The previous owner of my Westfalia cleaned and emptied the van pretty
thoroughly to prepare it for sale. The most exotic things I found when I
got home were candy wrappers, coins, pencils and a comb (in the small
areas to the left and right of the cabinet under the folding bench
seat/bed). I had quite a different experience with a 1965 Chevy Panel
Truck I once bought at a police auction of vehicles impounded from the
streets of San Francisco. I got it for $225 after making sure it didn't
have any fatal mechanical flaws. I wasn't concerned about the "junk"
piled in the back. I drove the thing home and grabbed some trash bags to
empty it out. After spotting a hypodermic needle cover, I went back
inside and grabbed some heavy leather gloves, then very carefully
emptied the back. I found no needles thankfully but found plenty of
snipped balloons and tiny plastic bags. Amid the miscellaneous debris
were probably 20 empty Thunderbird-type fortified wine bottles, beer
cans, assorted clothing, an empty purse and finally a Spanish passport.
After I disposed of all this I didn't know whether to head straight to
the car wash or immediately arrange for an exorcism.

That vehicle actually served me pretty well for the 5 years or so that I
kept it. After replacing the tires, battery, brakes and coolant, my only
expenses were oil and gasoline. The Westy has required a bit more. Not
that I'm complaining.

-Dave O.