J. Andersen wrote:
>
> In the last week I have been offered a 1982 diesel Westi and a 1986
> Syncro at what I feel are great prices.

If you camp, road trip, or evacuate for hurricanes, get the Westy. Yank
the engine and replace with I-4 VW watercooled. Leave the trans as-is
and add some big-assed tires. You'll have a vastly improved Westy with a
bulletproof, cheap-and-easy-to-work-on engine. You'll also not have to
invest in expensive drive train maintenance as in the Syncro. (No
flames, please, I'd love a syncro Westy myself, but then I do all my own
wrenching.)
Larry
'82 diesel->Jetta Westy w/big-assed tires