I grew up in a 65 splitty, white over blue, 7 passenger which my
folks converted to what now would be called a weekender--removed
everything aft of the front seats, custom made a rear seat that
folded into a bed, plus two jumpseats forward, one with a porta-
pottie under it. Folding mahogany table against the portside wall. We
kids loved it--never camped in it, but daytripped all over, often for
long days that had the three of us asleep on the bed long before we
returned home. Had a gasoline heater. Many of our long daytrips were
in winter, hiking and beachcombing when no one else was around. Great
times.

Never drove it, of course, but it was a horribly noisy, swervy thing.
I remember my dad telling my mom to try to keep speed between 60 & 65
on the highway, so at least on the flat, it would go that fast. I
remember lots of third gear hills, though.

One great trip we took an abandoned logging road from north east
central maine to the coast. It was virtually a trail, but we made it
through.

THe vanagon is a vastly improved vehicle, but has the same utility.
I'm a third generation VW bus owner--my grandfather had a late 50s 21-
window, a mid-sixties westy, and an early seventies bay.

Dan
82 & 83 Westies

On Jan 2, 2008, at 9:43 PM, craig cowan wrote:

> <I saw a splittie on the road in 1998. No kidding.
> We're more likely to see a unicorn or the Loch Ness Monster>
>
> I saw one once. It made my day.
> Around here, it seems you'd be better off hunting for the skunk ape.
> "Back when i was your age, i once saw a splitwindow bus....ON THE
> ROAD. And
> Pluto was a planet...."
> In all fairness, i did have a chance to drive the most expensive 23
> window
> i've ever seen sell on ebay. A fully original 20 or 30K mile show
> car. It
> sold for something like $60K. However, i did not see it on the
> road, and
> only drove it about 25feet into a garage. Based on that though,
> they do seem
> to drive pretty nice.
> : )
>
> -Craig
> '85GL
> Which actually drove, and made it around the block today.
>
> On Jan 2, 2008 7:59 PM, Jonce Fancher <streetbugs@whispllc.com> wrote:
>
>> Yeah My 56 single was off the road for 10 years since they raised the
>> speed limit to a suggested 70 mph. Here in Michigan 70 is the slow
>> lane. my
>> 56 was
>> lucky to pull 60 mph and with the small tailights no one would
>> even see me
>> till it was to late. NOW I lowered it with straight bug axles and
>> now can
>> cruise at
>> 70 NO Problem. I can at least stay up with traffic but the
>> taillight issue
>> is going to be resolved by a set of plug in Trailer lights for
>> Travel. I
>> wont sell that thing
>> but I just dont want it hit either.
>> C-ya Jonce
>>
>>> I hear what you are saying. At BBTD there was a guy there who had
>>> a 60's
>>> splittie camper. I had seen them in person at VW shows but this
>>> was the
>>> first one I ever got to sit inside of and even had the chance to
>>> drive
>> it.
>>> Though there will always be a place in my heart for the splities
>>> I could
>> not
>>> possibly see driving that thing on today's roads. Thinking back
>>> to my '65
>>> beetle I think the beetle felt safer and more powerful.
>>
>>
>>> Bryan
>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On
>>> Behalf
>> Of
>>> Vdub Guy
>>> Sent: Wednesday, January 02, 2008 6:21 PM
>>> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>>> Subject: Re: Vanagons in California...(Splitties)
>>
>>> <I saw a splittie on the road in 1998. No kidding.
>>> We're more likely to see a unicorn or the Loch Ness Monster>
>>
>>
>>
>>> I not only saw one just few weeks ago, I drove it from Natural
>>> Bridge,
>>> Virginia to Gainesville Virginia, where it broke down on I 66.
>>> Did the
>> last
>>> 20 miles on a flat bed tow truck. A friend  bought it, a '62
>>> panel. It
>> was
>>> like driving a tin can with a lawn mower engine. No thanks. I had
>>> a '67
>>> Deluxe years ago, but I was 19 at  the time. At my age, I'm more
>> comfortable
>>> with the Vanagon.  Jeff
>>
>>
>> Jonce Fancher
>>
>> 56 Single Cab
>> 66 Sunroof Bug
>> 66 Variant Squareback
>> 66 Porsche 912
>> 71 Sunroof Bus
>> 84 Vanagon "Gottfried"
>> 85 Vanagon Westi
>> 2003 10 Passenger Sprinter
>>
>> Fancher's Upholstery Inc. -  www.fanchers.com
>> Not-A-VW Club- http://mywebpages.comcast.net/jaransont3/notavwclub/
>>