Hi All - Our first = message... It has been great reading about all your joys and troubles while trying to = get geared up to pick up our first Vanagon. We just bought a '90 Westy and = will be driving it back to our home cross country. Can we bug you with = some questions? Thanks very much for any help you may be able to = give:

-We often go off = road through the desert in spots with bad washboard and sometimes soft sand. Is there = anything you can do to make the vehicle more suitable for off road = travel? We were thinking maybe stiffer shocks and/or higher clearance. Is the = Vanagon top heavy or wind unstable without more height?

-Is there any way to = add additional seating which can be removed, i.e. by bolting it into and out = of the floor?

-Finally, we will be = forced to leave our buddy in very bright sunshine outside most of the year. I have = seen other Vanagons around here really damaged by the sun. Does anyone have experience with some kind of cover?

Thanks a lot. We are looking forward = to meeting folks on the road soon.

Signed,

Working on a good name for our new buddy- = probably have to wait for the road trip.