QUOTE(Chris H. @ Feb 18 2015, 10:49 AM)
AWESOME Westy Tom. Love the look of those late Vanagons. Gotta have one.
Yeah for the more skilled you can certainly do it cheaper, but if not go for a complete kit. I have a huge box of stuff that looked like it would work for my conversion but did not. Probably several hundred $ worth.
Thanx Chris!
Yes on the kit or engine if you do it yourself, but in my case the GoWesty would be done by my long term 914/Westy/BMW mechanic (40 years later this year!), cuz he knows the car, & I get hammered with time required for my business & other BS.
The engine was replaced with a stock 2.1L rebuilt for thrown rod in the original at about 130k mi in `99 & top end done in 2006 for the typical reasons, so we're probably due soon now at 213k mi & almost 10 years later.
At least I'm right side up value wise, since these in this sort of like-new condition are valuing out now at $35-50+k & $50-100k +/- on the full GoWesty 2.4/2.5L engines or good Suby conversions.
I was surprised that it's post resto value would be more than the post-resto value on my 73 914-2.0 whenever it's done (at current values anyway). So that eased the pain of having to further postpone the 914 work to get the Westy done.
Click to view attachmentBTW - those are the Euro style fog light option as seen in that Hanover VW Oldtimer museum/shop pic below - but I used smaller & more powerful "modern" Hella MicroFF foglights (also available as driving lites) with the factory dash switch & an SS repop of the factory brackets from VW Bus Shop/Peter Gunzl in Germany.
BUS PARTS TIP:
Also as a Heads up for you Westy & other Vanagons & Buses out there - go to VW Bus Shop/Peter Gunzl in Germany FIRST for your parts - before you go to GoWesty, Bus Depot, Van Cafe, etc. - unless you need it right away & then only if it's in stock at those USA places. http://www.vwbusshop.de/They also carry Bus, & T1, T2, T4 7 T5 Van parts too - in addition to the T3 (T25 UK) Vanagon parts.
That's because GoWesty, Bus Depot, Van Cafe & most of the others are buying their stuff from them anyway & marking it up + making you wait for them to accumulate a shipping container of orders to ship to them, then to you. Gunzl will ship direct & it usually takes about 2-4 weeks (but still less than the US guys - unless they have the item in stock).
I didn't find out this until after spending a load for parts, & as 1 example I paid double for the window seals from Bus Depot when Gunzl still sold the kit (we wanted to keep the ones with the grooves for the plasti-chrome locking strips) ....
... PLUS - we had the dang Westy just sitting & waiting all painted for 8-9 months waiting for Bus Depot to get some of the seals etc. in a container - when the a-holes told me they had it all in stock & ready to ship!!!!
I would've waited to put the van in until I had parts in hand, if they'd just told me the truth!
I have a ton of other parts sources after all this tracking stuff down, so just shoot me an email or PM with what you need & I can suggest the source(s). I may be slow on answers now though, due to dealing with an elderly aunt back east in hospital, with me & the sibs as her only family for medical stuff etc., so be patient.
Cheers!
Tom
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