Date: Sat, 01 Feb 1997 21:01:41 -0800
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: Thad Hunkins <hunkins@mbay.net>
Subject: Family Camper
Hi all,
I sent a message asking for advice on a particular VW I'm looking
at (86GL Vanagon,2.1L,110k,rebuilteng,7seater,foldbed,$3900). Thought
I'd relate what we decided on for camping.
If you recall, I was interested in a full camper with pop top and
would seat 7. Basically the answer was--Not all in one. At least not by
VW. You can get close. But seating 6 with the full camper is all you
can get. By the way, this is all info I got from MANY MANY people from
this group. Thanks again to everyone.
I got one letter from Norman Leong (thank you!) who turned me
onto a place in San Jose called Country Home Campers. Basically it is a
custom camper place and he specializes in VWs, Ford Aerostars, and Chevy
Astrovan conversions. He puts on:
Pop top
Fridge/sink/stove combo
Tables
Any cabinetry you desire
Curtains and similar amenities
Lots of other extras (luggage racks, awnings,
tents that attach to the rear for camping, pottys, tinting, TV, etc. etc.
--really just about anything you want!)
2 neat things:
First neat thing is the sink/stove/fridge is made so it doesn't
block any of that rear big seat, so you can sit 3 easily back there. He
is gonna put in another seat belt for us so you can even seat 4 (I
couldn't believe how big that seat was) on the rear seat in a pinch.
It's actually not that big of a pinch either. We will also have one of
those rear facing seats behind the front passenger. That makes 7! Yeah!
Second neat thing is that, unlike the Vanagon camper models, this
sink/stove/fridge unit is completely removable--fairly easily (It gets
easier the more you do it). We will also have the bench seat that can go
back (of course, pull the rear facing seat out) in when the "camper unit"
is out so we can seat 7 comfortably and (with that 4th seatbelt across
the rear seat) 8 in a pinch.
Anyway, that's it. On solution for a family who wants a minivan
some of the time and a camper some of the time. I got a lot of mail from
people who had a similar interest so I thought I'd post to the whole
group. The prices, of course, vary upon what you're gonna put in your
particular custom build, but I'm probably gonna pay around 7 - 8K. With a
4K vehicle, I don't see that as being unreasonable since I get exactly
what I want. And it sure isn't $37,000 for the new EV.
If I can help in anyway, please E-mail me. I am very grateful for all
the extensive advice I have gotten from this group.
Thanks all...Thad
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