Date: Tue, 5 Jan 2010 12:59:44 -0500
Reply-To: Woody Halsey <WHalsey@SYA.ORG>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Woody Halsey <WHalsey@SYA.ORG>
Subject: Re: 1991 VW Vanagon Synchro the perfect "getaways" vehicle
Article 2010
In-Reply-To: A<D17C95500E304F589B7AC20A81A9435F@gateway2v8e13w>
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OK, I want a Synchro!
Woody
83.5 V'gon
Haverhill, MA
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
Of Charles Nighbor
Sent: Tuesday, January 05, 2010 12:45 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: 1991 VW Vanagon Syncro the perfect "getaways" vehicle Article
2010
Here is an article in the San Francisco Chronicle 01/03/2010 on Vanagon
Enjoy Charles Nighbor
Walnut Creek, CA
Owner of a 91 Multi Van
''Back in the '70s, around the time I finished law school, my wife
Joelle and I decided that we needed some time off before I began my
career. So we bought a lime green VW camper van and toured the country
for several months. We had a fantastic time and still tell those
stories. I have now been practicing law for 35 years and Joelle and I
have three sons, aged 29, 27 and 23. Our passion is fly fishing, and
when we moved from Southern California to Berkeley 14 years ago we
started exploring the amazing rivers of Northern California.
During that time I became increasingly tired of sleeping on the ground
and started looking for the perfect fishing vehicle. The Vanagon came to
mind, but I initially dismissed it because our previous VW had low
ground clearance and just wouldn't be able to make it to our favorite
rivers and lakes. One day I wondered whether VW had ever made a higher
clearance van, went online and found the Syncro.
The Vanagon Syncro was the pet project of two VW engineers who wanted to
be able to take their campers into the outback of Europe and Africa. The
result was a 4WD version of the Vanagon with high clearance that did
well enough in off-road competition to make it into limited production
from 1986-1991. Only about 1,500 camper versions were sold in the United
States, and as a result they are quite rare now. I found my 1991 Syncro
about two years ago and have been having a blast with it ever since.
Anyone who has ever driven any Vanagon comments on how fun they are.
Sitting up high with a big ol' bus-type steering wheel is cool, and then
there is this wonderful floating sensation that is hard to describe.
When the going gets rough, the Syncro has a magic button that locks the
rear wheels and a fifth "granny" gear that allows it to climb straight
up just about any nasty hill. It is quite common for Syncros to pull all
kinds of modern off-road vehicles out of stuck situations. In May of
each year, "Syncronauts" from all over the United States and Canada
gather for Syncro de Mayo at an off-road park in Hollister to charge up
and down mountains, slog through mud bogs and see who can get the most
air in their van.
With our Syncro my wife and I have rediscovered our love for camping. We
now look for excuses to get away, and although B&B's are wonderful, it
sure is nice to have our own cabin on wheels. We pull up, pop the top,
pop a top and are cooking dinner before most travelers have unpacked
their cars. Our family photos are on the wall, and Joelle has made a
beautiful quilt that keeps the chill off. Last year at Syncro de Mayo we
won the trophy for best campsite - Joelle thinks it was her quilt that
did the job.
I have installed some aftermarket creature comforts, including a propane
heater that runs on a thermostat, an awning, and extra batteries to run
the DVD player and other appliances. The next project will be a solar
system so that we can be out in the boonies for extended trips. Our
vacation last summer was a three-week road trip through Oregon and
Washington, and although we have traveled abroad extensively we were
amazed by the fun we had, cool people we met and how stunning our
country actually is when you get up close and personal. The VW is not
fast, so when you go, you go at its pace, not yours. It takes getting
used to, but quickly you relax, putt along, and start giving peace signs
to all of the other "hippie vans" that pass. ''
Read more:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/01/03/MTF41BDHB6.D
TL#ixzz0blEjizJG
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/01/03/MTF41BDHB6.D
TL
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