Are Vanagons like tattoos: Now Jasper’s build thread

[AZ Landshaper]

Good times ahead. Yes that is the vanagon mantra. Keep your eye on the good times ahead.

If all else fails take the route closest to IdahoDougs place. Hes known for providing free room and beer. Free wifi too.
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Support Small Business.

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85 Weekender w/ EJ22
Previously
64, 71, 72, 73, 76, 81, 84, 85 & 87 Campmobiles and Westfalias
and a 67 bug.

[dhaavers]

[9.5isCanadian]

Almost home. 720 miles but worth it.
More pictures to come

That’s my eldest daughter. This had become our thing.
Road trips for van or van parts.
Get’m hooked young.
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9 1/2 - missing a few pieces.

1987 Getaway Hightop
1980 Sunroof Vanagon
2018 BMW R Nine T
2012 Golf tdi

[campism]

Vanagons are worse than tattoos. I've had two Westies at once and still don't have any tats.
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'87 Westy in Wolfram Grey Metallic

[82westyrabbit]

Westy’s are like tattoos in that they make a statement about who you are. They are exspensive and hard to remove once you have one. Good luck with your new adventures. John

[9.5isCanadian]

Well last Friday was hectic.
Pick up a fuel pump on my way home from work, and immediately crawl under the Gas Hog to start dropping the tank.

Saturday morning was spent gathering road snacks, tools, and the trailer. Finally got rolling at 11:30, earlier than I'd first anticipated.

To my surprise the Gas Hog ran like a champ, all the way, stopping only for gas (what else .....) in Barrier and Blue River.

Rolled into Jasper, Alberta at 7:30 pm and set out to find the van.
Jasper is a small mountain resort town, and at this time of year, busy with music festivals and such.
It came as no surprise that the van was parked on an steep road, with a short downhill driveway, on what had to be the single busiest road in the entire town.
While I stood trying to work out logistics of jamming the Gas Hog and 20’ deck trailer somewhere in this mess, traffic went up and down this road continually.
The only viable spot to beach my collective length and width was ¾ of a block down the hill, barricading half the entrance driveway to a condo complex.
The plan: park the tow rig, jump in the van, here after referred to as Jasper to commemorate it’s town of origin for me, free ball it down the street, and roll it up onto the deck like a boss.
In my head, I can see the crowds forming already, waiting to see such spectacular amaze-balls skills at piloting a powerless behemoth van down a busy street, on partially flat tires, up two ramps and onto the waiting trailer.
This will be my glorious Lewis & Clarke moment.
With the Hog parked, ramps deployed, me clutching steering wheel and E-brake lever, my daughter watching traffic (looking like a drag strip starting flag person) the moment of truth arrived.

Go! NOW!
E brake off, pump of the brake pedal, everything checks out, I roll down the drive, into the road and take aim………………..
Steady, steady
Here it comes ……..

WHAM!!
UH That didn’t work.
Shit.
Turns out, I hadn’t taken the time to measure up the width of the tire stance and though the driver’s side wheel went up the ramp, sadly the passenger side missed.
So now, I’ve got the van beached on the trailer ramps with only one side on the ramps the other on the tow ring bellow the bumper against the deck rail.
Now what.
Together the two of us are able to push the van back, uphill, to attempt another run but now Jordan gotta do the piloting ‘cause I gotta push.
Understandably she’s somewhat apprehensive about the idea seeing as how I just used the van like a battering ram.
I looked her in the eyes and in my best fatherly voice pointed out that she can’t do any worse than I already did.

Naturally, she sailed the van right onto the deck.
Of course she did………

90 minutes later we were headed home with our prize mounted behind.
Called it a night at 10:30 just outside of Blue River. Pulled into a rest area and slept in the van.

When we got home Sunday, in order to protect Jasper from any further indignities, I had Jordan (the daughter) pilot it backwards off the deck and down my driveway.

Spent a few hours cleaning and poking around. All in all its pretty cherry inside. Headliner, upholstery all 9/10
I topped up the oil, put in a fresh battery and it flashed up, right away.
Exhaust is toast and as previously mentioned, the oil leak is significant. Only ran it long enough to confirm it actually runs, and to put eyes on the leak.

Here’s some shots after I cleaned it up.

Here is a view of what's behind that plywood..........

Looks like the PO used corigated roofing to block off some sort of venting. Dunno but it is a gong show of a mess. I'll peel off all the bondo outside and expose the nitty gritty and proceed from there.
Have no real idea what direction I'll go with this van. I have a real boner for a Subaru motor and a custom cabinet in place of the plywood.

Anyone please offer any insight they may have. Can't decide if this was a factory build or a custom built high top with different cabinets and stuff.

Good times ahead.

Peace
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9 1/2 - missing a few pieces.

1987 Getaway Hightop
1980 Sunroof Vanagon
2018 BMW R Nine T
2012 Golf tdi

[djkeev]

A story teller!

Oh you're going to be fun to have hanging here!

Welcome and keep us updated, glad you made it home.
Now the discovery process begins and the bank account empying process takes over.

Dave
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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

[candyman]

Judging by the inside pic of the long panel, good thing you low balled him!

[9.5isCanadian]

[levi]

[Abscate]

He had some sort of propane heater on that wall with a massive through hull of some kind? Is that giant copper hose stock? Don’t think so, too big.

Love the look on jr....yeah, I did this after Dad couldn’t.


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.ssS!

[Jake de Villiers]

Great story, 9 1/2! And well done, Jordan!
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'84 Vanagon GL 1.9 WBX
'86 Westy Weekender Poptop/2.5 Subaru/5 Speed Posi/Audi Front Brakes/16 x 7 Mercedes Wheels - answers to 'Dixie'
@jakedevilliersmusic1
http://sites.google.com/site/subyjake/mydixiedarlin%27
www.crescentbeachguitar.com
www.thebassspa.com

[9.5isCanadian]

[joetiger]

Getaway vans all had those giant vents on the drivers side:

From other pics I've seen (and can't find right now) the upper cabinets looks to be part of the conversion as well. (EDIT: found a pic.)

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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

[9.5isCanadian]

[joetiger]

This thread has some good photos:

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6062129

I really like the Getaway Vans.
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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

[9.5isCanadian]

[kamzcab86]

[9.5isCanadian]

Well well well.
Wasn’t THAT an experience.


If you followed my a/c rebuild in my SR Vanagon you’d know I make analogies between pulling wrenches on a vehicle to getting to know a new lover.
Is this true love or just sex.
Is she a compassionate lover, free with love, or an angry lover.
You know, the kind that leaves you uncertain if you did (are doing it) right.
Then the awkward silence that follows while the question hangs in the air.

So Jasper is definitely an angry angry lover.

Aggressively fought me every step of the way.
I tried to play along, at times using “the coarse language of men” or switching it up to praise and gentle soothing that it’s all going to be fine when I’m done.
It was a battle every step of the way.
Even reassembly.


After the invasive procedure was completed, I carefully cleaned all the areas that I was working in. Inspected everything to ensure a complete job.
Put the original battery, fresh off the charger, in.
Here we go.
.
.
.
Nothing.
Damn battery is completely toast. No chargey charge.


Well bugger it, in the end I got the silent treatment.
Literally.
So I have no idea if I did it right.


So when I finally got to the issue this here is what I found.

Exactly what you all said. So thank you for the accurate diagnosis and the cautionary notes to not do this at the sellers house.
While underneath the van I found a heater line had rubbed on the split cv boot creating a hole.
I’m sure it would have been fine though.
The seller used electrical tape and paper towel wrap to securely repair the nickel sized hole.
:2gunfire:

Ok. We’re taking a time out until Friday. I’m too busy until then to deal with the battery.
Stay tuned.
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9 1/2 - missing a few pieces.

1987 Getaway Hightop
1980 Sunroof Vanagon
2018 BMW R Nine T
2012 Golf tdi

[hdenter]

Congratulations on what I think was a good buy! What year is this van? I ask because the heater tunnel between the front seats leading to the rear is not like the ones I have seen before. Nor is the lower dash section it mates to. Could you or perhaps another knowledgeable member chime in on that detail? The floor tunnel I have and center dash cover are much different.

Hans
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'79 triple white convertible bug
'84 sunroof vanagon
'85 weekender