Volkswagen Synchro Vanagon

[upcruiser]

I was tempted to add this to the light duty offroaders thread but figured it doesn't quite fit in that category, although in spirit I think it does. There are some really cool expedition rigs that have been built out of these. When equipped in the Westafalia edition, they have many of the things that you'd want to typically modify a rig with to make it expedition worthy, stock. Available locking diffs. They don't have a transfer case but do have a super low crawling gear. Incredible interior space for the size with whatever amenty you could want (sink, stove, fridge, multiple beds, camper pop up top. Cool stuff. I figured the membership of this forum could find these interesting as it seems everyone here is pretty open minded and appreciates different brands and engineering approaches. Here's some pictures...

http://a0.cpimg.com/image/EC/D6/15315180-1b60-02000155-.jpg
http://a2.cpimg.com/image/26/CF/15314982-99ab-02000165-.jpg
http://members.tripod.com/%7ECrewcab/Mikes.jpg
http://members18.clubphoto.com/_cgi-bin/getImage.pl?imgID=15330968-60f6&trans=
http://a4.cpimg.com/image/18/F0/15331864-06fd-015E00E6-.jpg


Here's a site with some trip reports and randome things....
http://a4.cpimg.com/image/18/F0/15331864-06fd-015E00E6-.jpg

[VikingVince]

I love the Syncro...it's quite capable...nice to see those pics. A good used one is hard to find. I wish VW would wise up and manufacture them again! Seems to me there would be a significant market for them. I had '79 VW camper van and I loved it...wish I had never sold it...although it slowed down going uphill, was air cooled and needed a valve job every 75K miles! But a well designed vehicle that the American market never equaled...with the exception of the custom made, expensive Sportsmobile.

[CLynn85]

I've always thought they were kinda cool, especially the ones you posted that are modified. Wish they werre more avail. Didn't they have an AWD version of one of the newer vans a few years back?

There's a regular V-dub van camper I see around campus every tues/thurs on my way to Heat Transfer and I start getting evil thoughts.... :hehe:

[Scott Brady]

I think they are very cool, and can be had with three diff locks.

Chris and I travelled through the Altar with one in 2004. Lap of luxury when in camp!

[Nullifier]

To funny I had a customer come my shop with one today. We got into a big discusion about everywhere it had been. I'll just say that it had more then a few miles on it.

[blupaddler]

Those are really cool!!!


They REALLY hold their value too! I have seen them here in So Cal for upwards of $15K. They actually made a "heavier" version, which I believe was called 16. It came with 16 rims, and a host of other heavy-duty options.

The only problem is the VW Waterboxer motor. They aren't very reliable once they get up in mileage. Although, you can now swap in one of the Subaru WRX Pancake engines. Those are nowhere close to being slow!



Here's to VW!!!

:jump:

[XXXpedition]

i've been fantasising about modifying one...
but you know me - it would not be THAT easy fitting 33's or bigger under it.

[60seriesguy]

You'd be surprised how many times in Venezuela we'd be on expedition, 6-7 Land Cruisers loaded for bear, thinking nobody could possibly be on the same remote trail, and then you'd come across one of these with Euro plate, a blonde couple and three children sitting under the awning enjoying a snack! Major reality check....

[BajaTaco]

Chris and I travelled through the Altar with one in 2004. Lap of luxury when in camp!

Yes, that would be Wes' rig. Very sweet (and clean!) well maintained 4wd Syncro. He has added some goodies to it (including rear rack - see pic) and has since taken it on a western states tour as far north as Oregon, and back down through Utah. Very well laid out machine.

http://www.bajataco.com/syncro-rack.jpg

Pics from the Altar trip...

http://www.bajataco.com/sonoranorte/L_egpin003.jpg

http://www.bajataco.com/sonoranorte/L_egpin016.jpg
[/URL]

I think in close to stock form (A/T tires and little if any lift) they are great on unimproved surfaces, but the clearance and angles will present problems in very technical terrain (deep gully crossings, rock shelfs, etc) I think some lift, skid protection, and larger tires will allow it to tackle more serious stuff, like the SynroMog in the 1st photo in the 1st post, which has done Cliff Hanger, Metal Masher, Pritchet Canyon, Hells Revenge and Golden Spike, all in Moab. Granted, he did take some bypasses and received some assistance, but overall the accomplishment is highly respectable and impressive!

You can read the Syncromog Moab trip reports [URL="http://gerry.vanagon.com/cgi-bin/wa.exe?A1=ind0204a&L=vanagon#212"]HERE (http://www.bajataco.com/sonoranorte/L_egpin003.jpg)

Another couple of photos HERE (http://www.rockymountainmoggers.com/mog404pix/Moab02Mon39.jpg) and HERE (http://www.rockymountainmoggers.com/mog404pix/16Zoll_Offroad.jpg)

[datrupr]

Here is a video (http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1339508995286761246&q=off+road) of a syncro in action. Nothing severe, but still pretty impressive for an AWD van.

[underdog]

Hi. I'm new to this forum. A friend of mine pointed me in this direction. I just wanted to throw in my 2cents worth. I've got a Vanagon Westy that is just a great vehicle. It's an excellent, compact and manuverable package that has everything my wife and I need for getting into the backcountry. Mines not the 4WD Syncro (Oh yeah, I definitely lust after one of those but VW only exported a couple thousand of them into the US and a really good one will fetch $20K or more) but with care, I've gotten mine into some pretty remote places. My main adventure vehicle is my BMW R80GS. I've ridden mine from Prudhoe Bay, AK to the tip of the Baja peninsula and into the Mexican mainland. You'll most likely see me posting more frequently in the motorcylces section.

1474

Here's my VW camped in the Arizona desert.

[Scott Brady]

Sweet; a VW Westy and a BMW GS.

I would really like to hear more about your trip from AK to Mexico. Maybe start a new thread if you are so inclined...

Welcome to the forum, there are many of us in AZ :camping:

[datrupr]

Welcome, Very cool rides indeed, both of them!

[underdog]

Sweet; a VW Westy and a BMW GS.

I would really like to hear more about your trip from AK to Mexico. Maybe start a new thread if you are so inclined...



To be clear, it wasn't a single trip. The longest one was the trip from Flagstaff to Prudhoe Bay this past summer. Total of 10,000 miles in a month. For someone who's got a regular job and family obligations it was the trip of a lifetime. I'll try to round up some pictures and do a little write up on the trip sometime in the near future. It'll end up getting posted in the motorcycle section. Did the length of Baja the year before and been into Mexico on several other occasions. I just love motorcycle touring. Since I bought the Westy, last year, I'm starting to do some trips with it since my wife can go along (she doesn't care for the motorcycle. And besides, it's a PITA to do any serious backcountry motorcycling two up). It doesn't mean that I'll have to cut back on the motorcycle trips. It just means more trips overall.:luxhello:

[Life_in_4Lo]

I always liked these since I was a kid! Westfalia edition right?
How are the new EuroVan Westfalia's? They look quite nice altho they are quite a bit larger I think.

Also, I hear they will make the MicroBus concept- which I think it really cool!
http://gblx.cache.el-mundo.net/elmundomotor/especiales/2001/02/coches/salones/detroit/prototipos/vwmicrobus.gif

[asteffes]

Let's not forget that one can drop a nice aircooled Porsche 911 engine into a Vanagon. :ar15:

[hinoranger]

Let's not forget that one can drop a nice aircooled Porsche 911 engine into a Vanagon. :ar15:

Can and has been done, but the trend is mostly towards Subaru flat-4 and -6 power, along with 1.9 VW TDI power, TDI being still fairly expensive but a nice balance of power and economy. Subie 2.5's are tough, dependable, and cheap to buy.
Most people say that the stock transmission really shouldn't be feed more than around 150hp, either. Porsche transmission is an option for 2wd but I've never heard of it being adapted to a syncro (very unlikely).

Maybe you can find a Carrera 4 drivetrain laying around in someone's garage:ylsmoke:

[CLynn85]

I always liked these since I was a kid! Westfalia edition right?
How are the new EuroVan Westfalia's? They look quite nice altho they are quite a bit larger I think.



The eurovan immediately came to mind but I haven't been able to find any awd conversions for it or anyone who has set one up for overland travel.

[underdog]

The Eurovans are nice and comfy and more modern than the Vanagons but they tend to fall much more in line with any of the other socker mom mini vans out there. Less ground clearance, etc.

Now that Carrera4 drivetrain Idea.....That'd haul *** but I don't know if it'd be torky enough for offroading. Be one he!! of an engineering project though.:)

The 1.9L Turbo Diesel is the torque monster for these things. Reasonable mileage and you can get fuel anywhere.

[chet]

we had an older vw van westy (bright orange I might add! ) I was always amazed at where it would go with only 2wd. All the motor weight is over the rear axle and they are fairly light on the front too. I camped for a week at this remote lake in the interior and we had guys coming in on quads loaded with tents etc and they were blown away that we were there! :camping:

A new synchro would be way cool. A couple my wife works with just sold a newer eurovan diesel westy and its sale price was 50 grand!!!!

[Justin]

Very interesting and unique vehicles. The Moab photo is insane! I have only seen a handfull of them in Southern California and I have always been very interested in them. They do seem like a good platform for expedition travel.

[CampCindy]

That's awesome!

__________________
Go Westy Camper Products (http://www.who-sells-it.com/cy/go-westy-678/camper-products-329.html) - The Go Westy Camper Catalog

[syncroand101]

Some of you may have come across these pics of our Syncro Morocco / Sahara trip on other forums. But in case you haven't...

http://www.syncro-nutz.com/flashgallery/index.html

Was an awesome trip. All Vans powered by Modern TDi engines. Plenty of torque and power. Bigger tyres, handled the trip well.

They really are quite incredible in the ruff stuff with the right boots on. Highly recommended for a trip if you prep them properly!

[ThorsenValhalla]

I have had one for about a year and must say I like it a lot. There aren't many RVs that go off road. It is much more capable than it looks like it would be. The first expedition we took it on after we bought it in Denver was a gnarly forest road north out of Aspen, CO. I think it was Smuggler Mountain Rd. to Warren Lake. The granny gear and relatively short wheelbase really helped a lot. It has tiny little 14 inch highway tires but still did ok. It has a rear locking differential for the really tough areas. Turns out the AWD part of the van was farmed out to Puch who also make the AWD part of Pinzgauers. It uses a viscous coupling device to apply traction when there is slippage. Seems to work very smoothly in mine even though it is 20 years old. As noted before the main problem is lack of engine power and reliabiliy of the engine. You should be able to get 80K miles out of them before the silly o-ring head gaskets give way. The engine generates about 90 hp to push around a 5,000 pound bread box. Needless to say, you learn to drive slow up mountains. Just relax and enjoy the scenery. Everyone behind you knows why you are going so slow. The syncro model is lifted about an inch higher than the stock Vanagon model. It also has some stock skid plates that seem to do a pretty good job of protecting the driveshaft. Since it has no solid axles, there are no pumkins hanging down getting in the way. Pretty good clearance for a van but still no Jeep. I have not really tested it fully yet but have been pretty impressed with its capabilities so far. We took it through some pretty deep volcanic cinders here near Flagstaff and it had no problem. I though for sure those tiny tires would get bogged down really easily but it didn't. One of the really nice things about driving a Vanagon is the community of cool people out there who do the same. We always wave to each other. Its really cool to see another Syncro but that is really rare. I heard there were only 15,000 Vanagon Syncro Campervans imported to the USA. They were made from 1986 to 1991. The primo 91 models can go for $30K. They were overpriced and underpowered when they were new but now the price is down a little and the power issue can be fixed with a Suby engine. Good luck finding one.

[BajaTaco]

Hey there, welcome to the forum! You've added some good comments to the Syncro discussion here. Do you have any photos of yours that you can post?

I came across another cool SyncroMog video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTgGiozntlg) the other day.

[ThorsenValhalla]

I will try to post some pix of my Syncro soon. Can I upload small pix to the site directly?

Mine will never be a SycroMog but I can always dream. I large sack of money would help.

I think I met you at post expedition party at Jeremy's house in Flagstaff last month. I was in the white Xterra. I don't live too far from Jeremy.

As far as I can tell, there are about 3 Syncros in Flagstaff and at least 1 in Sedona. Not sure about Prescott.

[BajaTaco]

I will try to post some pix of my Syncro soon. Can I upload small pix to the site directly?

Mine will never be a SycroMog but I can always dream. I large sack of money would help.

I think I met you at post expedition party at Jeremy's house in Flagstaff last month. I was in the white Xterra. I don't live too far from Jeremy.

As far as I can tell, there are about 3 Syncros in Flagstaff and at least 1 in Sedona. Not sure about Prescott.

Cool - yes, you can upload pics directly to the forum. Just click on the little paperclip button in the toolbar above the editing window. Hey, glad to hear we have met - too bad that little get together was so short. If you ever get to Prescott give me a shout. I have a buddy with a sweet Syncro in Tucson (pictured at the beginning of the thread) so that makes maybe 5 we know of in AZ.

[ThorsenValhalla]

Here is what my Syncro looks like. After we bought it in Denver last summer we drove home to Flagstaff taking a scenic route. This picture is from along Black Bear Road near Red Mountain Pass in the San Juans of southwest Colorado. No, we didn't take the road all the way to Telluride. I have not done anything to the van yet but have plans to get some better off road tires for it. Not much to choose from for Syncros because they are such tiny wheels but have to carry a lot of weight. I am leaning toward BFG All Terrains. Their smallest size fits. I want to add a ladder/rack to the back for bikes and a jerry can. I really needed a jerry can in Mojave National Preserve. Its a huge place with no gas stations in the park. This van did not start out life as a Westfalia Campervan. Someone added all the Westfalia camper stuff later so the layout is a little different than a real Westfalia. But I still have a 2 burner stove, a tiny useless fridge, and a sink. It sleeps 4 so it is great for small families and dogs. Since I have had it, the granny gear no longer works. Kind of expensive to repair so I thought I could live without it. Turns out I really need it. There have been 3 instances now where I could go no further because the road just got too steep. I had plenty of traction but just not enough power in first gear. The last place this happened was in the Eastern Sierras of CA. Coyote Flat road near Bishop was going to take us to an alpine meadow in the Sierras but I had to turn back. Very dissapointing. I will spending about $2500 to have the granny gear fixed. It's just not a Syncro without it. Don't buy a Syncro without expecting to spend money on maintenance. I have had many great expeditions in it and expect to have many more.

[blupaddler]

Very nice!!!

So the Westy started out as a Weekender model?
BFG a/t's are amazing. You will never regret getting them.

Good luck getting the granny fixed.

[BajaTaco]

Wow - great photo! I like the color. I know what you mean about the maintenance costs. I agree that the BFG AT's are the way to go. For your fridge, you might try adding a little fan inside to circulate the air. Also add some additional insulation if you can make room for any.

[SWbySWesty]

Bump....back from the dead. Any more syncros or just plain Westies out there? I see GoWesty offers a positrac for the Westy which could aid in the 2wd version.

[MoGas]

Bump....back from the dead. Any more syncros or just plain Westies out there? I see GoWesty offers a positrac for the Westy which could aid in the 2wd version.

I know someone that will be posting up here soon enough.........:box:



Dave

[otiswesty]

The eurovan immediately came to mind but I haven't been able to find any awd conversions for it or anyone who has set one up for overland travel.


GoWesty is doing 4x4 conversions on the LWB Eurovans used as a camper base for the Winnebago full camper conversion.
http://www.gowesty.com/restored_vehicle_details.php?id=1346

Seikel in Europe has also put portals on the T4/Eurovan
http://www.vw-offroad-seikel.de/index.php?id=111&L=1

As the T4 Westfalia was sold here it is a great minivan with poptop and 2 double sleeper bed option. It is a shorter wheelbase and lackes the full camper interior of the Winnebago conversion. The Winnebago interior is a slightly lower build quality than Westfalia, but still quite nice. The stock ground clearance is quite a bit less than the Vanagon or Baywindow busses. So to make it a real overlander would take a bit of work, but not impossible by any means

[Fergie]

Yup yup...bought me a Westfalia this weekend! Really excited!!

Some pics from the weekend; I'll throw some more up once I get a chance.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v176/bergferg/Vanagon/001.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v176/bergferg/Vanagon/002.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v176/bergferg/Vanagon/003.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v176/bergferg/Vanagon/IMG00469-20110306-1505.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v176/bergferg/Vanagon/IMG00470-20110306-1506.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v176/bergferg/Vanagon/IMG00471-20110306-1507.jpg

[SWbySWesty]

WELCOME to the club! The Samba is now your best friend and a Bentley repair manual is great to have just in case. Mine has been trouble free since I got it! Would love to hear your plans for it

[Fergie]

Yeah...the Samba has a ton of info.

Where would you suggest I find the Bentley Manual?

Plans? Drive it, camp in it, create memories with my kiddos in in. Maybe some ATs for the tires, and that is about it.

Oh, a bag of granola, sixer of Lucky beer and a block of cheese for the fridge.

[SWbySWesty]

The Bentley is easily found on Amazon or GoWesty. The top parts sites (besides used parts on CL) are generally GoWesty, Van-Cafe, Bus Depot and a few others. The prices for the manual are generally the same price. I think GoWesty had it the least expensive, new, due to shipping to me which may differ for you.

I got my ATs at Tirecrawler.com - super inexpensive if they have a shop near you for free shipping. These are the original 14'' size. Most people upgrade to a 15'' rim, but then you're looking at around $1,000 - $1,200 in cost for generic rims and tires. I could go on, but as a new owner myself, I am simply regurgitating Samba info. :elkgrin:

These are apparently VERY capable on demanding trails (relatively speaking of course). I tortured it in Mojave and it came out happy. Those syncro guys are crazy though...