1987 Volkswagen Vanagon Westfalia 114,000 ORIGINAL MILES!!! If you have been searching for the ultimate Vanagon Westfalia then this is your camper! Where else are you going to find a nearly perfect all original Westfalia with all the important updates just done? Here is what I know about this Westy: Exterior Condition: Overall 8.5/10 Paint- Overall very, very nice given its age. Very good consistent shine, no oxidation, etc. Chips and scratches commiserate with age and miles, however I would guess this has to be in the top 5% of Vanagons for aesthetic condition. Body- This van has to be seen to be believed. This is not one of those situations where good photos hide numerous body flaws! All the bodylines are perfect and there is none of the common Vanagon body seam rust. It does have a few line of sight door dings, none of which break the paint and could be removed with paintless dent repair is someone so chooses. The Auto Check is perfect and I can send a copy. Glass- All glass is perfect; windshield has no pits, dings, hard water, etc. All of the windows were just professionally tinted and the side windows which are so hard to tint on the Vanagon were removed to do a perfect job. Interior: Overall Condition 9.0/10 You will not believe the interior on this van, it is very, very clean. It is all original; there are no missing items, dash cracks, etc. It has a protective dash cover and new floor mats from GoWesty. EVERYTHING in the van works (all dash lights, interior lights, horn, HVAC controls, stereo, wipers, rear window defrost, etc.). The AC blows VERY cold, good luck finding another Vanagon that does that! Camping Equipment: The pop top work perfectly, it has never leaked. The canvas tent is perfect, no rips, tears, stains, patches, etc. The front screen in the tent does have some small holes and could stand to be replaced. The appliances all work: Fridge (all three modes), cook top, sink/water pump. I have the original 110v cord, a water hose, the factory water keys, and the factory external cover for the propane exhaust. It does need the propane tank switched to the new style of fittings as it has not been used since the changeover. All of the cabinets are likewise perfect as are the tables. Mechanical: This van has been subjected a very recent and extensive mechanical update. The owner of the van dropped it off with a certified factory Volkswagen tech and told him to fix anything he saw that was wrong with an open checkbook policy. Be careful on any Vanagon you buy unless you know what has been done. This was a no expense spared update. Here is what was done:
Additionally the following upgrades were done as well:
Background on the Vanagon Westfalia: This might be review for some, but for those of you not familiar with these campers, here goes: The Vanagon Westfalia was first produced in 1980 (Type 2 buses well before this).From 1980 to 1983 these vans used the carryover 2.0 liter air-cooled motor from the old bus. They are very underpowered, don’t shift well and have a pretty dated interior color scheme. In 1983.5 they introduced the “Wasserboxer” in 1.9 liter displacement. These earlier Wasserboxers had some problems with the cooling system. You can spot an early Westy because of the round headlights. They were updated to a much more modern style in 1986. Also in 1986 the engine displacement was increased to 2.1 liters and featured VW’s new Digifant injection system. This motor stayed through the end of production in 1991. These motors are very durable if well maintained, especially regarding the use of non phosphate coolant. Contrary to popular belief while not fast they will easily cruise at 75mph and keep up with traffic. In 1987 VW updated the interior to the very nice grey velour that you see in my van. In 1988 they changed the bumpers from chrome to fiberglass. For the next 3 years only minor changes were made. The 1990 and 1991 are considered to be the best of the breed due to the culmination of 10+ years of experience and refinement. In 1993 VW introduced the Eurovan, which is a very nice package but it is not a Bus! It just depends on your preference, but to me sitting over the front wheels, with the huge windshield giving an incredible view of your road trip, engine humming in the back… And for those of you who know me and are wondering why I have a Vanagon on my showroom next to the European exotica, well I will have to out myself as a longtime Vanagon enthusiast. I have owned literally dozens of Vanagons over the years and believe it or not I still personally own a Vanagon Synchro. People always chuckle over how I could be driving the Ferrari or one of the Porsches and yet they see me going down the road in my well loved Vanagon. It is hard to explain but they have an certain charm, are incredibly functional, are actually fun to drive and hey it’s German! This van represents one of the best that I have seen and thought it deserved the place of honor. Feel free to ask my plenty of questions on this van, I speak VANAGON! |
