<<One thing to remember, unless you're buying a restored Westy, the
purchase price is only the cost of entry.  Expect to spend more to
bring it up to snuff.>>

More like quite a bit more if you want a totally reliable vehicle. I haven't totaled up my receipts lately, but I would guess I'm into about $24,000. I paid about $6800 for my 89 with 108K on the odometer. Add a Subaru engine, rebuilt transmission, new axles, new wheels and tires, brakes, new shocks, stainless steel pipes, new fuel pump, starter, auxiliary wiring and battery set up, new blower fan and rebuild of heater box, clean grounds, etc. etc. you got to really love these things to plunk down the cash to begin with. I don't think I realized the extent of what I was getting into when I bought mine.

Speaking of newer campers or camper vans, one vehicle that looks promising to me for conversion is the full-size Ford transit due out this fall. Lots of different configurations, including a TDI. Lots of folks over in Europe have already converted these things, and there are tons of plans to make camper vans out of them. I will bet one of those places on the West Coast will start offering pop tops and camper options. I'm guessing the admission price is going to start about 25,000 or so for a base model, but I bet they will become popular camper vans. I'm amazed how many people have converted the little transit connects, and those things are tiny.

Troy