1990 Volkswagen Vanagon Westfalia - California Camper

Specs:
Rebuilt 2.1 Flat 4 Motor
30R14 Gates Barricade Fuel lines throughout with new proper FI clamps
Recent spark plugs , cap, rotor, ignition wire set
Van Cafe Stainless steel coolant pipes.
Van Cafe Stainless steel coolant tower
Aluminum thermostat housing with new Wahler thermostat
Updated metal rear heater Tees
Bilstein shocks
Schwenk springs
Bosch starter
Nokian Entyre tires with 3500 miles on them
Rare 15" Ronal Penta wheels (powdercoated silver)
Jack Bombay pop top struts
Top repainted with all stainless steel hardware
Tan 3 Window Canvas tent
High mount LED 3rd brake light
Gowesty rear plate steel bumper with integrated 2" hitch
Recent A/C compressor / Dryer / expansion valve
New Belts/ Air Filter / Fuel filter / Injector seals
10w-60 full synthetic oil change with Mann filter @ 172,873 miles

Interior Upgrades

100 A/H AGM Battery bank
100W Roof mounted Solar panel
Blue Seas ACR with 6AWG wire from alternator directly to aux battery
TF49 Truckfridge with RMW Install kit
LED lights in original kitchen light and adjustable LED lamp added above sliding door.
New Pioneer Bluetooth capable head unit
RAM Mount phone holder on dash
shurflo adjustable flow faucet
Rubber floor mats throughout.
Additional 12v outlet on dash.
New icon wiper blades
Comes with kitchen enamelware set. (plates, bowls, cups, silverware)
two camp chairs and original jack under rear seat

(Please note: If you happen to be viewing this 1990 Volkswagen Vanagon Westfalia Camper on a website other than our Garage Kept Motors site, it's possible that you've only seen some of our many photographs of the van due to third-party website limitations. To be sure you access all the more than 130 photographs, as well as a short start-up and walk-around video, and a link to its accident and damage-free Carfax history report, please go to our main website: Garage Kept Motors.)

“The Porsche 911 of vans.” - Car and Driver

The advertising headline quoting Car and Driver above was followed by copy that read: “We couldn't have said it better ourselves,” and continued on quoting Car and Driver's reasoning: “The Volkswagen Vanagon goes down the road with a car-like assuredness that's never existed in a vehicle of this type. So don't let its imposing box-like looks fool you.”

That magazine advertisement was just one in a memorable series of clever Vanagon ads over the years. Others were headlined “When it's time to leave it all behind, take more with you,” “This peaceful coexistence (photo of a happy Vanagon family) made possible by Volkswagen,” “Space Shuttle,” “Volkswagen introduces luxury widebodies. All seats first class,” and “Vanagon. The best of a van. The best of a wagon. And better than both.” All touted the Vanagon's surprising interior space. It's an understatement to say that VW Vanagons inspire customer loyalty. In the event you haven't viewed it, paste the link below to watch a short a segment from Hagerty Media's “Why I Drive” series:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9JpH1fVww0

Offered here in Bordeaux Red (one of just five colors offered) over light gray, is a 1990 VW Vanagon in exceptionally well-maintained condition. A model that's legendary for routinely and effortlessly amassing very high mileage, this red Westfalia camper-van's odometer shows a relatively conservative 173,242 total miles, roughly just over 5,000 miles per-year on average since new. The stock and added equipment, features, and full specifications are comprehensively listed above. (Please read all the way through the list in case there's a quiz later. We won't be repeating each item here.)

The exterior Bordeaux Red exterior paint, a deep, reflective shade, shines uniformly across the entire body. Both paint and body panels (including the white pop-up fiberglass roof) show no damage, marks, or scrapes. All body trim (including the bumpers and the front grilles) is rendered in black, all of it free of damage as well. (To best assess the quality of the paint and trim finishes, be sure to view the close-up photographs of the car in the accompanying gallery.) Factory badging is limited to the front grille VW logo repeated on the rear with the “Vanagon GL” model-identification (Westfalia branding appears front and back on the fiberglass roof). All the extensive cabin glass is clear and free of cracks; lighting lenses are likewise pristine. The van body features power-outlets on the driver's side and a large sliding access door on the passenger side. The aftermarket 5-spoke, 15-inch Ronal® “Penta” alloy wheels (powder-coated in silver) are in excellent condition free of road rash or surface deterioration.

Every Vanagon's interior is special, and in this case, extra-special. The front bucket seats (both twin captain's-chair-style armrests) retain their original subtle, tattersall-pattern, fabric upholstery in very well-maintained overall condition with only slight indications of slight wear and light discoloration from normal use. Door trim is superb-condition, utilitarian gray panels with crank-handles for the windows. The VW-logo steering wheel frames a simple but complete instrument cluster with an aftermarket cellphone holder to its right. Slide-lever controls for heat and ventilation, a Pioneer® audio head unit (in the factory-radio location), and air-conditioning controls complete the black dash. The automatic transmission shift lever is floor-mounted. Front-cabin carpeting is light gray, protected by rubber mats. The rear-cabin area maintains the light-gray color theme with window curtains, seating surfaces, fold-up table, and cabinetry in that color. Rubber mats cover the floor here. Bespoke Westphalia small appliances line one cabin wall. Storage cabinets and cubbies are ample. The tan canvas-lined (and “windowed”) pop-up roof with skylight adds an airy feel as well as space for the upper twin bunk. The double mattress in the lower cargo area extends to full-length with the rear seat folded. Before “tiny homes” were a thing, Westphalia had it down pat. The separate air-conditioning system for the rear cabin is functional.

Beneath the access panel under the floor in the rear of the cabin, the 2.2-liter horizontal 4-cylinder is housed in a tidy, clean engine bay. All components are properly mounted, and surfaces show attention to regular engine maintenance. Viewed from below, the Vanagon's chassis is straight, complete, and free of damage.

The Vanagon's factory mounted data stickers and vehicle-identification tags remain in place.

While the more than 130 high-definition photographs and the short walk-around-and-startup video available on the GarageKeptMotors website showcase this 1990 “Westy” in detail from every angle, including from below, we expect and encourage in-person inspections at our Grand Rapids, Michigan showroom.

“That's not a vehicle. It's a lifestyle statement,” one Vanagon admirer is quoted as having said. As true as that statement is, this Vanagon is missing one of the distinctive features normally present on these adventure-oriented vehicles. There are no stickers showing destinations or life philosophies; they've all been removed by the prior owner to save as family mementos. This, of course, frees the next owner for the joy of starting anew to record the Vanagon's history from this point forward, one sticker at a time.