My Westy Project...

[ScottyK]

1982 Volkswagen Vanagon Diesel, Westfalia 179,000 miles on original engine, 4 speed manual

My wife and i have been talking about picking up a westy for years. This last year we took the search more seriously and decided to buy sometime this summer, if we can find a diesel. Most people know, the diesels are a slow go .. but they do get great mpg. My wife is pretty much a treehugger, so this is very important to her. On the way back from St Cloud, I got 34+mpg. I find that amazing, and the acceleration was slow, but not terrible. Quite manageable really. What's on the project list at the moment is...

Oil change
Gear Bushings
Lowering the westy (so it fits in my garage better)

In the next couple weeks..

Clean out and refinish the interior
Fix the rust and paint the exterior
Possible tdi swap or rebuild.

These are pretty vague, I know. But this won't be a car I flip. It's a keeper. This will be a long term project that I am very very much looking forward to. I've been wanting a westy for a long time!!

On the way home, stopped at Hinckley to stretch and get a bite to eat...



Some shots from in my driveway of how it was when I got it.





More pics coming!

[Fearnside]

Not quite the 1.8t passat you were looking for eh?

[Jigs]

Awesome! Lets see some interior pics!

[ScottyK]

Not quite the 1.8t passat you were looking for eh?

Haha,

The search for a wagon is still out there. Just have a little Westy project to work on on the side now too. ;-)

[ScottyK]

With the top opened up....

[Digital K]

those hub caps.

[ScottyK]

those hub caps.

lol

Yeah, those went soon after the pics. Steelies need paint, but as they are are better than thos hub caps!

[ScottyK]

Awesome! Lets see some interior pics!

[ScottyK]

Almost forgot about this nice hole on the inside of the tailgate.

[Audiphile]

Looks like a fun project! I look forward to progress.

[ScottyK]

And some engine bay shots...








Thats all for now!

[ScottyK]

Oh, and todays project. Cleaned it out and somewhat organized all the stuff in all of the storage bins. Also tore off ALL of the peeling contact paper. Gonna likely paint in there where the contact paper was. Prob White. Removed the headliner piece and rear tailgate piece. Gonna replace those with some stuff from Mee-nards. Maybe plain white or maybe a woodgrain pattern of sorts. We'll see whats available I suppose.

[JK9K]

So, any idea what they had to do different to those motors to sit them in there all tipped on their side?

[Sven7]

A Westy, diesel and three pedals! Damn! It's gonna be a fun one. Paint it mustard yellow

[boardrider247]

So, any idea what they had to do different to those motors to sit them in there all tipped on their side?

If I remember correctly it is simply a different oil pan and oil pump pickup.
You can fairly easily swap a inline gas engine into these particular vans. As they share so many parts with the diesel.

Scotty what is the top speed of this beast?
I have always believed these to be the slowest VW ever produced.
I had a non westy 82 diesel and that would barely touch 55 on level ground.