Yes, not another Sprinter! This beautiful time capsule is one of two of my pandemic projects. I have owned VW's for over 30 years but these are my first Syncro projects as they are always too hard to find or just too rusted/beat up. When I found "Goldie" she had not been driven much in many years and almost completely original with the exception of a few modern conveniences. Very little to absolutely no rust. I also wanted to build an expedition Syncro for my wife and I to do long-distance off-road travel so ditched our 4runner for a 1990 Syncro with 56,000 original miles. "Solo" (1990) was built out for expedition travel and Goldie received the almost immaculate 2.1L engine with low miles from Solo. My goal was for Goldie to receive a complete mechanical restoration making her worthy to drive to Maine and back without worry. Our friend Stephan at Stephan's Auto Haus is by far the best Vanagon guy I know and he did a complete top to bottom run through and dialed in the engine swap from solo. The list is too long but we have invested over $15,000 and countless labor hours getting her absolutely perfect and ready to hit the road. In Stephan's own words " I would totally drive it across country tomorrow although it would be a bit faster with a 1.8T". The stove and all work great but it needs an Auxiliary battery. I chose not to do this as it's personal preference on battery type/solar etc., and didn't want to waste the money on something a potential buyer is going to toss. This 2.1L stock motor is one of the strongest I have driven. I kept this as original as possible because of my nostalgia for these amazing machines. It's now up to the new owner to decide which direction to go. I've included a few photos of Solo (white van) just so you know where the motor came from and also an example of what is possible from an expedition build standpoint. To be very clear, The Gold van is the van for sale and pertains to this listing and not Solo. Below is a brief on van. Essentially, the entire suspension, bushings, shifter, shocks, etc., have been all replaced so not listing the detail. All that paperwork is in hand and $11,000 receipt from Stephan. I will also add, We have been overlanding for ever and still own our Jeep and recently sold our travel 4Runner with RTT etc. These Syncro's will absolutely go anywhere our 4Runner could go. And, with way more comfort! The added safety of cab through we found to be a major plus as we are old and my wife and I generally travel alone.
163,672 miles on van
59,508 miles on 1990 2.1L swapped from other van Solo
Rear Locker (setup and lines in place for front but no locker on diff)
In-dash Vintage Air Conditioning (This is a game changer and at least $9,000 value)
Alpine speakers and bluetooth stereo system
Full Westfalia camper all in very good condition (propane tank, 2 burner stove, 18Gal water storage, sink, cabinets, etc)
Sleeps 2 adults on bottom and 2 adults up top
New Fuel Tank reseal kit, straps, and modern fuel hoses
New Radiator
Complete Shifter bushing and rod rebuild
New control arm bushings etc.
New Ball Joints
New wheel Cylinders and brake adjustments etc.
New General Grabber A/T Tires
New Full Carpet Kit
New Bilstein Shocks
Ect. Ect.
Runs and drives fantastic. Just smogged and registered through September 2024. My price is firm and certainly not making money on this but have greatly enjoyed the rebuild. Please compare others and be realistic on cost of improvements. The recent parts and vintage air alone add $22K in value. Please no low ballers or tire kickers. More photos available or ask for something specific. Paint and inside is in amazing original condition. Thank you.
163,672 miles on van
59,508 miles on 1990 2.1L swapped from other van Solo
Rear Locker (setup and lines in place for front but no locker on diff)
In-dash Vintage Air Conditioning (This is a game changer and at least $9,000 value)
Alpine speakers and bluetooth stereo system
Full Westfalia camper all in very good condition (propane tank, 2 burner stove, 18Gal water storage, sink, cabinets, etc)
Sleeps 2 adults on bottom and 2 adults up top
New Fuel Tank reseal kit, straps, and modern fuel hoses
New Radiator
Complete Shifter bushing and rod rebuild
New control arm bushings etc.
New Ball Joints
New wheel Cylinders and brake adjustments etc.
New General Grabber A/T Tires
New Full Carpet Kit
New Bilstein Shocks
Ect. Ect.
Runs and drives fantastic. Just smogged and registered through September 2024. My price is firm and certainly not making money on this but have greatly enjoyed the rebuild. Please compare others and be realistic on cost of improvements. The recent parts and vintage air alone add $22K in value. Please no low ballers or tire kickers. More photos available or ask for something specific. Paint and inside is in amazing original condition. Thank you.
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