Well said Robert.  And on the topic of converting an AC to WC, and
reasons for owning a Vanagon......

In my case, it's a Westy. Right there, it is worthwhile doing a
conversion. I thoroughly enjoy using it as a camper and as a bonus, it
hauls larger stuff quite well even with the Westy interior installed.
Plus it's just plain cool to drive. And since I was in the dash area
doing over-kill preventitive maintenance, I have already done one of
the more time consumming jobs regarding an engine conversion;
installing the heater core.

Yes it's a sentimental attachment thing (I had long dreamed of getting
a Westy of some kind) but it's also logical. Where else could one find
a vehicle like this in the under 10K price range? Plus even with the
"bumps and grinds" on the body, it's actually in pretty good shape
rust-wise. Something I consider important given my horrid body work
skills! It's also a point of pride for me to do something like a
conversion. A challenge yes, but once it's done, I'll be quite proud
of what I did.

Sure it's air cooled. But because I will be doing the work myself,
converting is in my $$ "wheel house". Assuming I do it correctly! For
sure I'll try to do it right. i.e. One piece SS coolant lines......

Neil.

--
Neil Nicholson. 1981 Air Cooled Westfalia.

http://web.mac.com/tubaneil

On 7/15/07, Robert Fisher <refisher@mchsi.com> wrote:
> >  and the van itself is not already so low in value that it would be
> > totally irrational to spend that much on it.
>
> This seems to be a common concern, and for my part I find it useful to
> divorce myself from that line of thinking, or at least look at it in two
> parts.
>
> To my mind it isn't the market value or potential resale value of the van
> that factors into its candidicy for a transplant; if that was the case then
> my '87 GL and probably many of the passenger vans wouldn't make the cut. I
> think the basic issues, after deciding that the conversion is suitable or
> necessary for your driving needs are 1). How long do intend to keep the van,
> and 2). Does the mechanical condition of the van support the investment (in
> terms of effort as well as money)?
>
> I for one wouldn't attempt to convert an air-cooled to a water-cooled, for
> instance. It'd be an interesting challange but I don't need one of those at
> the moment and if I did I'd pick something else. : )
>
> I paid $300 for my van, it took about another $850 including insurance and
> the first full tank of gas to get it on the road. Off the top of my head I'd
> say the cost of a conversion itself would be more than what I could expect
> to get for the van if I ever sold it and the conversion wouldn't add a great
> deal of value except to somebody that was into Vanagons and wanted that
> particular conversion, assuming I did it well enough for them to find it
> acceptable. That pretty much rules out any locals.
>
> On the other hand, it would cost me more to buy another vehicle that was
> worth having, considering my current needs and circumstances, than it would
> cost me to convert the Vanagon, probably by at least a factor of two, if not
> three (this is with me doing the labor). So from a market value standpoint
> the conversion makes no sense, but from a bottom-line cash outlay vs. return
> standpoint, it makes a lot of sense. I can't really buy a drivetrain with a
> vehicle wrapped around it that will serve our needs as the Vanagon will,
> however I can wrap my Vanagon around a drivetrain, or at least an engine
> (since I have an automatic) that will make the whole package serve our
> needs.
>
> Even at 350K miles, the vehicle itself is in good enough shape (thanks to
> the original PO) that I can justify the conversion on those terms and keep
> up with the mechanical condition of the van at no greater cost, really, than
> any other used vehicle.
>
> I think if it came down to paying 7-9 $K for a turn-key or to have somebody
> else do the install (or both) I'd probably have to consider a modern
> vehicle, probably some kind of mini-van, but go around and look and look at
> any of those that are around ten years old, and see what even the decently
> maintained ones are like and consider how many useful years are left in 'em.
> In ten years my Vanagon will probably be much the same as it is now, for
> much less money, so given that maybe even the pro install might be 'worth
> it'.
>
> Cya,
> Robert
>