Date:         Mon, 13 Feb 1995 13:49:51 CDT
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         wanek@whscdp.whs.edu
Subject:      Re: Sportsmobile

As usual, Unca Joel's information is dead accurate.  I sent for, and got
a quick response, on the Sportsmobile literature packet from their
Huntington, IN address.

Alas, they stopped doing VW conversions when the Vanagon came out.

I had a '72 VW Sportsmobile - but it was based on a 7-passenger sunroof,
so I didn't have the pop-top installed.  Quality of materials and variety
of floorplans was excellent - they were big on dual-use campers, and lots
of the interior components could be unbuckled and removed when more room
for haulage was needed (even the refrigerator!).
 
They weren't so hot on some of the internals, though - the dual-battery
setup for the new (in '72) alternator was a disaster - NEVER could keep
the batteries in a similar state of charge, and one or the other was
always overflowing acid.  :(

The new literature kits are fun - you get templates of the floor plans and
individual pieces, and can pick from one of many "standard" plans, or
design your own from scratch.

One interesting option:  they say they have exclusive rights to a 
unique air-conditioning system (I don't have the packet here at work, but
I think the name is "Star-Kool").  It's an add-on package to the
conventional auto air - while driving, it adds extra cooling to the 
passenger area, and, get this, when parked, it runs off of 110V!

I'd like to know if anyone on the list has tried out this system, or has
seen any reviews of it.  It sounds too good to be true.

Also, if anyone here has one of the old Sportsmobile pop-top units, how
has the top held up over the years in terms of leaks and rattles?

Glenn Wanek

wanek@whscdp.whs.edu
'82 Westfalia air-cooled
ex-'72 Sunroof Sportsmobile
ex-'73 Dodge Maxi-Van TEC PopTop Maxi-Rattletrap