Some guy in the local paper has an ad for a Golden/Bronze '86 weekender
Syncro for halfway reasonable $$. Also has a Syncro drivetrain for a $1000.
obo. He mentioned the possibility of taking all of the Westy interior out of
an '85 that he has and putting it into the weekender. Supposedly, a local RV
place would convert the Weekender into a poptop Westy for $500.00 (as long
as all of the parts are present for the switch). Un-huh, this RV place is
known for charging $500.00 just to top off the propane. It is known from
previous inquiry that the labor rate at this RV place is $90.00 per hour.
They work, you pay. Past list discussions regarding needed reinforcement
factors etc. in such conversions leave me with a cocked head like a quizical
pooch. Insert the Tim Allen "huh?" kinda growl... If they could
cleanly/propely do the poptop conversion ** to factory specs ** for $500.00
then I would be amazed.

The drivetrain is pwr. steering, front rack, driveshafts, brakes et al.,
transaxle and the associated support frame thing. Additional
hardware/brackets are also included to make the switch for the potential buyer.

He also said, "I've got something that you oughta have!" OK, tell me...
I have a '78 Peasoup green full Westy with a GM V6 in it with a boxed in
radiator so as you can't even tell that it's there. My engineering buddies
and I installed it slick/trick/clean as hell. It has a bad old reciever
hitch. I've done every thing to it you can imagine. I don't think I'm ready
quite yet to sell it but... We just took a 1200 mile trip in it with out
missing a beat!"

He mentioned that folks just about bust a gut trying to catch up or stay up
with them and the (3) motorcycle trailer goin' up hills.

Scary questions but:
* Would it be worth installing a Syncro drive train in an aircooled Vanagon
westy? Would the 2.0L pull it worth beans? The 2.0L can barely pull itself
sometimes. Is the Syncro a 5speed? or 4?
*I've heard that there is a possible $1000.00 worth of CV work in a Syncro
drive train. this has to be if the dealer does all of the grunting. Comments?
*Even if the weekender was converted into a NON poptop "Westy" it would be
pretty cool. I definitely would miss the poptop though.
*How about a V6 Syncro! Would that be bad a** or what! =)) 

OK, I know this post is holiday dreaming as if I could afford any of these
options. (Time and money). I think that the best bet is to deal with each
vehicle as they were meant to be. Yet, I have tentitive plans to see the '78
V6 and the Syncro bits just for hoots! I will report back to the
"wanna-bees" and "wishicoulds" first of the week. In the meantime, now that
it's a zillion degrees in the shade, its back out to the RFH to install the
linoleum flooring. (Sigh)...
-ellis\