Photo: catherinestark / Bring a Trailer
Many camper van lovers liked the Volkswagen Vanagon, especially with Westfalia equipment. Nevertheless, the small engines failed to impress, and that’s why people swapped them for more powerful Subaru equivalents.
Volkswagen Vanagon was a great upgrade over the famed Type 2 of the ’70s. Improved safety, better equipment, and a modern design really made a difference. Nevertheless, Volkswagen’s decision not to offer more powerful engines made some people avoid it. Others looked for solutions to improve the dynamics of the van. After all, Volkswagen promoted it as a mean driving machine with the road manners of a wagon.
The most straightforward upgrade was replacing the engine with a more powerful one. Still, given the flat engine bay, there weren’t many options. A Subaru’s flat-four engine was one of them, and it proved to be the best. Fitting perfectly inside the Vanagon, the Subaru powerplant was twice as powerful, and rock solid too. Any Subaru engine with a 2.2 or 2.5-liter displacement built before 2012 was a good choice, and those who installed one claim it is even more economical than the original engine, despite the increased power.
This 1987 Volkswagen Vanagon listed on Bring a Trailer is a Westfalia pop-top camper modified with a Subaru 2.2-liter flat-four during previous ownership in 2008. The seller acquired the van in 2020, overhauling the front brakes and replacing the top canvas and power-steering rack. The van is finished in maroon over grey cloth upholstery (not a great combination, if you ask) and has a strange black paint over the front fascia.
The front cabin has swiveling captain’s chairs and a fold-out table, which can be used as a dinette. The rear compartment features a kitchenette with cabinets, a sink, and a two-burner stove concealed beneath a fold-down prep surface. A refrigerator is present, and it can work on either a 120-volt connection or a 12-volt battery. According to the listing, the indicator lights on the front of the stove do not work. There’s also a fold-flat bench, which turns into a bed, with a second bed under the roof.
This Volkswagen Vanagon Westfalia is listed on Bring a Trailer, where it sells with service records, a clean Carfax report, and a clean Oregon title in the seller’s name. Five people placed their bids, with the highest at $4,500. This could be an excellent price for the Westy if it sticks. But the price may rise, considering the four days left until the auction closes. It’s also possible that the owner has a higher reserve on this one.
The most straightforward upgrade was replacing the engine with a more powerful one. Still, given the flat engine bay, there weren’t many options. A Subaru’s flat-four engine was one of them, and it proved to be the best. Fitting perfectly inside the Vanagon, the Subaru powerplant was twice as powerful, and rock solid too. Any Subaru engine with a 2.2 or 2.5-liter displacement built before 2012 was a good choice, and those who installed one claim it is even more economical than the original engine, despite the increased power.
This 1987 Volkswagen Vanagon listed on Bring a Trailer is a Westfalia pop-top camper modified with a Subaru 2.2-liter flat-four during previous ownership in 2008. The seller acquired the van in 2020, overhauling the front brakes and replacing the top canvas and power-steering rack. The van is finished in maroon over grey cloth upholstery (not a great combination, if you ask) and has a strange black paint over the front fascia.
The front cabin has swiveling captain’s chairs and a fold-out table, which can be used as a dinette. The rear compartment features a kitchenette with cabinets, a sink, and a two-burner stove concealed beneath a fold-down prep surface. A refrigerator is present, and it can work on either a 120-volt connection or a 12-volt battery. According to the listing, the indicator lights on the front of the stove do not work. There’s also a fold-flat bench, which turns into a bed, with a second bed under the roof.
This Volkswagen Vanagon Westfalia is listed on Bring a Trailer, where it sells with service records, a clean Carfax report, and a clean Oregon title in the seller’s name. Five people placed their bids, with the highest at $4,500. This could be an excellent price for the Westy if it sticks. But the price may rise, considering the four days left until the auction closes. It’s also possible that the owner has a higher reserve on this one.
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