Tim Smith noted "As far as really heating the water there is a 
osting/pix of the water tank with a neat heating coil loop using 
engine coolant to warm the tank water. Splice it off your rear 
heater with valves to direct heat flow."
  I wonder if anybody has an old Westie parts donar on which the 
water tank could be tested to determine if it can really accept full 
coolant heat levels without loss of integrity.  That would be 
instructive for persons interested in using it as a "thermo 
flywheel" to provide delayed interior heating by hydronic radiation. 
Would this be a timely investigation for the north-bound caravan?

  True enough you can heat-up and quickly use-up your Westie's 
rather limited water supply this way.  This shower approach 
satisfies a very different set of trade-offs.  For non-remote and 
non-extended stays, it would be easier, cheaper, and less intrusive 
into the original Westie design.  With a concealed auxillary 
threaded spigot and the public or private shower design of your 
choice, you're ready to speadily drain your warmed water reserve.  
I'm not opposed to this if contemplated travel is only along 
Interstate highways and similar areas where one can always refill.  
I might even try it.
  My LHS approach costs more in time, money, effort, and your 
tolerance for vehicle intrusion.  But with it, a couple with two 
kids could visit dry remote sites for three day week-ends without 
anyone feeling constrained by how long or often they shower.  I feel 
they're both reasonable approaches with different trade-offs.
  Except for picking up a used "cold plate," it's hard for me to 
conceive how you could spend over $300 building a brand new LHS as I 
described using 100% new materials from discount suppliers like Home 
Depot and Walmart.  A creative person could do it for much less.  In 
view of that, I don't see any relevance for owners of 5 to 16 year 
old Vanagon Westies of comparison with the new VW/Winnie which has a 
shower.  Its $1800 sales tax alone is easily six times the cost of 
creating a new LHS. 

	John Wakefield