Find or Sell Used Cars, Trucks, and SUVs in USA

1986 Volkswagen Vanagon Syncro W/subaru Svx on 2040-cars

US $59,000.00
Year:1986 Mileage:200000 Color: Land Rover Green /
 Black and Grey
Location:

Merrick, New York, United States

Merrick, New York, United States
Transmission:Manual w/granny gear
Engine:2.1L 2109CC H4 GAS OHV Naturally Aspirated
Body Type:Standard Passenger Van
Vehicle Title:Clear
Fuel Type:GAS
For Sale By:Private Seller
VIN: WV2YB0252GG023126 Year: 1986
Exterior Color: Land Rover Green
Make: Volkswagen
Interior Color: Black and Grey
Model: Vanagon
Number of Cylinders: 4
Trim: Syncro Standard Passenger Van 3-Door
Drive Type: 4WD
Mileage: 200,000
Sub Model: Weekender
Condition: Used: A vehicle is considered used if it has been registered and issued a title. Used vehicles have had at least one previous owner. The condition of the exterior, interior and engine can vary depending on the vehicle's history. See the seller's listing for full details and description of any imperfections. ... 

First off, some photos:

http://subagon.com/best/frog-van/

Also, if you friend Joe Baker/Subagon on Facebook you will see other photos and I’d be happy to send more.

I also hear you can find photos on different sites...people often take pictures on my block, at gas stations, in the shop, on random streets and post them.

The biggest annoyance about the "Frog" is all of the attention it gets...the thumbs up on the road, the people stopping at my house and everyone that has ever had a VW bus story.

The story behind it:

I bought an 81 VW Vanagon (air cooled) in Tuscon in 1999 and exclusively drove it until I had to start driving my kids which is when I bought a Subaru Outback (and kept the Vanagon). I thought how great it would be if I could combine the power and reliability of the Outback with everything a Vanagon has to offer which is when I came across Subagon (it took me a very long time to find them) and did just that (combined the two) and a whole lot more.

The 81 was air cooled with 70hp and all the things that 70hp come with, plus I didn't feel all that comfortable putting kids in it.

The Frog has it all. The plan was to build a completely multi-use vehicle: comfort of the Vanagon with the reliability and "family-essence" of the Outback. I also planned and did use the Frog as an office...more on that later.

Below are a bunch of things about the Frog:

·       86 Syncro Weekender: super rare and sought after (way more than the Camper) – no “closet” in back...just pop top, pull down bed and built in fold up table

·       95 Subaru SVX engine -- they use these in airplane for the reliability -- plus now I have 260hp

plenty of new components on the engine: I have basically rebuilt and replaced anything that wasn't new or in perfect condition – like (I strongly encourage interested parties to speak directly with my mechanic):

o   air intake,

o   expansion tank,

o   hoses,

o   valves;

o   Subagon big front brakes

o   South African Grill and High Powered lights

o   Battery isolater

o   head gaskets;

o   spark plugs;

o   cooling system;

o   New timing belt;

o   New water pump;

o   Old Man EMU suspension;

o   Drive shaft decoupler

o   belts,

o   headers etc (you will see if you or a mechanic looks at it),

o   muffler (from van cafe - quiet and looks good)

o   I've also upgraded the starter -- GoWesty said they were the best so I put it in, turns over every time

o   All new CV joints and two new front axles with an extra in the van just in case you are surfing in Mexico and need a fix


I also have just about every add-on:

·       On-board compressor: I use it for everything from pumping basketballs to my tires and friends tires -- hidden nicely under the bench

·       propex heater and thermostat: immediate warm up, perfect for winter surf when taking wetsuit off or working from van in a cold day

·       solar panel and inverter: when sunny it powers my computer and phone all day, when it is rainy or night i would plug my Honda generator

·       new stereo with iPod hookup: good speakers as well

·       new starter (always turns over) http://www.gowesty.com/ec_view_details.php?id=23528&category_id=&category_parent_id=

·       cruise control: it is a bonus on those empty highways when you set it at 70 and just go

·       4 rear three point seat belts - 2 are on bench and 2 are on jump seats -- the bench seats are removable

·       2 jump seats (super rare)

·       hot foot shut off -- the heat works great, sometimes it is too great, so during the summer I shut off the heat completely and only fresh air will blow in -- if you have a Vanagon you know what I mean, this is a big job so it is nice to have

·       Tire swing with full tire: haven’t had to use, but nice to have a full size spare...the spare compartment can be used for storage if you want. I use the tire swing more to dry my wetsuits than anything

·       Hella lights: super insanely bright

·       New cooling system (not AC, cooling car)

·       Temperature guage (you don’t want to overheat)

·       New fans

·       front bush bar: kinda only use it to climb and get stuff from luggage

·       Fiamma awning: seems silly at first but if its a nice day and you will be there for more than an hour pull out the awning and a couple of chairs!: http://www.gowesty.com/ec_view_details.php?id=23446&category_id=&category_parent_id=

·       New upholstery

·       12” rock chip guard: my old Vanagon got dinged up there, this stuff is what they spray the beds of pickups with

·       all new interior: maybe it isn’t functional but it makes the van look new

·       New pop top: when you open it up the van gets big -- when you open the windows and keep the screens up it is super comfy with great breezes.

·       I had this extra Dynamat packing throughout to make it as quiet as possible -- it is super quiet for a Vanagon: I even had a super heavy rubber mat for the back over the engine compartment for added quiet...this one makes the most difference

·       Heavy duty rubber matting throughout: spills, sand, whatever can just be brushed out

·       Its a Syncro with a decoupler (on the fly 2WD to 4WD): means good gas mileage (18-20 on long drives at 65 in 2wd and the best 4wd vehicle you can imagine!)

·       Check out YouTube for Syncro vids...it is insane (the German military built it and they are super sought after especially since we don’t have that many in the US)

·       2" lift: it is kinda high, but you get used to it and it still handles great

·       South African Grill with high powered lights: basically the round lights and ones that work well

·       Tinted windows: it is beyond looks -- keeps it cooler and I like the privacy

·       Custom graphics: the Frog decals plus

·       Privacy curtain http://www.gowesty.com/ec_view_details.php?id=23600&category_id=57&category_parent_id=

·       Bug screens for slider and rear door: if you open the pop-top, open the slider and open the rear gate you have a bug free place to eat and hang out

·       GoWesty luggage rubber tie-down: that compartment stores a bunch with this you can throw stuff in it and drive. I mostly used it for my solar shower though. http://www.gowesty.com/ec_view_details.php?id=3664&category_id=&category_parent_id=

·       Swamp cooler (inverter/12V) http://www.swampy.net/ -- the best swamp cooler - it’s what FBI and police use -- no AC but this thing works great. Fill it will a couple of bags of ice and you don’t need to run the engine to stay cool (throw your food in there and you have an ice box and an AC.

·       Truck side view mirrors - look cool, but never move like most Vanagons

·       Hi-jack jack: you need this and this is the best, I also have the attachment you can use in sand/dirt/snow etchttp://www.gowesty.com/ec_view_details.php?id=4229&category_id=&category_parent_id=

·       Thule bike rack: two bikes, any bikes (I would lock my beach cruiser up and drive everywhere...it is rock solid : http://www.thule.com/en-US/US/Products/Bike-Carriers/Hitch/917XTR-T2

·       Yakima Roof rack: I used it for boards but these Yakima racks are super flexible



It has pretty much everything. 

I would typically take my bike and two boards and drive to a different surf break to work and surf during the day. If it was cold I'd use the Propex heater. If it was hot I'd get some ice and use the swamp cooler. I'd power everything with the secondary battery and solar panel. When we didn’t have sun I'd use my little Honda generator. My desk was the fold up table and bench seat. I'd usually pop the top but the breeze and light, plus I could move around, stand and even hop up for a nap. Phone via cell and Internet via thumb drive. I'd ride my bike to get lunch or maybe surf, come back and shower off with the solar shower I had stashed in the luggage rack. Sometimes I'd open the slider and the awning and work outside, but usually I liked the quiet and privacy in the van.

Why am I thinking about selling it? No one wants me to sell it. I am thinking about it because I changed jobs and never get to use it for why I had it built and am driving all over for work (sales)...the van gets around 18mpg and I don't want to beat on it driving on the bad NY roads, I was hoping to beat on it driving in the sand but that won't be happening as expected.

Anyway, the cost: $65,000. Sounds like a lot, but to have it built/outfitted you are definitely well over this, plus, and maybe more importantly all of the kinks have been worked out. It baaically has a new everything. If you are serious about buying one of these you either know what I mean, or should do some more research.


I have my work done professionally at http://gtprecision.com/index.htm.

 
The van can be shipped, we would just have to make arrangements. But if you are on the East Coast you are in luck as I think only a couple are here.

If you seriously interested, I wouldn’t wait too long as the more I write about it the less I want to sell it and something like this doesn’t come along very often (if you thought you saw this ad a couple of months ago you did, someone was about to buy it but had some health issues preventing him...I am guessing it won’t last all that long.)

 

Please, only serious inquiries. 

Tim

Auto Services in New York

Zuniga Upholstery ★★★★★

Automobile Parts & Supplies, Upholsterers, Automobile Seat Covers, Tops & Upholstery
Address: 31 Crown St, Brightwaters
Phone: (866) 595-6470

Westbury Nissan ★★★★★

New Car Dealers
Address: 15 Kinkel St, Locust-Valley
Phone: (516) 338-5600

Valvoline Instant Oil Change ★★★★★

Auto Repair & Service, Auto Oil & Lube, Automotive Tune Up Service
Address: 907 Old Country Rd, Old-Westbury
Phone: (516) 334-1442

Valvoline Instant Oil Change ★★★★★

Auto Repair & Service, Auto Oil & Lube, Automotive Tune Up Service
Address: 7374 Pittsford Palmyra Rd, Port-Gibson
Phone: (585) 223-1840

Value Auto Sales Inc ★★★★★

Auto Repair & Service
Address: 4854 Broadway, Wales-Center
Phone: (866) 595-6470

TM & T Tire ★★★★★

Auto Repair & Service, Automobile Body Repairing & Painting, Tire Dealers
Address: North-Salem
Phone: (718) 729-3500

Auto blog

Brazil contemplates safety exemption for VW Kombi as it goes out of production today [w/poll]

Tue, 31 Dec 2013

Brazil: the country of carnivals, indescribable beauty adjacent to abject poverty, Ayrton Senna and old Volkswagen models. Only they're not old - they're new, they're just based on old designs. The original Beetle continued production there long after it had been phased out elsewhere, but the original Kombi van has lasted much longer. That ends today, however, with the iconic VW Microbus ambling out of production on the last day of 2013.
VW kept making the van in Brazil with the original air-cooled 1.2-liter boxer four until 2005, after which the original design was updated with a 1.4-liter water-cooled engine. Today, however, it ultimately falls prey to safety regulations that mandate that all vehicles - no matter how old their design - need to have airbags and ABS, forcing Volkswagen do Brasil to cease production of the Microbus after a 56-year production run. But the latest word is that the Kombi (as it's presently known) could get a stay of execution - or at least a resurrection in short order.
According to reports, the Brazilian government is looking into granting the Type 2 Microbus an exemption from said safety regulations, reasoning that the van was designed long before the advent of airbags and ABS. If the measure goes through, the Kombi Last Edition (pictured above) could prove not to be the last at all. So what do you think, should the Microbus get an exemption from Brazilian safety regulations for nostalgia's sake? Vote in our poll below, then have your say in Comments.

Volkswagen officially grants access to UAW in Tennessee

Tue, Dec 9 2014

An audit at the Volkswagen factory in Chattanooga, TN has revealed that at least 45 percent of the facility's workers support unionization, leading the German company to grant access rights to the United Auto Workers. This is a tremendous step in the UAW's long-running and at times contentious pursuit of the workforce at Chattanooga. With this latest move, "local leadership is ready to move forward with additional conversations with the company," the union said in a statement obtained by The Detroit News. "As a starting point, UAW Local 42 will take advantage of the company's offer to establish bi-weekly meetings with Volkswagen Human Resources and the Volkswagen Chattanooga Executive Committee." The News reports that UAW Secretary-Treasurer Gary Casteel, shown above speaking at the Chattanooga plant last summer, claimed these meetings "will remind Human Resources and the Chattanooga Executive Committee of the mutually agreed-upon commitments that were made by Volkswagen and the UAW last spring in Germany. Among those commitments: Volkswagen will recognize the UAW as the representative of our members. We believe Volkswagen made this commitment in good faith and we believe the company will honor this commitment." It's important to note that despite Casteel's remarks, this is not a collective-bargaining agreement, Harley Shaiken, a labor professor at University of California, Berkeley, told The News. "But it is a step in the direction of recognition, which ultimately could lead to collective bargaining. This is not the end point," Shaiken said. "We don't know what's next. We're in unchartered territory."

Recharge Wrap-up: Smart Ready for Rent, MOIA comes to US in 2018

Mon, Dec 12 2016

Daimler is launching its "Smart Ready to Rent" service in Europe. Beginning this month in German and French cities, the rental scheme bridges the gap between short-term Car2go rentals and longer leases. Customers book the Smart model of their choice – including the emissions-free Electric Drive and the hotter Brabus versions – for a period of one day up to three months. As such, Smart Ready to Rent is useful to those who live outside of an urban center. Users can book a car online or through a dealer, and vehicles are collected and returned at the dealership. Read more at Green Car Congress. Volkswagen will launch its MOIA mobility arm in the US in 2018. The recently announced brand will take on public transportation as a competitor with services such as ride hailing and car sharing. VW is looking into forging partnerships with the likes of technology and ride sharing companies. The automaker also expects to show an electric shuttle-type concept in 2017 for pooling services, but will use the three-row VW Atlas crossover in the meantime until that concept reaches production. Look to see MOIA emerging in major cities along the US coasts. Read more at Automotive News. A new report from Lux Research suggests that most EV batteries are better off being recycled than reused. Once lithium-ion batteries have outlived their usefulness for automotive duty, some automakers (BMW, Nissan, and Toyota included) are looking at ways to use their remaining capacity, such as for stationary energy storage. The new report, though, says that reusing batteries offers "questionable returns on account of reduced performance." Better to be like Tesla, and just recycle them. Read more at Hybrid Cars. Related Gallery Smart ForTwo ED: Paris 2016 View 12 Photos Related Gallery 2018 Volkswagen Atlas Unveiling View 43 Photos News Source: Green Car Congress, Automotive News, Hybrid CarsImage Credit: Copyright 2016 Drew Phillips / AOL Green smart Volkswagen Green Automakers Transportation Alternatives Electric recharge wrapup