1st time Vanagon owner, long time VW enthusiest.

[VWaddict01]

Just pick this one up a few days ago. 1990 Vanagon passenger, with 137,000 orig miles, pretty clean inside and out, strong 2.1l motor. My future plans for this one is to go a different route for me, instead of slamming this one, i'm going to turn it into a Syncro-clone: Gowesty lift springs, passat steelies with BFG all terrains, yakima rack and basket, Hella 500 lights, front winch, rear tire carrier. ect. Not gonna go too crazy with it, just enough for camping with the family and some light wheeling adventures.
Cheers!!

[robw_z]

Nice van we have the same year model and color! Some call this the "base" model, but I don't think thats very accurate considering they have the rear Z bed and jump seats. They were made in the syncro plant in Austria, while the majority of Vanagons were made in Germany. Your van has better ground clearance, lighter weight(little sound deadening), no fiberglass body cladding and bumpers to crack, no clear coat to start peeling, no vent wing windows up front to start leaking, and the easy to sweep clean rubber flooring; all while having the final say in wiring harness, drivetrain and braking refinements that the Vanagon had when it ended production.

Many people who are only semi familiar with Vanagons mistake mine for a 4wd. I will tell you that I've pushed mine pretty hard in the wilderness at stock ride height and have done fine. You will find the Achilles heel of offroading 2wd Vanagons is the differential... one rear wheel loses grip and it's all over. The solution is the poor mans LSD(pulling the handbrake while moving), a real LSD, or a locking diff from a Syncro.

Good luck! I would also add that mine has a pull out table from a bay window bus that works great.

-Rob

[VWaddict01]

Awesome, thanks for the useful info on my van! Yeah, I really dig the "business only" interior/exterior of the "base" model vanagons have, less stuff to break or go out. And I like the simple door cards which reminds me of my baywindows I used to own. But like your were saying, still having the Z bed and jump seats are a real plus! And that seating configuration makes it an instant hangout area. I was wondering about using the Baywindow foldout table, I'm glad that works! Because the table from the weekender vanagon looks like it's molded in the side panel. Eventually I'd like to get a syncro rear diff and some beefier axles, but that'll be way down the road. What size are your BFG's your running? I'm still deciding on using my stock wheels or using passat or benz's steels, but with the pain of re-drilling holes and getting spacers and different lug nuts, It might be easier getting a 14'' wheel off road tire?

Again, Thanks for your help and knowledge!

-Ronnie

[robw_z]

The BFG's are 27 x 8.5" A/T KO tires. They don't make them anymore, but they do make thm in 195's or something close to that still, they are a bit smaller. There are a few other popular AT tire wheel choices in 14" like General Grabbers and such.

If you've researched at all you already know wheels for these vans a a PITA to find. 5 x 112 is a rare enough bolt pattern, throw in the thick axles which require large center bores and an ET no other car seems to have and it's a headache. I would like 15" wheels but am so sick of waiting to find a good deal on them I may just give in and get new tires for my 14" alloys. Alternative wheel choices also almost always require wheel spacers and different lug bolts and nuts and studs.

The bay window table does work great, but it must be pulled out and erect to use the bed, otherwise the bed bumps it. I mind enough that I may modify it to be on a sliding track or removeable someday.

Good luck post pics of your progress. Also these vans are notorious for having pinhole leaks in the rubber fuel lines in the engine compartment, it is considered mandatory to change all of them with a kit available from GoWesty or Van Cafe when you buy a new van.

-Rob

[VWaddict01]

Thanks again. Yes I will post pics of the progress, but It'll be slow going as I'm also finishing up a 79 rabbit this summer. But new fuel lines are definately next on the list.

Cheers

[VWaddict01]

Okay, so I got the Gowesty lift springs with the bilstien HD shocks installed and I also picked up a set of Maxxis 27.8.50x14 AT tires.(I'm really happy with that combo) I will be bed lining the rocker panels all the way around and rattle canning the wheels black, and a south african grill will be coming soon as well as tinting the windows.

[MagicBus]

Welcome to the club, so to say.

I've had my base model Vanagon since 2003. Love it. Currently swapping in a replacement (used) engine. Got it to fire on starting fluid this past weekend, but won't start on its own. Still troubleshooting that.

[VWaddict01]

Welcome to the club, so to say.

I've had my base model Vanagon since 2003. Love it. Currently swapping in a replacement (used) engine. Got it to fire on starting fluid this past weekend, but won't start on its own. Still troubleshooting that.

Thank you! I still need to get myself familiar with the wasserboxer motor. I wish you luck with your swap. And I'll need to think about that one when the time comes(knock on wood), maybe a subie swap perhaps??

Prost!!

[MagicBus]

Thank you! I still need to get myself familiar with the wasserboxer motor. I wish you luck with your swap. And I'll need to think about that one when the time comes(knock on wood), maybe a subie swap perhaps??

Prost!!

I was going to save for a Subaru swap. It's a natural move for me. I've had my Vanagon for nearly a decade, but have been daily driving and fixing Subarus since 2006. But, I found a decent used waterboxer for $200, so I decided to keep it original for now.

There's a wealth of repair info over at thesamba.com, but there's no substitute for the factory manual. It's light on step-by-step procedure, but there's diagrams for pretty much everything.