Date: Fri, 30 May 2014 08:48:11 -0700
Reply-To: Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Poor Man's Syncro...Friday OT..Safari AWD (a bit long)
In-Reply-To: <CAHTkEuJMh72R++sKzKpdG_Y5CB=hXAENeeaHF34zqG6fhx8K3w@mail.gmail.com>
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Plenty of these were converted commercially into "Westie like" pop top campers. I looked at one 10 years ago but ended up with an EVC. I'd have been better off with a Safari. Check out www.astrosafarivans.com.
Stuart
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of Don Hanson
Sent: Friday, May 30, 2014 7:17 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Poor Man's Syncro...Friday OT..Safari AWD (a bit long)
I just got a '97 GM Safari AWD van to supplement my 84 low roof westie wanna-be .
I've 'shopped' diligently around various NW US online listings for the past few weeks, where there are always a dozen or so listed each day, Running condition ones normally priced from around $1000 to $4-5K, I paid $2k for this, a one-owner van with full records, a van that looks to have been intelligently maintained and driven well . A second set of good snow tires and wheels, tow package, drilled rotor brake upgrade, etc..
Amazingly, it's got all the luxury options and they all still work.. It's awfully "tarted-up" for my tastes, what with power everything and front and rear heat and AC and six captains chairs in real leather (un-cracked, NW
vehicle) I'm not very keen on all these electronic widgets and OBD II
stuff, but it's been trouble-free for 14yrs under the original owner, so maybe GM got it pretty right..we shall see, I guess.
I was actually looking for a more basic AWD van to be my work vehicle, but this little lux-o-truck was so well kept I went for it. The price was quite
good, given it's condition. It's almost 'too nice' Inside, it reminds
me of the Eurovan or any other minivan...though these GM vans do have more
height inside than most American-market minivans. They are built on the
GM small truck chassis and it drives a bit like a small truck. Driving this one I can now see how Scott came to his opinion that Vanagons are 'sports-car vans'...My 84 tin top feels much lighter..
These GM vans(Astro is almost identical to Safari) have a fanatic cult following, just like our syncros do...Being built with Chevy/GM truck and car parts, the easy modification options are almost endless, a lot of 'plug
and play' possible and easy using parts from other GM vehicles. The
standard engine is the V6 (190hp) that was derived from Chevy's iconic 350 v-8, minus two of the cylinders. It's been used 'forever' in most of GM's mid-size trucks, as has the 4sp auto tranny... The towing capacity listed is 5000lbs, one of the reasons that made this vehicle attractive to me as a work vehicle...I have a 10' Wells Cargo tool/toy trailer that I often need to haul, with heavy loads inside..
The rear has 'dutch doors' with a hatch on the top half and two swing-outs below.. it will carry two full size motorcycles inside, thanks to the motor's front location and low rear floor..It looks to be wide enough to have a sleeping platform cross-wise inside.
Now I'll no longer have to 'schlep' my gear in and out of the vanagon all the time, switching from tools to toys and back, sometimes twice a day.... and I'll be able to easily make my driveway in the snowy months.
If and when my "ship comes in" or if I win the lottery I can see myself spending 'syncro dollars' here, but for now it's my Poor-Mans Syncro..
Don Hanson
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