Send ideas for decorating a teen's room with slug bugs to RAINSOFT1@aol.com

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Barnabus the VW van was every color under the sun, but sadly, according to its owner (4084@trinity.berks.sch.uk), it had an unsuccessful fight for its life against lethal exhaust cancer. The national van hospital (which is called NVH International in the United Kingdom) couldn't change the course of events. :-(

'87 SYNCRO WESTY........When Joel Shortlidge bought his brother his first car (a rare, mint condition 1987 Syncro (All wheel drive) Westy weekender Vanagon), things began to happen. He found the van at the local VW in Lafayette, Indiana where he attends Purdue. The $5000 cost pales beside the offers now of $12,000. The journey to fame started when Joel took the van to New York, got some needed and very rare German parts from his girlfriend in Hamburg, and proceeded to win three VW shows! Offers to buy the van thus far, have just increased the desire to keep it. Joel suggests (www.vanagon.com) saying it’s a MUST for anyone who even likes Vanagons. This site is a great place to get repair helps, vendor lists, or to check on the club meetings and events where there are 400 members of the online list.

Susan Rooney dropped in with a note about the VW Van her parents bought from Warden VW out in Little Rock AK when her dad was stationed at the AF base there. While not a camper model, this Volkswagen ('69 or '70) was taken everywhere by her family, and they camped all over the country. Her mom made curtains to match its medium to light blue color with a white roof. Susan remembers learning how to drive using the stick shift, and the difficulty of putting it into reverse. She and her sister always got the giggles when her dad would exaggerate the acceleration power when it came time to enter the interstate. Susan's love for "that old thing" really shows as she writes about hating to see it traded in for a bigger van in the mid '70s to transport softball players, girl scouts, etc. She still wishes they had somehow been able to keep it. Her dad had even put a Roadrunner sticker on the back window because of the way the horn sounded. "Beep, "Beep"! She swears that if she knew where it was now, she'd try to buy it back so her 14 year old daughter could learn to drive a vehicle with a stick in it just as she and her sis did. She signed off with a sad line saying, "excuse me, while I go get a Kleenex! :)

ON THE ROAD TO ALASKA Jeremy George thinks VW lovers will enjoy his cousin's photos and writings about Volkswagen travel. To "accompany" Jason to Alaska, drop in at (http://homepages.msm.com/YosemiteDr./jasonjames/garage.html). Corresponding with Jason by e-mail, we learned that he had a wonderful time putting these web pages together. He said he enjoyed the "opportunity to really burn those images and memories into his brain."

This is Jason's first van, but not his first VDub. After driving a 85 Jetta for 50k miles, and a 71 Ghia for about 10 miles (eight were on the tow home), this VW van came to him by chance. Working as a mechanic's apprentice at Wizard Auto, Jason struck up a conversation with a "Van" gentleman who was dropping off a friend to pick up a vehicle. Expressing interest if it would ever be for sale paid off two months later with a phone call and finagaling about price from $6500 to $5500...then settling on $6000. Working out a deal with the bank provided most of the money, but the last thousand had to come from the sale of the Jetta, which turned out to be quite difficult! (Selling the Jetta was hard to believe: 85 Jetta, 8V, 115K , AT,AC, New waterpump, t-belt, p/s pump, 90 amp Bosch alt, batt, v-belts, Michelins, Euro grill, Nuespeed susp. tinted glass, alloys, paint, etc. The car was immaculate, except the driver's seat was a little dirty (mechanic owner). Although he wanted $2500 for it, and maybe could have gotten it eventually, Jason sold the Jetta for $1900 as time was a factor. He still remembers how he loved that car, and would like to get another 8V Jetta/Golf to give his van a rest. The Jetta was super reliable and easy to work on. His two ex-roomates both drove Jettas, an 87 GL1 with over 210k and is currently on it way back from California, and an 88GL with 150K, super reliable! )

BELOVED VAN SOLD! Alas, now Gail Glenn laments, she's sold her beloved Van, but to someone who will love it and continue its life. She sent the news and her thanks for putting her search for a good home on our web site. Now she's trying to learn how to live Van-less for the first time in 30 years, and says she'll drop by here occasionally to reminisce. Her last model was a '74 Pop-top Camper, which she owned for the last 21 years, only the second owner. Its mileage was 96,304, and had been used only for trips and camping: 2 double beds, kid's hammock bed, dinette table, jump seat, sink cabinet (with 7 1/2 gal. storage and water pump). The ice box cabinet was still in use, as was the rear door screen; and pop-top canvas with 3 minor tears patched with duct tape. The engine ran strong (probably needed a new air pump), and the transmission was good. After enjoying all the "memories" on our site, Gail almost decided not to sell her VW, but she knew it really needed new home. Cheer up e-mail can be sent to: gkg@cruzio.com.