Well,

My first Car (van) when I was 16 was a '72.I bought it with a bad motor and
rebuilt it with help from Jon muir and company. That was a real bonding
experience for me. My dad said he would lend me money for a car but not for a "sin
bin" so I got a job and bought one anyway.I was a bit of a hippy kid (what the
hell was I thinking) that was only in '89. since then I have had so many
different busses ( I also cut my hair) I cant even remember them all(and thats not
from the hooch). I have taken three trips across the country and throughout for
extended trips all in Westies, the only way to go!. I have been to many a
DEAD show in my past Vanagons and Busses but now I just use my Westy for summer
get-aways. We have a cottage in Nova Scotia Canada and trip there every summer
and around the maritimes for at least 6 weeks at a time.

My original love was because of the whole freedom thing but since then I have
a doveloped real affection for them and the engineering that VW went through
to maintain this lovely design. Now I just sit in my Camper and smile at the
ingenuity some nights.

I proposed to my wife in our Westy, she is as anamoured with them as I am,
although she wasnt when I met her, she thought I was NUTS...  But now look at
us. the whole family loves them. Our Dog loves it (our Syncro Westy), He has the
whole back seat, till the little one comes along. My parents loved my Westy
so much that they asked me to find them one, now they have an '84. Our Westy
was actually owned, bought new by Mary Martin an actress from the 50s and 60s
(Peter Pan) she loved them too. the world is full of Westy lovers.

We dont use our van as a daily driver, it is all original (except Tiico)
108000 miles. Syncro Full Westy. Never driven in winter we are the second owners.

We are 31 and 32 Alexander the dog is 7 and he has been a fan since he was
born
I have been on the list since '97
and we drive Toyotas as daily drivers -Tacoma and Land Cruiser (smart!) and
the occaisional BMW R90S ride when it isnt raining....

Vermont is where we reside except in the summer, then we head out in the
Westy!

See you out there!!