I don't agree. If they weren't so practical, or rather, couldn't be made
practical, I wouldn't have even bothered trying to better it with another
conversion based on a next-generation powerplant. But there is real value in
the vanagon design. For some the love is something intangible about these
vans, but for others it's really really easy to point out the concrete
benefits to driving one.

What else can serve the same purpose as converted syncro westy for example?
Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Not the sprinter, not any various homemade
mashup, not a fullsize camper van, nothing. Nothing will have the interior
space, offroad capability, camping ability, light weight, turning radius,
weight distribution, fuel economy, and small size of that combination.
That's why it's worth doing. Even for a passenger van like mine, what else
can swallow fullsize sheets of plywood or drywall, or nine people, be fun to
drive, easy to park in the city, and average 19 mpg?

Trying to preserve and build on good ideas is itself a good idea. That's why
the development of conversions is moving the way it is.

Jim Akiba

-----Original Message-----
From: Matthias Kuster [mailto:matthiaskuster@VERIZON.NET]

As hobbyists we lack the common sense and experience a mechanic
already has. For us to understand why something isn't working, we
have to go find the answers and try to understand the mechanic
principles and idiosyncrasies, read up, get help from mailing lists etc.

Keeping our Vanagons does not make sense on a rational level at all.
We can complain all we want how expensive new (Sprinter comes to
mind) Mini, or smewhat mini RVs are, but that's what our Vanagons
cost at the time also. Now, for love, it makes all the sense in the
world to keep a Vanagon. Know that when you go into a conversion. And
when you are ready to throw in the towel at times, imagine how much
fun it will be pushing the beast with twice the power, 10 times the
reliability, reasonable fuel economy and still the roots Westy
boxyness and hanging your nose in the wind.

Thing is, you can get the feeling without the frustration: Let a
reputable pro do the work for you, and Bob's your uncle. Either path
is going to be a luxury, but you deserve it.