Date:         Thu, 11 Dec 2003 07:46:32 -0800
Reply-To:     mark drillock <drillock@EARTHLINK.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         mark drillock <drillock@EARTHLINK.NET>
Subject:      Re: westy pop top conversions are not for the rich
Comments: To: BenTbtstr8@aol.com
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

I understand your point Ben. But not everyone buys and sells vehicles as
often as they change underwear. You, me, Jeff, we are exceptions. We
know cars and the car business and are fortunate to live where Vanagons
are a dime a dozen to those who are in the know. Most places in this
country Vanagons are rare and Westys more so. Someone who lives
elsewhere may have a beloved and well maintained passenger model that
they now want camperized. Trading a known and loved vehicle for someone
else's problem child may not be appealing to them even if they have the
money. I camperized my 87 Syncro passenger van about 10 years ago
because I wanted a configuration different from the run of the mill
Westy and I saved a lot of money in the process. I worked full time and
had never done anything like that at the time. As you know I have done a
lot of unusual Vanagon custom work since but that all happened years
later.

There are Westys with rusted out bodies or engine fire damage sitting
around junk yards across the country. They are going to be crushed at
some point. If someone can use some of these parts to add functionality
to their Vanagon then I am willing to encourage them. I have put Westy
interiors into 6 passenger models and poptops on some of those too. It
just is not that hard.

Mark

> BenTbtstr8@aol.com wrote:
>
> Mark,
>
> At the risk of repeating myself, I simply want to bring another
> perspective into view. Not everybody has the same resources. Not
> everybody has the same skills. Heck, that's the reason repair shops
> can stay in business.
>
> Here's an example. I have a 1988 Vanagon Wolfsburg Edition (no
> poptop). I can easily sell this for $2000. maybe more. Jeff in Sacto
> has a similar model with the Weekender package (the poptop kind). Me
> thinks he was asking around that same neighborhood. Condition is
> similar. I'd rather buy his and sell mine rather than "cut and paste"
> a poptop together. That's what I'm talkin' about.
>
> BenT