"James Cook" is a Westfalia Co. made camper version of the VW LT (bigger and
more square than the vanagon) and the MB Sprinter's predecessor which has
been around for a long time. European marketing people like exotic sounding
names like the westy was called "Club Joker" in Europe.

I agree. The sprinter with a MB diesel engine, the high roof and the
additional space should make an excellent camper. Not so much 'stealth
camper' though, and no way squeezing it through a standard garage door. It's
a very reliable vehicle, designed as an every day delivery van.

 Joachim
 '85 Westfalia

|> -----Original Message-----
|> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com]On Behalf
|> Of Reid Anderson
|> Sent: Tuesday, November 05, 2002 19:19
|> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
|> Subject: A different camper van (somewhat O/T)
|>
|>
|> Forgive the somewhat off-topic post, but I really think this may
|> be of some
|> interest to some listers.
|>
|> For some time, I have been aware, and somewhat intrigued, by
|> another German
|> van being imported to the US.  It is the Freightliner
|> "Sprinter", which in
|> actuality is a Mercedes Benz product.  Some may have seen them in use as
|> Fed-Ex delivery vans, as they ordered 1900 of them.
|>
|> My interest in this van was primarily that I could (if I had the
|> money, that
|> is) purchase one, convert it to a Westfalia-style camper, and
|> enjoy a camper
|> van with a little better reliability record than the Volkswagen
|> (no offense
|> intended, what-so-ever).  Additionally, it would be fitted with a MB 5
|> cylinder diesel, so I could run biodiesel!
|>
|> Well, today, whilst internet surfing, I came across a bit of interesting
|> information:  An article stating...
|>
|> "The Sprinter will be equipped for camping and sold in a James
|> Cook edition
|> as early as 2003. "
|>
|> I don't know who James Cook is, or what his association with
|> camping may be,
|> but I'm excited to hear that I am not the only one who
|> immediately thought
|> this would make a great travel / camper van.  Now I just need to
|> solve the
|> money issue....
|>
|> If one wishes to read the whole article, it appears here:
|> http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/roadtests/firstdrive/48572/article.html
|>
|> Hope this is of interest to some,
|> Reid