Vanagons in their time were well designed and very practical
even if maligned by the motoring 'intelligentsia' and magazines of
the time.
        However, you won't get the same response or feeling of envy
from people for a new 'vanagon/westy-like' vehicle. Those Vanagon,
Splitty and Bay years are left-overs from an era of youthful freedom;
times of clear goals; times when issues were black & white. Newer
Vanagon metaphors just won't work if you are looking for a mantle of
righteous rebellion.
  It's a lot like my old MGB. Driving my restored British treasure
elicited friendly waves and questions from hundreds of people over
the years; all of them introducing themselves with..." I used to have
one of those in college or my youth before selling it to get married
or have kids, and I should never have sold it."

David (dsl82westy)