Vanagon Syncro Rescue- Cheap Syncros Still Exist!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 21 ส.ค. 2024
- Dragging Home another bus!
We traveled to Upstate NY at a moments notice to purchase some vanagons. I'm keeping the syncro (Still unsure if it will be used as a donor for a syncro swap, a parts car, or put back on the road) and gifting the '84 Wolfsburg Edition to Dan as a wedding present.
In this video, we take you through the adventure of going to get a bus without much notice, mechanical breakdowns of the towing vehicle, and the thrilling process of relieving seized rear brakes on a vanagon.
Overall, it was a great success and proves once and for all that Cheap Syncros still exist- you've just got to be ready to jump! - ยานยนต์และพาหนะ
![เบิ้ล ปทุมราช - สาวสอง ( มีมี่ของอ้าย ) ft. ตาต้า,ต้องเต [OFFICIAL MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/mqlMjnP08XI/mqdefault.jpg)
This guy looks like Bert(Geology guy) from big bang theory :)
To buy a car only by mail means a lot of passion but also a little madness ! I sincerely admire you !
Sometimes... ya just gota Jump!
option number 3, pull the Syncro drivetrain and put it into another Westy and use this for parts to keep other Vanagons on the road. Thanks for another great video!
Now to find the right Westy.... : )
@@TheBarefootForge and then. Use the old rusty to install a Subaru drivetrain in. It
That'd be my vote too... Pull it and convert a 2wd Westy to Syncro. Just not enough of those left and as you say in another reply, the body is terminal on this one.
@@WHJeffB the problem is…. Do I need another syncro Westy? : /
Parts on the shelf make me sleep better at night.
@@TheBarefootForge Definitely a valid point... Not many Syncro anything left now days. I traded in my 86 Syncro Quantum wagon for an Audi Quattro about 22yrs ago... It would actually be kind of nice to have that back right now!
Hard to say. Probably part it out. Please whatever you decide continue to post content. This channel helped me finally pull the trigger on my first syncro...no regrets
Oh awesome!!! What did you get? Let’s hear about this syncro!!!
You’re going to have a great journey with it!
Thanks for the support and I’m glad I could inspire you!
This sounds like something I did a couple of months ago. A guy here in St. Charles, MN found a few Vanagons for sale in Centerville, WI and asked if I could bring one or two back for him with my '21 Ram 2500 and a U-Haul trailer. He bought two, an '84 GL and an '87 GL Syncro for $400 total. We left two more GLs. His '87 Syncro was made in April 1987. Mine was made 9 February 1987, two days after my third son was born.
Awesome. Restore of course!
Stay tuned! I’ll do another video with a deeper exploration soon.
Syncro conversion for sure
But I already have two syncro westies….. idk…..
Found the channel today and thank you. You have inspired me to learn to work on my 1990 VW High-Top Westy.
That is awesome!
Had both 86 and 91 syncro Vanagons, the 91 was a weekender. Loved them. Now live in Rural south Ecuador with a 95 Brazilian kombi. Wish we had a syncro here.
Very cool! You can ship/import a syncro to Ecuador!
@@TheBarefootForge Sadly, no vehicles can be imported by citizens into Ecuador. Only new vehicles can be brought in by dealerships. I certainly wish we could.
love your videos reminds me of my youth !!!!!
I’m glad we can rekindle some youthful energy!
Love the videos. Look at her she wants to feel the wind again #1
Save it, there were a very limited number of syncros made and when they're gone they're gone. The rust can be replaced by new panels they're available. It's syncro on the paperwork and the vin plate, you won't have that if you do a westy swap. Value of these is going to go way up in the near future. It's the only intelligent option ( imho)
Ya.... but some of them have to die, and this one just kinda feels like it's one of those...
Idk. We'll see soon, and we'll do a video showcasing "Why".
@@TheBarefootForge nothing to cry about. Its just another clunker.
@@goclunker ehh- it’s definitely still a highly valuable and collectible vehicle.
@@goclunker I’ll sell it to you for $10k if you’d like. Someone would easily pay that.
@@TheBarefootForge no thx, i have more sense than that. I do love looking at T3s for sale and laughing. Mostly dilapidated and asking gold money for literal nuggets. Oh no, rusting out, filthy, running on 3 cylinders, resprayed by helen keller, 10k lmao
Option three sounds like the most fun and adventure.
I do love the adventures!
We shall see!
3. Best of both.
I love the rust raining off the drum as you smack it with a sledge hammer, hahahaa. No one can ever accuse you of being afraid of hard work Craig. BTW, I like option #2. Part it out, and keep some other vanagons going.
Sometimes you've just got to whack it harder! Getting drums off can seriously be one of the hardest operations on these busses, when they choose not to play nice- they win.
I agree, i think parting it out makes the most sense- but we shall see.... you never know when the exact right donor is going to come along!
Get it back on the road. Might be a money pit, but so worth as they are rare as hens teeth!
And yet some of them have to die to preserve others.
This just might be one of those.
We will see- another video with a deeper dive soon!
The Syncros were actually built for the Federal Border Police and for the Bundeswehr, then other authorities wanted it too, then the population, but it was enormously expensive. greetings from germany
They’re so cool! VERY capable off road!
@@TheBarefootForge I was a soldier for 12 years, we only called the VW T2 flatbeds shifting dunes because they were so sluggish in the terrain, the VW Syncro was something completely different
You certainly sound like the 3rd Option is your own personal Favorite.
Ehh. Idk. I think it probably makes the most sense to cut it up and part it out. Idk. It’s pretty rough.
Great Video!! Greetings from Germany,CGN 🤟
Greetings friend! Thanks, Im glad you enjoyed it! Check out our other rescue videos and wild restorations!
Great video's ! Love the adventures and the treasures !
Thanks for the engagement! These types of comments inspire me to make more videos- so please.... keep it up! It helps them get seen and more importantly..... it helps them get made!
I’m glad I can share the journey with you!
Synchro westy build. LETS GOOOO
But I’ve already got two of those….. idk. I think I’d rather have parts on the shelf.
Be sure to follow the syncro Westy build that’s ongoing in the other videos!
I've always had an interest in the late sixties early seventies westfalias watch and all you guys's videos I'm really starting to get into these 80s models I like their looks and style he thinks I might have to start hunting for something like this be a lot cheaper than a 70's model
not only that- the T3 (Vanagon) is SUPREMELY better of a vehicle, far more modern then the T2 (bay window) bus. It will drive on the highway, not kill you in an accident, and can accomodate modern engines, towing, braking, etc etc etc. They can have airconditioning, heat, stereos that work. Bays are cool, they have lots of charm, but so much of that charm is from bad childhood memories and people that haven't driven one maxed out on a modern highway.
@@TheBarefootForge what I've noticed a lot in your videos on how they look they actually look like they have heaters that work LOL think I'm going to have to start looking around see what I can find and go from there even if it's just the base model and not the Westphalia or camper models I'd still be happy but I always look for the usual rusted areas like floor pans suspension parts all that I'm not worried about will Wells or things like that as long as they're not too bad as long as it's mechanically solid too much body work I might just look for one
now up to date on all videos. looking forward to next one
There are several progression videos on the blue bus build, and multiple more edited and ready to upload- so more content soon!
That's the only bus that for now will get a fully documented build.
keep it alive man
Nah, we cut it up. Some of them have to die.
1 - get it on the road. Have you not seen the prices if VIN coded Syncros? You’re in for a HUGE profit.
But it might take $15k just in body work, let alone all the drivetrain, to make it a $20k car.
Idk….
@@TheBarefootForge after doing a search on AutoTempest … there is one Syncro for sale in the country. ONE. That’s a case of “low supply” which means high price!
@@MrJeddurso that’s because they sell on thesamba.com. Dozens available at any point. Tin tops sit around for sale for years. Syncro westies though….
@@TheBarefootForge Agreed. Convert it to a Westie and get $45,000? Wow
@@MrJeddurso ehh. I’ve done that a few times, and it’s ALOT of work. These days a donor is $12k.
And then you still have the intense body work this one needs.
If anything, this becomes a syncro donor to syncro swap a 2wd westfalia.
I would say option one
Let’s hope it’s got enough there to save it then!
where's the rest of the interview with the owner? i'd dig watching that too
If at all viable, I would argue to keep it complete or bring it back to life yourself. It can only apppreciate over time.
Ya, i'm just concerned this one isnt a logical candidate for that. $10,000 worth of body work would make this an $8,000 syncro.... and it would still have no running gear.
Hey, Barfoot Force Interesting question I would consider getting the Syncro back on the road if the eventual rust is overcoming. I refer to the framework the bodywork looks ok I think so anyway good luck with the project. Greetings from Norway.HCS
Sadly I think it’s pretty terminal. I Didn’t show it thoroughly in this video (I’ll do a video showing why I make my decision when I do). The body is fully rotted above the trailing arm attachment points on both sides, and the frame is showing signs of rust through from the inside where the front subframe attaches.
It’s pretty bad.
@@TheBarefootForge Well that`s too bad. Bud that`s happens cheers
First off love your videos just recently started following you after the purchase of my first vanagon. Idk if it would be justifiable to save this one parting it out would be the easiest but I’d really like to see you do a syncro westy build.
No matter what, this bus secures my future in some capacity.
Option 4. OK, I added one. Put it back on the road with added Westfalia equipment.
Ehh. I already have done that. And I already have syncro westies.
We parted it. : /
About a month ago in part two of this video, we parted it out.
Had one of those '84 Wolfsburgs. I didn't know it was a 1 year only thing. Yes it had the blue corduroy interior. No A/C and a manual transmission. Mine had the bed, screens and snap up curtains, I don't know if that was standard or not.
Yep! That’s an 84 Wolfsburg. One year only. Not particularly desirable, but quite rare.
Put it back on the road 😃😁
Ehh... We shall see!
there are 2 main areas to look at to decide weather it is a donor / parts car or a rebuilder, I look at the frame rails above the back of the front sub frame and the transition between the floor and the fire wall under the rear seat where the gas tank mount is those 2 areas will give you a good indication of the severity of the structural rust.
Absolutely! The front frame is showing some hints at that problem. The rear frame is fully rotten above both trailing arms, and that..... that I think is what kills it (to me).
@@TheBarefootForge the question then becomes do you want to invest in the replacement cross member and fuel tank mount that will be required to mount the drivetrain in another van? otherwise it is best as a parts donor.
@@alexanderdenette5101 well generally that cross member cleans up pretty good once removed- it’s probably a fully viable donor vehicle.... it’s just hard to say, or to early to say.
Option 3!
A fine option indeed! But why do you say that’s the one to go with?
@@TheBarefootForge Because I love camper vans, and so far I have owned two t4 Syncro and will be buying a third. And I like to watch conversions or restaurants of such vans
@@klerobi1 understandable! Thanks for subscribing to the channel and contributing a comment! Hopefully we will showcase whatever comes of this bus soon!
I say go with option 3
If you're in the habit of buying vans, I have an 85 with a Rocky Mountain Westy subaru swap with 30,000 on the engine. I'm moving out of state and am trying to get $5000 for it. New cooling system, new fuel system, new brakes all installed with then engine 4 years ago.
staying alive is the best option. a train most likely gets gallons per mile
beuatiful volksagen bus
Thanks! It’s another great rescue, another great adventure, and I’m excited for what’s next- whatever that may be!
If you don't say "Were gunna need a bigger hammer" then are you really working on a fun vehicle?
Absolutely! When in doubt- bigger hammer.
After seeing some of the Vanagons you are willing to work with I am far more comfortable restoring with my 360k mile daily driver 2wd 88 GL Westy. Wish I had your mechanic chops though. Serious.
Skills and knowledge come with time- keep at it, keep that bus on the road! Heck, your bus is intrinsically more reliable just by being a daily driver then some of the busses we pull out of the weeds ever will be!
So you posted this two years ago, what did you decide? What did you do with this project? (I would pick Option 1 and 3, only 3 if you found another Syncro that would live with transplants from this one. 🙂
We took the transmission and pricy bits and the rest has just been sitting. There’s lots of good donor components there to let another bus live on- and I’d sell it complete and cheap to the right person!
Put back on the road
It’s probably terminally to rusty for that. There’s some key structural failure points.
I wouldn’t let it get to you
Option 3.
There is a guy with 300 vanagons in Pulaski Virginia. Half stored under cover. Video on TH-cam.
Yes, Kevin is a good friend of mine.
There’s 400.
The third option
We’ve sadly, started parting it out. It’ll be parts to keep a few other busses on the road, it’s just to far gone.
Part it for a Westy Syncro!
Well, I already have one of those.... kinda two of those..... so.... idk....
@@TheBarefootForge Ah, I see you're also another VW junkie. Onceyou get that first look, drive, & smell of these things, you're done. We're all in this together. lol
@@jamie-r2034 exactly!
What is that syncro worth my neighbor has one that’s been in his garage for years. It’s really nice and it runs I was wanting it for a hunting rig . I never knew these little vans were a thing.
Just depends. If it’s a Westy (pop top camper) $40-60k, If it’s a pass van like this one, $6-20k would be a good range for a garage kept nice bus.
There's no such thing as a "cheap syncro". The trade off is the cost of parts and the amount of work that will go into making them reliable.
That’s simply untrue, and the point of this video. I’ve got a daily driver syncro I’m less than $5k total into, and I’ve had a syncro westy that was a reliable road trip vehicle for under $7k total.
Number 3. Westy rusty synchro transferred
The problem there is, finding a good westy these days worth doing that to that isn’t already $20k. : /
Nomanclatue: Money Pit/ 2-inf.
I tend to agree. We shall see
Take it to the scrap yard crusher and make beercans out of it
11:31 an that is the reason a high lift jack is a recovery tool and not a regular jack. Imagine someone lying under this vehicle.
Absolutely! A hi-lift is a field recovery tool, which is exactly what we were using it for in this video. You’d never want to be under the car suspended on only a hi-lift, not without proper protections in place.
Please save it
Option 3 but what's the deal with the transmission/differential that was seized on the left side? Maybe that means not "just a swap" but a bunch of new things like transmission/diff... Maybe the actual cost of a swap won't justify it and parting it might fund another adventure that we can enjoy.
She still sits moth balled, tucked away in a corner waiting for her day!
Great video, I have just brought a 1981 t25 panel van and got it back on the road in the U.K. any advice on the panel gap rust?
Honestly... leave it to professionals. In general the only REAL solution is to cut it out and replace the metal, then seal it up better then factory. The factory seam sealer worked great..... just didn’t last 35 years.
Where’s your rust?
Option 1:. RESURRECTION!
Ehh. We will have to revisit this, as it’s really quite structurally bad. Maybe I’ll do a video poking at questionable spots with a screwdriver.
Number three
We cut it up into little bits.
Option 1. Don't let it die, they don't make em anymore. 🙁
Yes but “why” would I fix it? I’ve already got 4 that drive…..
Some of them have to die!
@@TheBarefootForge Maybe the camera angle didn't show it all, the rust didn't seem that bad from what I could see. Some sanding and new paint and it will be good as new.
As for the why, I understand they have become quite valuable out west. Maybe sell it for $30K after you restore it?
IT MUST LIVE! 😄
@@lGuileWilliamsl syncro pass vans bring $15k, not $30k. The paint job on my red one coat $17k, and that was in 2015 dollars, so…. Putting $20k-25k into this one makes it a $15k vehicle…..
Or I steal It’s heart and have spares of everything…. : )
@@TheBarefootForge Another Syncro already died for this one to live (watched it burn to the ground)
IT MUST LIVE!
@@lGuileWilliamsl wana buy it?
I hope you did not spend anymore than $2k for those 2 parts vanagons. We here in the West Coast, we avoid anything that is that rusty and far gone. Pretty sure they are in a lot worse than what we saw on the video guys.
I could sell that syncro for $6,000 tomorrow. Sadly, your sense of value is way off. As you may have seen in our other videos- I sold a bunch of unknown condition used/core syncro transmissions for $2500 a piece so fast it was insane. The value of ANY syncro is over $6k.
I paid $700 for a syncro speedometer for my red bus, after a year of looking.
@@TheBarefootForge Crazy value for mechanical parts. I am restoring a 86 full synchro triple knob Westfalia Weekender ( weekender models are rare vs full camper models) now. California van so it's almost all rust free. It was sold for $75k from GoWesty 10 years ago. It has a GoWesty 2.6L motor, fully rebuilt trans, lockers, etc....big lift, big suspension, big brakes
@@brucewayne2773 epic! That sounds awesome.
A “cheap” syncro these days is $3500, even if it’s way rustier then this one. A broken transmission, BROKEN, is worth $1200 or so.
👍👍👍
Syncro!!!
Part... and sell me a couple bits I just bought an 87tintop Syncro that needs lots of love.
If I part it, I’ll be holding onto every single syncro specific component. I have two other syncros and will certainly end up with more.
They’re breeding.
Syncro Westy
But I already kinda have two of those......
3!
Not Wolfsburg ! These cars comes from Germany / Hannover . I work in this Factory sins 36 Years !
Many came from Hannover, many came from wolfsburg. This was the first of the production run in Wolfsburg and thus titled “wolfsburg edition”- it even had a cool badge that said that.
@@TheBarefootForge The Name Wolfsburg Edition is right but Wolfsburg cant build so big Cars . The Sticker is from a Rabbit or Passat
@@Norbi1970 there are vanagons with a W in the 10th digit of the vin that were built at Wolfsburg.
@@TheBarefootForge The 11th digit is important for the place of manufacture. G for Austria and H for Hanover
@@Norbi1970 and:
A - Ingolstadt
B - Brussel
E - Emden
G - Graz (Austria. normally for Syncro models)
H - Hannover (most buses assembled here)
K - Osnabruk
M - Mexico
N - Neckarsulm
P - Brazil
S - Stuttgart
W - Wolfsburg
Sincro westy
Gonna be honest, that's a LOT of rust on the body, it's gonna be at least a month of bondo work to get just the body rust free again. And sure you could just get it running as is and on the road, but the body will continue to rot around you, and that's not saving a van.
Put her back on the road. She still has good bones.
Those bones can be useful for something with bad bones though…..
I'd say give me the van but I'm out in California lol
They’re out there! There’s beautiful and well preserved examples out your way!
Is the attachment for you jack all (to fit in the factory van lifting points) custom?
And cool videos, keep it up. -Cheers
Yep- it’s an older model from gowesty, they sell it and it works great! Just.... don’t be an idiot and swing a sledge hammer at a car that’s precariously jacked! Lol
@@TheBarefootForge lol true enough, thanks for the info. And I vote for #3. More work but way cooler. Thanks again
@@BrianMakesMovies thanks man! And thanks for the great engagement- the comments are where the growth comes from!
It’ll be a fun adventure whatever comes of it. For now, it’s stashed, waiting.
Horder! Leave some for someone else! Why you trying to buy up every van ?
We run a really awesome club of great folks here in pittsburgh, and many of the vans in the videos here are shared amongst our members.
I'm leaving nothing behind, there's no public service in me leaving a good deal for someone else to profit off of- my goal is to save/rescue as many busses as possible and when good deals come up, thats only because plenty of bad ones have as well.
What did you end up doing with it?
It’s chillin. Want it?
Transfer all the parts
There arn’t many ‘rare’ VW’s because they sold millions worldwide and this isn’t that rare either. An expensive to maintain bus, yes - but not rare. Productions numbers were 43468.
What town are you in? Let’s link to three for sale in your town.
They’re rare.
How much, if I might ask?
How much would I sell it for?
3
Put it back on road
Nah, we chopped it up. Tiny pieces.
project
It doesn’t fit logically into the lineup though. I already have projects…..
Want to buy it and save it as a project?
Op 3
We shall see- that’s the direction I fancy the most as well, but we shall see.
parts
#3
Definitely the easiest option.
🤣
Lol seller wants roof. These people think they have a gold mine, when they are sitting on junk
That roof is worth several grand, easily.
@@TheBarefootForge good luck selling it
anyone have a cheap syncro or wreck let me know .. I want one !
I have several I know of that are available. Send me an email and I can put you in touch with people. Each would be in the type of condition to use primarily as a donor vehicle for converting a 2wd Vanagon to a syncro, and “cheap” is relative. A complete donor “kit”, already removed from a vehicle just sold in 24 hours for $8,500- so that’s about market value.
option 3 even though it's a clone. best bet
Certainly the best value, but also lotsssssss of work.
vdub
van bro
For sure!
3, make an other westy
Nah, I already have three westies, two of which are syncro westies- how many does a person need!?!?
Part it out
That's the direction i think makes the most sense, and if i loose my storage at any point- that's the easy decision.
Burn it..!! Lol..!
Nah, to good a car for that!
2
Solid option!
3
Possibly!
To early to say, we shall see.... soon enough!
3
Who knows, we shall see....
In about a year, I plan to look it over realllllllll thoroughly and share that experience with you. At this point- I think it's a parts car. : /