My brown westy is clearly a class 3.  I believe that something on it waves
before I even see the cousin cruising toward us ...
SamC
----- Original Message -----
From: "Old Volks Home" <oldvolkshome@GMAIL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Thursday, July 05, 2007 2:29 PM
Subject: Re: The three classes of Vanagons..(long)

> My 84 Westy is definitely the 3rd type, considering I've been full-time
> living in it for over 8 years now.  It's only "wow-factor" accessory is
> the
> SA Grille and the engine is upgraded to 2.1 with the 2.1 Digijet ECU.
> Other
> than that, it's a bone stock automatic with around 170k.
>
> My 84 GL is a combination of the 1st & 3rd type, as it has the requisite
> dents and dings in the rear corners, scratches & dings throughout the rest
> of the body (yes, it's the lovely "turd brown & beige"), but the interior
> and mechanicals are in excellent shape.
>
> Here in Ventura, CA (and up the coast from Ventura), you can't help but
> trip
> over Vanagons, Westys, Eurobagos (EVC) and Rialtas, especially this time
> of
> year.  Most regular passenger Vanagons, Westys and Eurobagos here fit into
> the 3rd type with an assorted several definitely of the first type.
> --
> Jim Thompson
> 84 GL 1.9 "Gloria"
> 84 Westfalia 2.1 "Ole Putt"
> 73 K Ghia Coupe "Denise"
> 72 411 Station Wagon "Pug"
> oldvolkshome@gmail.com
> http://www.oldvolkshome.com
> ***********************************
> On 7/5/07, Don Hanson <dhanson@gorge.net> wrote:
>>
>> So...
>> Since I've owned my 84 low top semi-westie, I have come to recognize
>> three
>> major types of Vanagon as I travel around or  do my daily thing.
>> The most numerous of 'My' 3 types, at  least in my home area of eastern
>> Wa. and Or. is the "POS, but it does the job".  This type van (and owner)
>> usually has dents in the back corners, rust on the surface, faded paint,
>> etc.  The owners usually are distracted and never wave, though they
>> sometimes look around when I wave, perhaps wondering what that other nut
>> is
>> referring to with his headlight blink or hand in the air.  I think they
>> probably don't even realize that they are driving the same vehicle as the
>> one I am in...These owners and drivers would probably much rather be in
>> some
>> other vehicle...a new minivan, a bigger SUV, a Cadillac...but they "got
>> the
>> van already" so they just drive it and don't think much about it, except
>> to
>> rail against how slow it is, or how "old" is it.....
>> Second type is the Collector...These are the Lifted, buffed, alloy
>> wheeled,  subie powered Syncros and the totally restored Westphalia's
>> that
>> gleam with ten recent coats of wax and usually have all kinds of Zoot,
>> Bling-Bling gear and toys on racks hanging  on top.  I see lots of these
>> in
>> Hood River, Oregon on weekends, festooned with bicycles and
>> sailboards..These types often don't wave at me  Perhaps they think I am a
>> "POS but does the job" guy and I won't wave back, or that my old
>> turd-brown
>> is 'beneath them" or something.  This type, the few owners I have talked
>> to,
>> seem to be more into how exclusive their vans are than what they are good
>> for...  Some of these ones I very much covet.
>> Then the third type are those I see being used as I travel about.  I see
>> plenty here in the Columbia River Gorge during summer.  This type van,
>> they
>> usually aren't totally buffed out.  But you see many that have been
>> improved
>> with bigger wheels and SA light kits..This type,  the owners  know they
>> have
>> a pretty special vehicle, but one that should be used.  Most  look like
>> the
>> may get washed now and again, but they also look capable of going down a
>> forest road without the owners worrying about a scratch, or perhaps a
>> rock
>> chip to one of the displayed toys hung on the outside..I put myself into
>> the
>> third type, I guess. These 'guys' usually wave at other vanagons..
>>   If I had extra cash and fewer other hobbies, I would love to have a
>> fancy
>> tricked-out Syncro to drive only on Sundays to Starbucks, too. Or a
>> collector's edition Westie, maybe.  But I would probably "trash out" that
>> type vehicle by using it and it'd soon no longer be a collectors
>> item...And
>> I seem to be always out in my semi-crummy turd brown camper van doing
>> something else,...
>> Don Hanson