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Some time ago I bought this sweet 1984 VW Vanagon. It is an “L” model, which means no accessories or luxuries of any kind. It doesn’t have anything power, not even the steering, and it has a small 1.9 litter engine with a standard 4 speed transmission.
I always loved these machines for their simple shape and mechanical, so I’ve been in the hunt for a cheap one from a long time. Since they are now consider a desirable collector vehicle for VW enthusiasts, they can go really high in price, with ranges between the $4,000 to sometimes as high as $40,000, depending on the condition and accessories in it.
But for me it is not as much because of a collector vehicle that I love it, but rather because to me they are a very representative vehicle of what an Aspie is. In the outside it might look as not much; just a box on wheels; but in my eyes inside they hold a whole mind world!!
Since an Aspie (or at least in my case) doesn’t look like much in the outside, yet have a big inside mind world due to live mostly “inwards” as being part Autistic, this vehicle represents that, and it is what is inside what really counts. These vehicles can be passenger vans, cargo vans, campers, etc, whatever you want it to be, just by changing the interior arrangement.
So to me they are Aspie Vans; and I wanted one for me to be my number one car. So when I found this one in non running condition but as a solid body without rust, making it a perfect candidate for restoration, and all for just $ 500, I immediately grabbed it and started to work on it.
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Now it is in running condition, although not reliable because the engine was just activated but not repaired, so strange noises roam the engine compartment, which I know are from the engine and transmission together.
Still, a good surprise it gave me is that it is an extraordinary vehicle for off road exploration, mostly in part because of it high clearance, rigid suspension and (it seems) heavy duty shocks installed by the previous owner. With my son we went to try it in dirt roads and completely off road, and despite it is a rear wheel drive vehicle (not FWD or 4WD), it really responded extremely well. So that’s another point to restore this van.
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(You can see in the picture above how an Aspie feels while surrounded by people!!)
Yet it’ll take a long time and lots of work, so to fix now my problem of not having a #1 car, I bought the red van I mentioned in a previous post, just to have a vehicle while I work in this one.
I know it’ll take me probably about a year to do the whole restoration, but I think maybe by next summer (2016) it’ll be ready to hit the roads (and the off roads), while breaking the hearts of VW enthusiasts! LOL
I will post the progress in the restoration here as time goes by (and maybe even open a specific web site for it).
Raul
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