In a message dated 2/7/03 5:54:14 PM Pacific Standard Time,
superluckyninja@YAHOO.COM writes:

<< I just joined this list and hope to own a westy soon.
 I have been shopping around and sometimes I see
 vanagons that have the big bumper....... but they also
 have a 'side bumper' or 'wrap around bumper' for lack
 of proper terms. in other words the big bumper extends
 along the side making a sudo-ground effects look. I
 love it!

 Is this a special edition? a kit? can it be bought? >>

Chris,

Most late models after late 1987 have this bumper. The Wolfsburg Edition ones
are the only ones with them in 1987. 1988-1991 US spec vans have it except of
for the relatively rare non-GL vans which came out in 1990. Those got the
early steel bumpers painted black.

The bumpers you are referring to are made of fiberglass and are prone to
damage. But then none of the steel bumpers were really that strong either.
There is an inner bumper which can fend off real collisions. So all the
bumpers you see are just there for looks. The fiberglass bumpers can be
retrofitted to the early vans. Not all the fiberglass bumpered vans came with
the side skirts. Most have the front piece attached to the door. The Carats
and later Wolfsburg Editions got the side skirts too.

I hope that helps.

BenT
 <A HREF="http://hometown.aol.com/bentbtstr8/myhomepage/index.html">Vanagon
Cafe</A>