Photo: kwattsandco / Bring a Trailer
You cannot measure passion in cash but seeing how someone would spend a ridiculous amount of money on his hobbies makes you wonder. This Vanagon Westfalia was rebuilt in 2011 for more than $63,000, which is insane for a Westy this old, no matter how good.
The Vanagon was one of the most popular versions of the Volkswagen Transporter. The Type 2’s successor seduced its customers with modern features for the era and a level of safety that was considered above what competition offered at the time. Many sold in the U.S. were Westfalia builds, coming with the necessary equipment to spend time away from civilization.
Even today, Vanagon Campers are preferred by the camper community for their qualities. Many are still in good shape, following extensive refurbishment. This is the case with this 1985 Westy powered by a replacement Subaru engine, a common upgrade for the Vanagon. The Japanese powerplant is considerably more powerful than the original engine, but it is still not good enough to be allowed registration in California.
The pop-top camper was extensively refurbished ten years ago at Transporter Werk’s garage. As insanely as this sounds, everything ended up costing more than $63,000. We don’t know whether Westy’s owner at the time got to enjoy his investment or not. Still, it certainly means that this Vanagon is in pristine condition. In the meantime, it got upgraded with a South-African-style grille, H4 headlights, and aftermarket driving lights, among others.
The body was refinished in gold with a contrasting stripe under previous ownership, and a paint repair is said to have been performed in 2021. The camper van comes with a three-way utility hookup, and inside the cabin, there is the usual Westfalia gear. The refrigerator is missing, having been removed under previous ownership. The captain’s chairs in the front are swiveling, and the seller mentions a jump seat is also included with the sale.
The Westy is offered on Bring a Trailer, and considering its condition, it might be worth checking out. Three people placed bids, with the highest at $16,000. Previous auctions showed us that similar Vanagons sell between $25,000 and $30,000. Don’t expect miracles with this one, especially when taking the expensive repairs bill into account.
Even today, Vanagon Campers are preferred by the camper community for their qualities. Many are still in good shape, following extensive refurbishment. This is the case with this 1985 Westy powered by a replacement Subaru engine, a common upgrade for the Vanagon. The Japanese powerplant is considerably more powerful than the original engine, but it is still not good enough to be allowed registration in California.
The pop-top camper was extensively refurbished ten years ago at Transporter Werk’s garage. As insanely as this sounds, everything ended up costing more than $63,000. We don’t know whether Westy’s owner at the time got to enjoy his investment or not. Still, it certainly means that this Vanagon is in pristine condition. In the meantime, it got upgraded with a South-African-style grille, H4 headlights, and aftermarket driving lights, among others.
The body was refinished in gold with a contrasting stripe under previous ownership, and a paint repair is said to have been performed in 2021. The camper van comes with a three-way utility hookup, and inside the cabin, there is the usual Westfalia gear. The refrigerator is missing, having been removed under previous ownership. The captain’s chairs in the front are swiveling, and the seller mentions a jump seat is also included with the sale.
The Westy is offered on Bring a Trailer, and considering its condition, it might be worth checking out. Three people placed bids, with the highest at $16,000. Previous auctions showed us that similar Vanagons sell between $25,000 and $30,000. Don’t expect miracles with this one, especially when taking the expensive repairs bill into account.
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