1990 VW Syncro Westfalia - A MUST SEE. LOADED!

Hodakaguy

Adventurer
For Sale: 1990 VW Syncro Westfalia

This Syncro has gone through an extensive re-conditioning to make it a 100% reliable turnkey driver. I started with a clean well cared for low mile one owner Syncro then went into the build process with the goal to make it 100% reliable. I wanted a Syncro that I could climb in and head out on adventure without worry about making it back home. The build thread details the extent of the build along with the workmanship that went into it, corners were not cut in this build! All the individual items listed below can be seen in detail in the build thread located here: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=517384

*1990 VW Syncro Westfalia with 58,000 original documented miles. I have all the paperwork for this van including the original purchase paperwork, maintenance/service history, factory manuals and original window sticker. I also have all receipts for the maint & modifications that I've preformed. I purchased the van from the original owner who took excellent care of it.



Includes the following:

2006 Subaru 2.5L Drive By Wire Engine Conversion. This engine gives you turn key reliability and with the added HP extra drive-ability as well! Super clean engine installation, looks like it came from the factory this way!
* Engine was removed from a 2006 Subaru Legacy with 60,000 miles.
* Timing Belt was replaced with an OEM Unit
* All Tensioners and Idler pulleys replaced with OEM Units
* New OEM Water Pump Installed
* Custom fabricated Stainless Steel throttle mount.
* RJES Throttle Cable Installed
* RMW reverse coolant manifold installed.
* Second OEM coolant sensor installed for correct gauge reading.
* New Sachs Stage 1 Clutch installed along with new cross shaft and bushings/seals. Cross shaft was welded out to prevent breaking.
* Engine compartment cleaned and undercoated with Wurth Undercoating.
* Bosch TDI Diesel Self Supporting Starter Installed (This starter is way more reliable than the stock unit and cranks the engine over very quickly, no more starter bushing to wear out!)
* Westy Ventures TDI Starter Adaptor Plate
* RMW Stainless Steel Exhaust
* Custom Engine Ground Straps
* Aeromotive Fuel Pressure Regulator & Pressure Gauge
* Fuel Filter Re-located for easy access
* RMW Shortened Oil Pan (Increased Ground Clearance)
* New Fuel Pump
* New Transmission Output and Shift Seals
* New Shift Shaft Ball
* Swepco 201 Gear Lube

Rocky Mountain Westy Engine Conversion Kit.
The RMW kit is one of the nicest on the market. The quality and fit of the kit are top notch.

Full suspension Rebuild and Upgrade! Even though the van has super low original miles on it I wanted it to be 100% reliable so I decided to go through everything while I was doing the suspension. Even a low mile vehicle can have old dry grease in key bearings etc.

* All wheel bearings were replaced with new high quality units and packed with full synthetic RedLine grease.
* All seals were installed new.
* All suspension parts were sand blasted to bare metal then powder coated with a UV stable satin black with a slight textured finish.
* All bushings were replaced with T3 Techniques PowerFlex Urethane bushings. These bushings really improve the handling of the van and will last a lot longer than the original rubber units.
* Front end was completely rebuilt with all new ball joints (greased for long life).
* All CV Joints were replaced with new Lobro units and packed with RedLine Synthetic CV Grease.
* New rear wheel cylinders installed, new brake shoes and all hardware cleaned/powder coated.
* New VanCafe Big Brakes installed in front along with Audi Calipers (50% increase in stopping power over stock brakes).
* Custom Stainless Steel brake line holders installed along with Stainless Steel braided brake lines front and rear.
* Stainless Steel front dust shields
* Burley CV Protectors installed (Keeps road or trail debris from damaging your front CV Boots)
* Burley Adjustable Upper Control Arms
* Fox 7 way adjustable remote reservoir shocks. These shocks do a great job and make the van soooo much more drivable. You can run them on a stiffer setting while on the highway to keep wind gusts at bay and then run them on a softer setting if you want to do any off road driving. Not the cheapest option but they work great!
* Go Westy 2" lift springs.
* Axles were stripped and powder coated red
* Steering Rack was Cleaned and New Boots Installed

Coolant System Completely Gone Through
* New Stainless Steel Coolant Lines Installed
* New Silicone coolant hoses installed.
* New South African Radiator Installed
* New OEM Subaru Thermostat Installed
* New GoWesty Air Deflectors Installed
* New Coolant Level Sensor Installed

Misc Items
* Power Windows removed and Manual regulators installed for reliability. Note: I have all the power window parts if the buyer prefers power windows and wants to re-install them. Factory Power Mirrors are installed and work Perfectly as do the power door locks.
* Fuel tank removed, cleaned and re-sealed. New OEM Sending unit installed. All new hoses installed with proper fuel ratings and proper clamps.
* South African Grill/Headlights Installed (Light output is 100% better than the stock square lights, and they look a ton better as well :)
* New lower Radiator Grill
* Two Separate ground wires ran directly to lights for reliability.
* All lighting (Lows, Highs, and 4" HID's) ran through Relays to take the load off the original switches.
* 4" HID Lights installed on push Bar. These lights are very bright!
* Rocky Mountain Westy Twin Peaks Front Bumper
* Rocky Mountain Westy Twin Peaks Front Push Bar
* Rocky Mountain Westy Twin Peaks Rear Bumper with Hitch
* Rocky Mountain Westy Dual Swing Carriers, one set up with the RMW fold down carry tray and one with the spare tire carrier.
* Van Wired for Trailer lights
* Custom one of a kind lighted Rock Sliders. Rock sliders feature high lift jack points as well as four 5w LED lights recessed into each side. The sliders are wired into separate on/off/dimmer switches that operate each side independently. Lights work great for lighting around camp or lighting the trail at night. Wiring is set up with quick disconnects in case you want to remove the sliders. Sliders also incorporate built in removable mud flaps that keep mud/rocks from hitting the side of the van.
* Dual Battery Banks. One starting battery and one bank for the house.
* Custom Electrical Sub Panel. Panel is mounted behind the driver's seat and controls all the electrical going to the camper side of the Van. Panel Consists of a fuse panel, switches for controlling individual devices, automatic battery combiner with manual forced off switch, on board charger, 50A master circuit breaker, and a custom cover. All wiring was done with marine grade pre-tinned wire. Rear side of panel is protected with a custom fabricated aluminum cover that protects items in the cabinets from damaging any wiring. All Wiring is very high quality, I don't like electrical problems!
* Master Electrical Combiner/Disconnect. This switch gives you several option for power. You can disconnect all electrical power in the vehicle (Great safety feature if you ever encounter a vehicle Electrical fire), you can run the van on just the auto battery, you can go to just the house battery or you can combine the battery banks together for more AH capacity when camping etc. Lots of options!
* Genisus 10A Onboard Battery Charger. Plug the van into 110v power and the charger will automatically charge both battery banks. It will also act as a maint charger so you can plug the van into power when it's in the garage and keep the batteries topped up to keep them healthy.
* 330W Custom Built Solar Charging System. System consists of a custom water jet cut aluminum mounting assembly with three 110W flex panels. System is mounted to the roof and is always working automatically to keep the battery banks fully charged. 330W is a lot of power!, overkill on a clear sunny day but still makes usable power when the weather conditions are less than ideal! Another benefit is the panels provide shade for the roof and helps to keep the interior cooler during hot weather. Panels run through a Blue Sky MPPT charge controller mounted by the closet so you can easily keep track of system charge info. All wiring is pre-tinned marine grade wire.
* Truck Fridge Installed. The truck fridge is a modern fridge with a 12v refrigeration compressor. This fridge does a great job of keeping your food and drinks cold unlike the original OEM Fridge, no more worrying about your food spoiling from heat while it's in the fridge. This Fridge was custom installed in the original location and color matched for a OEM look.
* Propex Heater. A Propex HS2800 propane heater is custom installed under the Truck Fridge, out of sight and doesn't take up valuable storage room under the seat etc. The thermostat is located up by the closet door where it's easily accessed. Set the thermostat to the desired temp and the Propex unit will keep you nice and toasty all night long! One of my favorite mods!
* Custom side closet door mod. The original fridge door has been re-located to provide side access to the rear closet. Door looks like it came from the factory this way and makes loading or accessing the closet a lot more convenient.
* Hushmat sound insulating material installed under rear bench seat and over engine area to provide noise reduction while on the road.
* Custom Fabricated Aluminum ECU Cover Installed. This protects the ECU from damage caused by items stored under the rear bench seat.
* Custom Mounted Scan Gauge II. Scan Gauge II is mounted in front of the steering wheel on a custom mount and is hooked into the engine ECU. This gives you real time data on engine info, speed, MPG, etc while you are driving.
* Full Rubber OEM Floor Mat up front to protect the carpet.
* GoWesty Heavy Duty Rubber Front Floor Mats. I have these installed on top of the factory rubber mat.
* GoWesty Carpet Mat in the living area of the van to protect the original rubber mat.
* Two Fiamma F35 Awnings. These are a great awning and a perfect balance for convenience/weight. Van has an awning mounted on each side of the vehicle with custom fabricated mounting brackets. Having two awnings really helps when it's hot out, run the driver's side awning down to the ground to shade the side of the van and keep the interior cool while camping. Also helps to take load off the fridge. Awnings are two tone Grey and match the van very nicely.
* Custom Awning Mounting Brackets. These brackets were modified to spread the weight out and reduce stress on the gutter. They are also equipped with a removable tab that is secured to the van with VHB tape and keeps the awnings from bouncing and flexing the gutters.
* Larger Fire Extinguisher Installed
* Brand new Skylight Assy Installed. OEM Quality unit from the Skylight Guy with all new seals.
* Skylight CNC'd bug screen installed.
* Front Cigarette lighter plug replaced with Blue Seas USB Charge Ports.
* Rear dual USB Charge Ports installed as well as one Cigarette Lighter Plug. Both are on their own circuit and can be turned on/off from the front.
* Extra power plug on the upper dash to run GPS units etc.
* New Larger Capacity GoWesty Propane Tank Installed with modern regulator assy.
* GoWesty 16" Alloy Wheel Package (5 Wheels Including Spare) with BFG Tires installed.
* Pop Top Shocks Installed - These make lifting the top up and down an easy task.
* Original Top Canvas in Excellent cond and treated with 303 Sunbrella for UV protection and waterproofing.
* Pelican Storage Case in Upper Luggage Rack with GoWesty Locking Bracket Assy. This is a great lockable storage case to carry camp chairs, BBQ, Ground Cloths, Hammocks etc while leaving the interior storage open for clothing, food etc.
* Rear Passenger Shoulder Seat Belt Installed
* Bently Service Manual Included.

NOTE: Vehicle does have Factory AC installed but I have never attempted to get it up and running as it's not that important to me. System needs hoses to connect the Subaru AC pump to the VW cooling system. I can do this work and get the AC properly functioning if the buyer prefers to have working AC.


If you're looking for a super clean low mile syncro look no further. The original owner took excellent care of this van and it shows, people are always amazed when I tell them it's the original interior. This van is fully sorted and ready to head out on adventure.

I hate to let this Syncro go after all the hard work that I've put into it but my father and I want to get back into flying so the Van has to be sold :-( Go Look at the GoWesty Units then come look at this one!

LOTS MORE PICS AVAILABLE IN MY BUILD THREAD.

SOLD


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Last edited:

brianjwilson

Some sort of lost...
You couldn't have posted this a couple months ago, before I bought a new tacoma and ordered a four wheel camper?!

Very nice rig. I miss my syncro, so many good memories. Good luck with the sale!
 

Hodakaguy

Adventurer
Thanks guys, It was a lot of fun doing the build and we've had a blast camping in it so ....but the pull of flying is just to strong so the van is up for sale.

I'm seeing 19mpg right now average.

Hodakaguy
 

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