Date:         Wed, 30 Apr 2008 21:45:45 -0700
Reply-To:     Paul Guzyk <paullist08@GUZYK.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Paul Guzyk <paullist08@GUZYK.COM>
Subject:      Re: (NVC)- A different kind of Westy
In-Reply-To:  <86476e250804302104p55b89a5ewc4f6c5a3af12b445@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed"

I know GTRV quite well.   They are not far from Vancouver airport in
Richmond, BC.

They are currently building a custom "Westy" on a Dodge Sprinter for
a friend of mine (I'm helping design the rig).  I'll post pictures
when it's completed in a few weeks (similar layout to Vanagon but no
poptop since it's already a high-roof Sprinter).  Basically they
charge Sportsmobile pricing but do more customization and better
quality workmanship.

GTRV is a small family run business.  They have been building poptop
campers for well over 20 years in the Vancouver area.  They can make
any van a poptop, including Fords and small Toyota's.  They still
have molds for Caravans, Astros, and others.

http://www.californiavan.com/gtrvsamples/

My only complaint about them is their web site sucks.  When I asked
the owner why they have such a bad website, he said "we are busy
enough with word of mouth business".

I attended one of their customer gatherings last summer in WA state.
About 90% of their customers that I spoke to had previously owned
Vanagons.   Their customers were all very happy about their GTRV
purchases, especially the level of customization that GTRV did on
their vans.

Stay tuned for my Sprinter "westy" project photos...

-Paul

>  RE: Where are they?
>Thanks for hunting that info up and posting the link.