Date:         Wed, 14 Apr 1999 16:35:20 -0400
Reply-To:     Bulley <gmbulley@BULLEY-HEWLETT.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Bulley <gmbulley@BULLEY-HEWLETT.COM>
Subject:      What is THAT thing?

When I was growing up, sometimes things were a bit tight financially for my
mom...

Consequently, certain things around the house (toys, appliances, clothing,
etc.) weren't the Actual Name Brand(r), but a "virtually identical"
off-price brand. I just recently threw out an old watch I bought which only
worked for a few years...the name on the watch, Selko, (they were hoping
you didn't look too closely).

Anyway, today, Downtown Raleigh just outside of Memorial
Auditorium/Convention Center, I saw a guy driving what appeared to be an
"off-brand" Westfalia. I would like to know what it was, to augment my
knowledge of "almost as good" products...

It was a gold, 1983.6-1987 camping contraption. Virtually identical in
appearance to the Westy, it had a 3/4 F/R split poly-pop-up top, but
instead of the sides of the top being smooth and almost straight up, like a
Westy, they had a couple of little steps, like the Aztec pyramids of the
Yucatan. Instead of being flat, like a Westy, the top appeared to be
grooved, and bowed slightly, kind of like a Quonset hut (ala USMC
1941-Gomer Pyle), but not as bowed.

It had little camping-hook-appliance-up geebers on the left side, like a
Westy, but smaller, and in different locations. It had an awning attached
to the right side, in a little zippered pouch. The windows were the BIG
sliders, (unlike the wee sliders in the Westy) and the screens were mounted
to the outside of window frame with screws, (ala Spanky & Alfalfa).

It did not have any badges to identify the maker (that I could see),
although I imagined there ought to be a sticker across the top that said
"Wistfullia", or something similarly cheeky.

It had a driver; a semi-pastey, middle-aged, white guy, like myself, who
appeared unashamed, and okay with his "off-brand" VW Camper. I was driving
our Jetta, but I didn't want to run him off the road to ask questions; (My
insurance rates just went down for six years of safe driving. You
understand...)

What was that?

G. Matthew Bulley
Bulley-Hewlett & Associates
www.bulley-hewlett.com
Cary, NC USA
888.468.4880 tollfree