger Carats were delivered with Tizian Red so no rule without exeptions. I believe the American market Vanagon Carat had a darker red quite similar to this. But when looking at this pic the red actually looks lighter in the air ducts:
Engine installation looks very clean, and apart from a couple of details it looks very much like an SA engine bay. (Coil in the wrong place, wrong engine cover, some hoses appears not to be the correct SA-parts)
In the end I agree with you. Looks like a Canadian special order that has had an engine conversion done later and with some (but not all) the correct SA-parts. _________________ 1991 VW Multivan syncro 1,9 TD |
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ZsZ Samba Member
Joined: December 11, 2010 Posts: 1642 Location: Budapest Hungary, Europe
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Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2018 5:16 am Post subject: Re: 1989 2.6 Litre Caravelle Vanagon. Rare? |
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OddN wrote: |
D Clymer wrote: |
That one is a puzzler. It's a Caravelle Carat - a top of the line "Business" model they never sold in NA. But the body appears to be of NA spec with rear marker lights. So it may very well be that VW of Canada did order it. The part that makes no sense is the 5 cylinder conversion. It's all VW of South Africa components, but VW didn't start putting the 5 cylinder in their Vanagons until 1992 and this is a 1989. My guess is that it was originally a Wasserboxer and someone did an Overland 5 cylinder conversion on it later. The raised lid looks factory, though. |
I agree. this is a tricky one.
The 2,6 actually wasn't available in SA until 1995 and differs from the 2,5 in having electronic injection (the 2,5 had the old Bosch K-jetronic) and this is definitely the 2,6 injection.
Rear marker light is an easy thing to retrofit, and actually a rather popular thing to do over here. So that could easily have been fitted to a European Caravelle Carat, either here i Europe or when imported to Canada.
However, the Caravelle Carat was never officially available in any red color at all and this particular one looks even darker than the Tizian Red color that other Caravelle models were available with so that is a puzzle also. Some special order Oettinger Carats were delivered with Tizian Red so no rule without exeptions. I believe the American market Vanagon Carat had a darker red quite similar to this. But when looking at this pic the red actually looks lighter in the air ducts:
Engine installation looks very clean, and apart from a couple of details it looks very much like an SA engine bay. (Coil in the wrong place, wrong engine cover, some hoses appears not to be the correct SA-parts)
In the end I agree with you. Looks like a Canadian special order that has had an engine conversion done later and with some (but not all) the correct SA-parts. |
in 1995 SA vans were big window.
This has a lot of SA parts on the outside too but those things are available to buy.
The paint color looks factory as the barcode sticker is present on the passenger B pillar
Maybe the ad is correct, and it was specially imported to Canada and later had an SA engine change _________________ Zoltan
1.9 MTdi 2wd Multivan (ex Caravelle)
Van since 2006, engine since 2008 |
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crazyvwvanman Samba Member
Joined: January 28, 2008 Posts: 9895 Location: Orbiting San Diego
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Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2018 6:00 am Post subject: Re: 1989 2.6 Litre Caravelle Vanagon. Rare? |
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Front body section has washers in wrong location for the year listed. She's had work done.
I'd look the body over very closely myself. In any case, jump on that thing Neil.
Mark |
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OddN Samba Member
Joined: August 19, 2010 Posts: 690 Location: Northern Norway
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Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2018 7:37 am Post subject: Re: 1989 2.6 Litre Caravelle Vanagon. Rare? |
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crazyvwvanman wrote: |
Front body section has washers in wrong location for the year listed. She's had work done.
I'd look the body over very closely myself. In any case, jump on that thing Neil.
Mark |
Yeah, you're right. How could I miss that. That washer nozzle location indicates a pre 86 front clip.
The mystery is getting bigger... _________________ 1991 VW Multivan syncro 1,9 TD |
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OddN Samba Member
Joined: August 19, 2010 Posts: 690 Location: Northern Norway
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ZsZ Samba Member
Joined: December 11, 2010 Posts: 1642 Location: Budapest Hungary, Europe
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Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2018 8:06 am Post subject: Re: 1989 2.6 Litre Caravelle Vanagon. Rare? |
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OddN wrote: |
crazyvwvanman wrote: |
Front body section has washers in wrong location for the year listed. She's had work done.
I'd look the body over very closely myself. In any case, jump on that thing Neil.
Mark |
Yeah, you're right. How could I miss that. That washer nozzle location indicates a pre 86 front clip.
The mystery is getting bigger... |
I missed that too
and the wiper arms are both from 2.1 driver side
the lower grill is strange too the SA grills center part was cut out
the front vertical seam looks missing on the passenger side
but 87+ rear hatch and vented rear windows
missing type plate (VIN plate) from A pillar passenger side
missing carat horn push _________________ Zoltan
1.9 MTdi 2wd Multivan (ex Caravelle)
Van since 2006, engine since 2008 |
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joetiger Samba Member
Joined: January 27, 2005 Posts: 5068 Location: denver
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Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2018 8:15 am Post subject: Re: 1989 2.6 Litre Caravelle Vanagon. Rare? |
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This one looks to be more like the real thing, 2.1 carat with the Executive (?) interior:
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=2181326 _________________ Joe T.
'86 NAHT Vanagon GL Syncro/ supercharged ABA 2.0 "Pigpen"
'04 GTI 1.8T
'04 Golf R32
"get metaphysical with it. if it's simply a means to get to and from places, it will let you down. if it becomes your zen, it can't fail you." -dabaron
"Still, it's good to be afield."--VWagabond
Available Now! Vanagon to Louisiana--A Two-Lane Reckoning Through Past and Present
www.josephtrussell.com |
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Yellow Rabbit Samba Member
Joined: August 31, 2005 Posts: 1145
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Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2018 8:16 am Post subject: Re: 1989 2.6 Litre Caravelle Vanagon. Rare? |
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It has all the A/C components on the interior but I don’t see a compressor or envision how it would fit. Maybe I’m just missing it. |
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OddN Samba Member
Joined: August 19, 2010 Posts: 690 Location: Northern Norway
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Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2018 8:44 am Post subject: Re: 1989 2.6 Litre Caravelle Vanagon. Rare? |
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Yes that is also a Caravelle Carat. A little newer than the other one i think since it has grey vinyl on the seats and grey carpet.
One thing however, the "Wolfsburg" name was never used on these originaly. _________________ 1991 VW Multivan syncro 1,9 TD |
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RoryGirl Samba Member
Joined: October 14, 2016 Posts: 768 Location: WestWorld Nanaimo BC
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Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2018 9:12 am Post subject: Re: 1989 2.6 Litre Caravelle Vanagon. Rare? |
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This thing is just down the street from me...I can go take a look if someone's interested. _________________ 1991 Double door pop top conversion |
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Zeitgeist 13 Samba Member
Joined: March 05, 2009 Posts: 12103 Location: Port Manteau
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Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2018 9:36 am Post subject: Re: 1989 2.6 Litre Caravelle Vanagon. Rare? |
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We're all very interested... _________________ Casey--
'89 Bluestar ALH w/12mm Waldo pump, PP764 and GT2052
'01 Weekender --> full camper
y u rune klassik? |
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Vanagon Nut Samba Member
Joined: February 08, 2008 Posts: 10347 Location: Sunshine Coast B.C.
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Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2018 9:38 am Post subject: Re: 1989 2.6 Litre Caravelle Vanagon. Rare? |
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crazyvwvanman wrote: |
Front body section has washers in wrong location for the year listed. She's had work done.
I'd look the body over very closely myself. In any case, jump on that thing Neil.
Mark |
I'm tempted Mark but I need another prOject like a hole in the head! LOL. (although my swap is nearly ready for a road test)
And for sure; the body looks like its had work done. Paint at minimum.
As mentioned, title shows it has a "rebuilt" status.
Neat to see the comments here folks. Lots of details.
Neil. _________________ 1981 Westy DIY 15º ABA
1988 West DIY 50º ABA
VE7TBN |
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kamzcab86 Samba Moderator
Joined: July 26, 2008 Posts: 7893 Location: Arizona
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Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2018 9:51 am Post subject: Re: 1989 2.6 Litre Caravelle Vanagon. Rare? |
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What's with the Eurovan wheel covers? Carats should have alloys!
OddN wrote: |
However, the Caravelle Carat was never officially available in any red color at all and this particular one looks even darker than the Tizian Red color that other Caravelle models were available with so that is a puzzle also. |
The 1989 Carat was available in North America in Bordeaux Red Pearl. Thus, Canada probably ordered a handful of North American-style Carats, but with the Caravelle Carat interior. VW most likely left the Caravelle nameplate on it to differentiate between the NA Carat and Euro Caravelle Carat.
Bordeaux Red Carat:
Titian Red Metallic camper:
FWIW, another real (European) one:
Link
_________________ ~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 |
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