Date:         Wed, 6 Feb 2002 18:24:32 EST
Reply-To:     Oxroad@AOL.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jeffrey R <Oxroad@AOL.COM>
Subject:      Joker accessories for Westfalia
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

I just got some late 80s German Westfalia brochures. Here are the points of
interest, although bear in mind the brochures are in German and I don't speak
German (the pictures are in English)

The brochure is for the Westfalia "Joker". Which is a Vanagon and is pretty
similar to the Westfalia package here in the USA. There is a pop-top camper
like the USA version and a fixed high top--looks to be a fiberglass top and
is similar to the Chevy and Ford camper conversion vans you see here with the
high top to allow occupants to stand (for those who haven't seen a Vanagon
high top)

There are photos and descriptions of options and features. One is of a canvas
child's cot for the Vanagon. Fits in the cockpit like the canvas cot in the
earlier loaf buses mounting between the windshield posts and to the posts
behind the front doors. The cot hangs over the seats and must be a good bed
for a small child. To my knowledge, the loaf child's cot will not fit in the
Vanagon as the Vanagon is wider than the loaf.

The side windows on the Joker are also different. They look to be
single-piece plastic. They hinge at the top, so they open out from the bottom
and are held up by pistons like those that hold open the rear door. Would be
nice in the rain. (Perhaps the plastic cannot be used here in the USA because
safety glass is required?)

There's a toilet in it's own cabinet that mounts behind the passenger seat.
The cabinet has a cushion on the cover so it become a bench when the lid is
closed and the toilet is out of sight.

Awnings. Nothing too new here. A  retractable awning that pulls out like a
window shade from a spool--the kind you see on campers here. There is also a
removeable awning that is a peice of canvas or nylon that looks to have a
pole that sits in and then clamps to the rain gutter. The far end of this
awning is supported by two poles and guy lines. This looks like a nice
temporary and easily portable awning.

There is a Westfalia side tent with lots of plastic windows and no floor.
It's blue and white and looks like an updated version of the old style Orange
side tent for the loafs. And then there's a real neat carrying case which
fits exactly in the Westfalia front roof rack . It has three hold-down belts
that are spaced to fit exactly in the exiting kleets or brackets on the roof
rack.

There is an aluminum foil-looking wrap with a bit of a bubble wrap look, that
wraps around the canvas of the pop-top presumably for insulation. And then
there are what look like extra thick insulated curtains that snap around the
windsheild and side windows on the inside in the cockpit which also look to
be for insulation . All the above are in the "Wintergardinen" section of the
brochure.

Then for those who need Kinderbetten, there's a mesh net that secures over
the open space of the upstairs bunk -- I guess to keep kids from rolling off
the bunk.

You want more?

There looks to be an eberspacher furnace that mounts under the floor on the
passenger side near in a cavity near the sliding door. It looks to be the
size and shape of a large breifcase or small suitcase (possibly smaller than
both). If this is correct it looks like you could mount this furnace out of
the way and not have to sacrafice cabinet space as some furnaces have to be
mounted. There is also what looks to be an electronic thermostat panel with a
digital clock which I assume would be mounted in the cabin and allow
programming the heating. (and this is on a water-cooled bus)

Finally there is the "Joker" and "Joker Club" badge that mounts and replaces
where the USA Vanagons say "Vanagon". The font matches the ususal Vanagon
font. So for those who want to dress up their bus with a fancy "Joker" badge
and be the life of any camp out, here's your chance.

I think I have seen one of the brochures on the internet at:
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/humbert.sa/jokeracess.html

But this brochure doesn't have a view of the furnace mounted under the
vanagon. (to clear up I got a lot of about 6 different brochures for various
Westfalia conversions)

Anyway I mention it for those who want to got through high water to try and
get some of these rare-in-the-USA accessories. And I could be wrong on the
function of any of them since again, I don't read German.

I also got a brochure for the a VW Sven Hedin, which is the Westfalia
conversion of the larger VW van available in Europe. I forget the name of the
larger van. This is a pretty cool conversion with a permanent high roof and
full bathroom in a relatively small Motor home platform--although bigger than
the vanagon by a bit. This also has a booth-style dining table with plenty of
room for four that, after dinner, folds into a double bed.

Then of course there's the brochure for the James Cook Westfalia camper on
the Mercedes van paltform. It's a shame we don't see the large VW and
Mercedes van in the USA. As these latter two seem to be nice sized
motorhomes--I guess similar to the size of the Chinook here.

Jeff
83.5 Westy
LA,CA