I agree on the great design Westfalia came up with, that's the main reason I
sold my EVC-the Winnebago conversion is full of really annoying glitches
that have no workaround.  Like the non-folding top bed, 3" narrower lower
bed, and the main (only) front cabinet door is blocked when the lower bed is
set up.  Also did not have a storage rail above the sink, had far less
storage space, and virtually none under the seat.  That's due to the space
the heater, water tank, and aux battery take up.  It's a great driver though
(at least while the $4000 transmissions hold together).  As for workarounds,
some folks replaced the cabinet door with a screen or just took it off!  I
didn't need the upper bunk so I took out the front half.  The plastic
interiors are now fading and cracking as they get older, and the tops are
unreinforced ABS plastic, and are cracking now too, especially after rack
installations.

Stuart

'85 Vanagon

Back to the cutting edge of old technology (borrowed from Daryl)

From: Tom Buese [mailto:tantonbz@gmail.com]
Sent: Friday, June 22, 2012 7:39 AM
To: Stuart MacMillan
Cc: vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com
Subject: Re: OK, thinking of selling my 1985 Vanagon in Seattle-NOW using
tables

One thing that works for the rear table is to use the smaller front table in
the rear & vice versa.  The smaller table will allow the closet door to open
w/o cutting the door!  Also there are many discussions on how to extend the
table height above the cubbies so that you can open them w/o moving the
table out of the way.  I use a cut off wooden broom stick placed in the rear
table leg that allows moi to easily raise table to stove height & be
stable-a one time 5 minute install!
The Westfalia design is actually very well thot out/ingenious if you know
the subtleties?

YMMV,

Mr. BZ-then there is always the BZ Shelf!