Youngest Vanagon driver you've seen?

[SCM]

I was driving my Westy to work this morning and saw a tin top right behind me when I stopped at a railroad crossing. We waved to each and I leaned out the window to talk to him a little bit. The driver looked young, like just barely in his 20s, if that, and so clearly excited to be part of the culture. It was really cool.

It got me thinking, I feel like I'm one of the younger Vanagon drivers that I see in real life - and I'm 46!

I know "10degnorth" is just out of highschool, and I'm sure there's some younger "Vanlife/instagram" folks on the web, but I'm curious what age you think the youngest Vanagon driver you've seen in real life was. How often do you see anyone that doesn't have grey hair behind the wheel?
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'91 Westfalia GL Automatic (GTA "Turbo" Rebuild w/Peloquin) and 2.3L GoWesty Engine

[dobryan]

Kid in my town bought one before he could drive. Fixed it up and now drives it. He is 18 now but started driving it at 16.
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Dave O
'87 Westy w/ 2002 Subaru EJ25 and Peloquin TBD

"To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive." Robert Louis Stevenson

MD>Canada>AK>WA>OR>CA>AZ>UT>WY>SD
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

The Western Syncro build
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=746794

[michaelasnider]

Does this count?

My wife (girlfriend at the time) bought our first vanagon when we were 26.

[Yellow Rabbit]

I drove one for a bit when I was about 16, but that was in the last century over 30 years ago.

[0to60in6min]

I gave our daughter a 1989 Carat after she finishes college and wants to travel around to see the country...she was 21 at that time.

[Tobias Duncan]

I met up with a bunch of younger westy owners at a gathering in mexico just before covid. Great bunch of kids but they were pretty wary of the samba.
We dont have a great reputation among the younger crowd.
I tried to tell them that we are not like that anymore and they would be treated well if they showed up here.
I dont think they believed me

[hans j]

My first car was a 1980 vanagon, I was 16. Van was 15 years old at the time.
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1986 Canadian Syncro Westy TDI - 1989 Syncro Single Cab - 2001 Audi S4 - 1981 VW Caddy ABA - 1980 VW Caddy EV - 1973 VW T-181

[4Gears4Tires]

I learned to steer sitting on my mom's lap in her Vanagon. I was 6.
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'87 Syncro
Ferric Oxyhydroxide Superleggera Edition

[Love My Westy]

A 13 year old girl in my neighborhood has a sweet 87 Westy that her dad bought her for when she turns 16. He is fixing it all up for her. I'll bet she's already driving it at times. She sleeps in it at night.

[Love My Westy]

Double post. Sorry

[Alan Brase]

Slightly related to this post:
I previously had a 20 year love/ hate relationship with a 1982 Diesel Vanagon.
this is the VERY best car to teach someone to drive a manual transmission, because it has a big flywheel and strong tickover (with governor, actually). so it is nearly impossible to kill the thing when you are just learning.
Not my own kids but I taught 2 different daughters of friends to drive a stick with my diesel Vanagon.
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Al Brase
Projects: 67 sunroof bug, 67 Porsche 912 Targa, 70 Westy
Dec 1955 Single Cab pickup WANT 15" BUS RIMS dated 8/55, thru 12/55
To New owners: 1969 doublecab, 1971 Dormobile
Vanagons:
80 P27 Westy JUL 1979, 3rd oldest known US
83 1.6TD Vanagon, 87 Wolfie Westy daily driver, swap meet home

[Schnippzle]

The dude who bought my 83 was 23, full of ideas and energy befitting of a youth

[Rorke]

When my daughter was 10, she helped me bump start after getting gas. Probably a classic VW bus memory for many kids.

I was very proud of her for keeping her cool.
Now we roll with a little jumper box so she knows she won't have to do it again.

[Love My Westy]

Double post. Sorry

[Love My Westy]

Double post. Sorry

[WestyWanter]

I bought my first in college at age 22 as a daily, and at 26 just bought my first syncro!

[Gauche1968]

Used to play in Mom's 79 bus when I was a kid and pretend it was a Huey attack helicopter. Would leave the sliding door open and sit on the ledge pretending to fire a M60. Too many 'Nam movies back then I guess.
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1984 Vanagon GL
1984 Vanagon Westy

[bobbyblack]

Here's one, 17 at that time (Prom Night 2016). Got herself one of her own at 18!

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'87 Westy 'Flossie','86 Westy 'R1','86 tintop GL - Subi2.2 'J2','83.5 stock tintop L 'ZoomBus','74 Karmann Ghia, '63 Notch

[floodwood]

I bought my van 2 years ago when I was 23- it is my daily driver and I’m now 25… I seem to be on the younger end of the owner age spectrum…

[danfromsyr]

a camper on prom night would have saved me from the stiff neck..
slept in mom's Honda that night.
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