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Going to look a Vanagon today, any advice? (now with pics)
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TomInAlaska
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 16, 2021 7:59 am    Post subject: Going to look a Vanagon today, any advice? (now with pics) Reply with quote

https://anchorage.craigslist.org/cto/d/anchorage-1984-vw-vanagon/7337108329.html

Thoughts? Concerns? Anything jumping out at you from the description or pics?

I've read through most of the buyer's guide part of the FAQ sticky at the top of the forum, but this will be my first Vanagon and I'd like to get all the input I can.

As far as what I'm shooting for: I'd start off with a more or less mechanically sound tin-top or weekender for a camping and general outdoor adventure van. Maybe not a daily driver, but would certainly be driven several times a week. It would probably end up something like the vans in the "2wd prerunner" thread. And I assume anything in the price range I'm hoping for ( <10k) is going to need some work, but I don't want to have to rebuild something from the ground up. Thanks!


Last edited by TomInAlaska on Wed Jun 16, 2021 5:55 pm; edited 1 time in total
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dabaron
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 16, 2021 8:06 am    Post subject: Re: Going to look a Vanagon today, any advice? Reply with quote

i see some rust that is a can of worms to deal with. can you weld and do body work, can you turn wrenches?

you have to be brutally honest with yourself with what you are prepared to do and what is beyond your ability. if you want to learn and have fun and have a cool project, this looks like a good start, at $2500.00

"Buy it now and be in the VW car show this weekend"

hahahahahahahaha
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dobryan
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 16, 2021 8:12 am    Post subject: Re: Going to look a Vanagon today, any advice? Reply with quote

Looks like some rust but not as bad as I thought I would see. Look carefully though.

Do a compression check on the engine if you can.

If it is a running bus and you can drive it away then it is likely worth the $2500 dabaron mentioned, or the $3500 asked if there is nothing else available up north. Supply and demand.

In order to run this bus reliably you'll need to spend a bunch of time wrenching on it over the next few weeks until you get everything sorted out. But that is part of the fun! Good luck.

And there will be other buses to look at later. There always is.
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TomInAlaska
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 16, 2021 8:21 am    Post subject: Re: Going to look a Vanagon today, any advice? Reply with quote

I'm not scared of a little rust repair and minor bodywork, but I don't want to have to deal with cancer and major structural repairs. If the sliding door track or jacking pionts or suspension mounts needs fixing, I'm definitely passing on this one for example. And one of the reasons to get another project is to scratch an itch to wrench and repair an older car. I resto-modded my '73 Super Beetle back in high school and college rebuilding and redoing absolutely everything except the transaxle. I even machined the case and heads to build the 1776cc in it. Very Happy

I figure if this van runs and drives halfway decent and there's no rust underneath, its probably worth 3k if you factor in the Alaska premium.
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dobryan
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 16, 2021 8:23 am    Post subject: Re: Going to look a Vanagon today, any advice? Reply with quote

Sounds like a good plan to me.

Based on your experience you'll do just fine.
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Building a bus for travel in Europe (euroBus)
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=695371

The Western Syncro build
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TomInAlaska
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 16, 2021 8:28 am    Post subject: Re: Going to look a Vanagon today, any advice? Reply with quote

dobryan wrote:


And there will be other buses to look at later. There always is.


I'm trying really hard to remind myself of that! What I don't want to do is buy this one and kick myself when a deal on a nicer van (maybe even a syncro!) pops up in a month or so and I miss out because my funds are tied up in this thing. I even have permission from the better half to fly down to the PNW and drive one back up here if the right deal comes along and the timing works as far as both of our work schedules go. There's a $12k syncro in Portland (or was a few days ago) on craigslist that looks really tempting.
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 16, 2021 8:35 am    Post subject: Re: Going to look a Vanagon today, any advice? Reply with quote

73superduperbeetle wrote:
dobryan wrote:


And there will be other buses to look at later. There always is.


I'm trying really hard to remind myself of that! What I don't want to do is buy this one and kick myself when I deal on a nicer van (maybe even a syncro!) pops up in a month or so and I miss out because my funds are tied up in this thing. I even have permission from the better half to fly down to the PNW and drive one back up here if the right deal comes along and the timing works as far as both of our work schedules go. There's a $12k syncro in Portland (or was a few days ago) on craigslist that looks really tempting.


For an around-towner, that van in Anchorage looks good (from the pics at least.) but if you have the approval for a trip to the PNW for a better one, I'd really consider holding out!
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TomInAlaska
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 16, 2021 9:01 am    Post subject: Re: Going to look a Vanagon today, any advice? Reply with quote

joetiger wrote:


For an around-towner, that van in Anchorage looks good (from the pics at least.) but if you have the approval for a trip to the PNW for a better one, I'd really consider holding out!


That's the direction I'm leaning toward at the moment. I even have a couple of co-drivers lined up for a potential AlCan road trip.

In the couple of months I've been scouring the interwebs for Vanagons, there have been two or three that would've been ideal if I only had a little more in the slush fund and better timing for a trip. That's an awfully small data set, but maybe I can count on a handful of candidate vans popping up over the course of a year? And the longer I wait and watch, the bigger the VW fund grows, too. In any case, I'll go look at this one if for nothing else more first hand experience around Vanagons.
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 16, 2021 9:08 am    Post subject: Re: Going to look a Vanagon today, any advice? Reply with quote

Yes. Look at as many local ones as you can to get experience so when the right one shows up you'll be ready for it.
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Building a bus for travel in Europe (euroBus)
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=695371

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https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=746794
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danfromsyr
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 16, 2021 9:08 am    Post subject: Re: Going to look a Vanagon today, any advice? Reply with quote

do note that a $12k syncro could easily need a $5k transaxle rebuild.

you already know everything is more $$ in AK.

if the sliding door track floor and jack points are solid.. it'll make a killer bomber.
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 16, 2021 10:17 am    Post subject: Re: Going to look a Vanagon today, any advice? Reply with quote

Looking it over carefully is a good idea for sure - go with the intention of NOT buying (which has never worked for me Rolling Eyes ). Rust is a buzz kill.

And make sure it’s not this one Very Happy

https://anchorage.craigslist.org/pts/d/anchorage-1984-vw-vanagon-westfalia/7333259145.html
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TomInAlaska
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 16, 2021 11:12 am    Post subject: Re: Going to look a Vanagon today, any advice? Reply with quote

Alaskaberrys wrote:
Looking it over carefully is a good idea for sure - go with the intention of NOT buying (which has never worked for me Rolling Eyes ). Rust is a buzz kill.

And make sure it’s not this one Very Happy

https://anchorage.craigslist.org/pts/d/anchorage-1984-vw-vanagon-westfalia/7333259145.html


Yeah, that one needs slightly more work than I'm willing to do! Laughing
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TomInAlaska
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 16, 2021 1:50 pm    Post subject: Re: Going to look a Vanagon today, any advice? Reply with quote

Ok, I'm back from the test drive/check over with lots more info.

Pros: The only rust I could find was in the corners of the foot wells/steps on both sides, under the accelerator pedal (which is held in place by an extra piece of metal and screws), and a few very minor bubbled spots around most of the windows. It took a few tries to crank, and sounded like it was running on 3 cylinders but smoothed out after idling (totally on its own) for a minute. No smell of gas in the engine compartment or obvious leaks. No obvious dripping of coolant or oil either. On to the test drive: Clutch seemed to be strong and no signs of slipping. Brakes seemed to work ok. We only tooled around the neighborhood for a few minutes and I didn't get out of 2nd gear, but the heater and blower work. I forgot to look if it even has a rear heater. If the odometer is to be believed, it only has 138k miles. From what I felt, it seems to have ok power and handled ok, too. Not great, but honestly better than I was expecting. But my rust checklist, cancer underneath, jacking points, and sliding door tracks all appear to be in great shape. BTW, the spots on the bottom of the rear quarters that look kinda bad in the pics in the ad are just minor surface rust and dirt.

Cons: The previous-previous owner hacked the wiring. Like a lot. Under the dash there appears to be lots of extra wires in various states of operation and connection (some with wire nuts, some just twisted together!) along with several toggle switches, one of which seems to power the ignition and fuel pump seperately from the key. Also, the heater blower is wired through a toggle switch. The rear seat is not a fold down bed style. Which is a real bummer because camping in it is one of the main reasons I want a Vanagon in the first place.

I told the seller I'd sleep on it and let him know one way or the other tomorrow.


Last edited by TomInAlaska on Wed Jun 16, 2021 2:13 pm; edited 1 time in total
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dobryan
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 16, 2021 2:00 pm    Post subject: Re: Going to look a Vanagon today, any advice? Reply with quote

Hmm. No fold down bed in the back would be a deal killer for me. And the hacked wiring is no fun either. You have time and permission to look further. I would exercise that option.
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https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=695371

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TomInAlaska
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 16, 2021 2:07 pm    Post subject: Re: Going to look a Vanagon today, any advice? Reply with quote

dobryan wrote:
Hmm. No fold down bed in the back would be a deal killer for me. And the hacked wiring is no fun either. You have time and permission to look further. I would exercise that option.


I think you're right. The biggest thing this one has going for it is that its cheap. But like I said upthread, I'd really hate to miss out on a good deal for one that's way closer to what I really want because my project money is tied up and making due with this one,
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 16, 2021 3:08 pm    Post subject: Re: Going to look a Vanagon today, any advice? Reply with quote

there are DIY ways to add a rear seat/bed to a camper.
but if you have little ones then you want as close to stock as possible.

I can't imagine there are that many VW campers or vanagons in AK to begin with. so you don't have a large selection unless you look down the coast.

do note that the cooling system in the early vans used steel pipes that were barely painted from the factory and in fact corrode from the inside as quick as the outside. so if it's a 83.5-early 85 you have to expect to R&R the long coolant pipes.

also any 'cheap' vanagon will eventually need expensive exhaust work, so look closely at that.. while the parts are available and seem reasonable.. it adds up quite quickly. to ~$1ooo for a complete rework of the exhaust.

very often the cheapest vans are/will be the most pricey.
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TomInAlaska
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 16, 2021 4:57 pm    Post subject: Re: Going to look a Vanagon today, any advice? Reply with quote

So it sounds like I should be able to get my hands on a Z-bed i can install in this van here in town. Everything else I really feel like I can handle. Like, straightening out the electrical doesn't phase me at all. Oh, and no kiddos: just me, the husband, and a corgi.

My biggest holdup is that there is an outside possibility I might have a lead on buying a tin-top syncro here in town. Supposed to be in nice condition but year, mileage, and potential asking price are unkinown at this time. Its almost certainly outside my current budget, but like I said, the VW fund grows every pay period.

Apart from them being awesome, getting a syncro would mean that I would be holding to the mighty oath I swore when I got my then 2wd '92 F150 stuck in wet grass and had to be pulled out by my mom's Saturn. I quickly converted (yes, converted) that truck to 4wd and swore on a stack of Chilton's repair manuals that I'd never drive anything else that was only 2wd. I ended up driving that Ford another 150k miles including 3 runs on the ALCan. Somedays I really miss that one, but it was time to say goodbye when I did.

But I digress.

The question becomes, is a 2wd bird in the hand worth a ruby-throated syncro in the bush?
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TomInAlaska
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 16, 2021 5:33 pm    Post subject: Re: Going to look a Vanagon today, any advice? Reply with quote

Here are a few pics I took while crawling and under and around the van today. These were some of the worst areas of rust I could find and a few shots of the undercarriage.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

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PostPosted: Wed Jun 16, 2021 6:02 pm    Post subject: Re: Going to look a Vanagon today, any advice? (now with pics) Reply with quote

So $yncro is an awesome variant. You only live once. I’ve learned over the many decades to go for your dreams. If you have the funds go big or go home.
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Dave O
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https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=620646

Building a bus for travel in Europe (euroBus)
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=695371

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https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=746794
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 16, 2021 6:15 pm    Post subject: Re: Going to look a Vanagon today, any advice? (now with pics) Reply with quote

Interesting that it once had air conditioning. Suggests that it may have started life further south.
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