Stan wrote:
>>The 82 and 83 had the rear plastic vents. The 80-81 had the steel vents
>>in the body panel.

and Myron wrote:
>>My supposed 81 Westy has plastic vents, but still the full width
>>rear seat, propane tank in the cabinet, and no stove. Is it really
>>an 81 or a mis-labeled 82?

My '81 was built in May '81 and has plastic vents.  If any '81s
had the metal vents, it must have been earlier in the model year.
Sometime in the model year they also added the blower motor to
the fresh air box....  What else changed during '81?

It was 20 years ago last week that I purchased my '81.  I was sick
of being cold after a day of back-country skiing, driving down to
Boulder in my '76, so I went to the dealer.  He had just gotten
some '82s in--with carpets.  I didn't tell the dealer I liked the
rubber mats better and helped him get the '81 (with a gas heater)
out of his inventory....

                                Richard A. Jones
                                Boulder, Colorado
                                '81 Vanagon   Mr Bus
                                '87 Syncro Westy   El Jefe