Date: Wed, 27 Jul 2022 11:34:55 -0500
Reply-To: Jim Felder <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Jim Felder <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Pristine Westy in 25 years?
In-Reply-To: <CACvdLxPZg=TO2ZaN_BQ5DnS3UyuHmYW8yAXEakagm3OLOn1h2g@mail.gmail.com>
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To set the record straight, my van has just shy of 400K miles on it. It is
OK to look at but would need a paint job to be considered "pristine." But I
still use it often, though it is, after all these many years, no longer my
daily driver. But it is original. And everything in it and on it works as
it did when it was delivered from the factory. It's a diesel, the owner in
25 years will have options to power it other than gasoline, including
electricity and who knows what else by then. It's a turbo five speed. There
is nothing wrong with or even different about the interior than the way it
was delivered, except for changes that can be easily removed or undone. The
original post on this thread was about adding attachment brackets, and
that's OK of course. I have just made it a point, when I wanted to do
something like that, to either find some other way to do it or to not do it.
If someone in 2047 wants to make it a pristine van out of it, they will
have a good platform to do that with. I have never done anything to the van
that cannot be undone. I think that originality, if it continues to be kept
that way, will make it more desirable. I didn't buy it as an investment, I
bought it to camp in. But the fact that it has increased in public value
tenfold over what I bought it for has emboldened me to continue to spend
money on it and keep it in good shape, with virtually every mechanical
piece of it being kept up to new car standards.
I've restored other cars way beyond what I have done with this. In the
1990s I found a garage kept 1959 MGA that was parked at 67,000 miles. I
restored it easily because every tiny screw and bolt was original. It is
still winning car shows and I could never afford to buy it back. In the
end, the originality and condition are the prime determining factor of
value, not the size of the tires, the performance specs, and the number of
modifications of a mechanical thing.
Right now, for me, it's dependability and utility, but it all keeps heading
in the same direction.
Jim
On Wed, Jul 27, 2022 at 10:59 AM David McNeely <davmcneely40@gmail.com>
wrote:
> Good approach, Eric
>
> On Wed, Jul 27, 2022 at 6:02 AM Eric Caron <ericcaron96@comcast.net>
> wrote:
>
> > Are we having two different conversations?
> >
> > Conversation 1 will people want to purchase vanagons in good condition in
> > 25 years?
> >
> > Conversation number 2, What are you doing with your van now and into the
> > future?
> >
> > I was responding to conversation number 1 Will there be a demand for VW
> > buses in 25 years when I said yes I think so, and who would have
> predicted
> > 25 years ago the current demand.
> >
> > I was responding to David asking where are the pristine Buses now when I
> > reported the recent sale of such vans locally.
> >
> > And the second conversation what I plan to do with mine. Keep it healthy
> > and as rust free as possible while taking it out for every adventure I
> > can. And, each ding and imperfection will have a story and memory to go
> > with it.
> >
> > I believe the vans love to be driven, and though it is fun to look at
> > those in museums I plan to run mine all I can.
> >
> > It seemed like my messages were crossing in the conversations as
> responses
> > didn’t seem to match what I was trying to say!
> >
> > Sorry about that.
> >
> > And, there is more then one right way to enjoy one’s van’s
> >
> > Mine isn’t to keep perfect, I just enjoy the care almost as much
> > as the traveling.
> >
> > Eric Caron
> >
> >
> > > On Jul 26, 2022, at 11:46 PM, Alistair Bell <albell@SHAW.CA> wrote:
> > >
> > > Yes Eric,
> > >
> > > So stop using your van, every day you use it , it lowers the price in
> > the wonderful world 25 years from now.
> > >
> > > :-)
> > >
> > > Alistair
> > >
> > >> On Jul 26, 2022, at 8:40 PM, Eric Caron <ericcaron96@comcast.net>
> > wrote:
> > >>
> > >> Here is a example of this type of van.
> > >>
> > >> Two campers a 1980 and 1983.5 and a 87 passenger van and a 59 bug
> > recently sold in my area. Vans were low miles, original and clean. Bug
> > was restored. A local VW dealer owner purchased them all. They were
> sold
> > because the owners lost their inexpensive winter storage and decided it
> was
> > time to let the VW’s go.
> > >> The seller wanted to sell them as a package and they went fast, though
> > not cheap.
> > >>
> > >> Though now that I think about it sold individually they would likely
> > bring a higher price now.
> > >> I'm not saying vans should be preserved as new. I prefer they be
> > used and cared for. I’m just responding the question would there be
> those
> > that want them and willing to pay a price for original condition in 25
> > years? I believe yes.
> > >>
> > >> More importantly these vans have great karma.
> > >>
> > >> Eric Caron
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>> On Jul 26, 2022, at 10:56 PM, David McNeely <davmcneely40@GMAIL.COM>
> > wrote:
> > >>>
> > >>> So where are these low miles, perfectly clean, stock Campmobiles?
> Jim
> > has
> > >>> one. How many others are there?
> > >>>
> > >>>> On Tue, Jul 26, 2022 at 7:09 PM Eric Caron <ericcaron96@comcast.net
> >
> > wrote:
> > >>>>
> > >>>> Hi Alistair, How many people would have said the same thing 25
> years
> > ago,
> > >>>> and how is the current demand for a low miles perfectly clean stock
> > >>>> Westfalia?
> > >>>>
> > >>>> Pretty good demand I think! Though I would prefer one with several
> > >>>> upgrades including bigger wheels, improved suspension, and a bit
> more
> > >>>> power. But That’s about it.
> > >>>>
> > >>>> In 25 years I’ll be approaching 80 years old so will want either my
> > Westy
> > >>>> as is or converted to electric and still be out there enjoying
> > camping and
> > >>>> the Piece signs from people of all ages.
> > >>>> But, pristine it currently isn’t and won’t be then. It will
> > hopefully be
> > >>>> solid, pretty, and functional, with some dings that come with great
> > >>>> memories.
> > >>>>
> > >>>> Eric Caron
> > >>>>
> > >>>> On Jul 26, 2022, at 9:27 PM, Alistair Bell <albell@SHAW.CA> wrote:
> > >>>>>
> > >>>>> The fraction of the world looking for a pristine westy in 25 years
> > is ….
> > >>>>>
> > >>>>>
> > >>>>> Well….
> > >>>>>
> > >>>>> Very very low
> > >>>>>
> > >>>>> :-)
> > >>>>>
> > >>>>> Ab
> > >>>>>
> > >>>>>> On Jul 26, 2022, at 4:25 PM, Jim Felder <jim.felder@gmail.com>
> > wrote:
> > >>>>>>
> > >>>>>> Double sided tape is a good solution. Remember, no matter how you
> > get
> > >>>> Carried away with your own needs, in 25 years the world will not be
> > looking
> > >>>> for westies with holes drilled in the cabinets.
> > >>>>>>
> > >>>>>> Jim
> > >>>>>>
> > >>>>>> Sent from my iPhone
> > >>>>>>
> > >>>>>>> On Jul 25, 2022, at 1:12 PM, Alistair Bell <albell@shaw.ca>
> wrote:
> > >>>>>>>
> > >>>>>>> Only way I can suggest , short of drilling holes, is using 3m
> high
> > >>>> bond double sided tape.
> > >>>>>>>
> > >>>>>>> It’s quite strong. But you can use solvents to get it off agajn
> > >>>>>>>
> > >>>>>>>
> > >>>>>>> Alistair
> > >>>>>>>
> > >>>>>>>>> On Jul 25, 2022, at 8:37 AM, Pete Sicilia <pete@coffeepot.org>
> > >>>> wrote:
> > >>>>>>>>
> > >>>>>>>> Hi gang,
> > >>>>>>>>
> > >>>>>>>> I was doing some last minute pre-camping shopping on Amazon and
> > saw
> > >>>> someone
> > >>>>>>>> had mounted quickfists to the back of their cabinet. As seen in
> > the
> > >>>> reviews
> > >>>>>>>> of this item... https://a.co/d/5OOFTvb
> > >>>>>>>>
> > >>>>>>>> I may have had a lapse in impulse control ;)
> > >>>>>>>>
> > >>>>>>>> Does anyone have an opinion on the best (strongest and least
> > damaging)
> > >>>>>>>> mounting option for securing quickfists and other items to the
> > fiber
> > >>>> board
> > >>>>>>>> cabinets?
> > >>>>>>>>
> > >>>>>>>> Thanks!
> > >>>>>>>> Pete
> > >>>>
> >
>
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