New to Syncros...Westy conversion, Subagon?

   I'd agree with the above sentiments, there have been some very nasty conversions done in the past. I'm just nearing completion of my second, this time on a 2wd Caravelle for a friend. Again it's a 2.5, this time a 2000MY SOHC. On both my van and the 2WD I have used solely RJES parts, bellhousing, support bar and cooling kit etc, the quality is just so good it would be crazy not  to. The end result is very professional. On my own van Richard did the wiring loom work, on the second van I have done the wiring as well. I now have a spare donor vehicle, a Quad cam 2.5, and in due course will start on stripping that to provide the basis of another conversion.

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Beelzibus Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Groupie Joined: 05 Jul 09 Location: Suffolk Online Status: Offline Posts: 211	Post Options Post Reply Quote Beelzibus Report Post Quote Reply Topic: New to Syncros...Westy conversion, Subagon? Posted: 01 Aug 10 at 10:38
	I'd agree with the above sentiments, there have been some very nasty conversions done in the past. I'm just nearing completion of my second, this time on a 2wd Caravelle for a friend. Again it's a 2.5, this time a 2000MY SOHC. On both my van and the 2WD I have used solely RJES parts, bellhousing, support bar and cooling kit etc, the quality is just so good it would be crazy not to. The end result is very professional. On my own van Richard did the wiring loom work, on the second van I have done the wiring as well. I now have a spare donor vehicle, a Quad cam 2.5, and in due course will start on stripping that to provide the basis of another conversion.

rogerthecat Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Vanorak Mayor of Stockport Joined: 13 Aug 06 Online Status: Offline Posts: 6798	Post Options Post Reply Quote rogerthecat Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 01 Aug 10 at 10:05
	May be worth contacting Lance on here, he is a bit preoccupied with a poorly youngster at the moment but may be able to offer some words of wisdom. I have a Syncro Velle with Scooby 2.2 power. The conversion was already done when I bought it but it was a lash up. Since then the entire thing has been redone, so whoever you use, do your homework, check what they are doing, check again and recheck. If you want to see some of the fun I have had threads with ScoobyVelle in them will list some of the battles to get it to this point. Do I like the Syncro with Scoob power - definitely, its quick and smooth. And, despite a few problems in the past it is now reliable and immense fun to drive. If I was doing it from scratch I'd go for a 2.5 like Beelzibub. Good luck whichever route you choose, but do your research.
	God wants me for a road traffic accident statistic.@ Bought it, bent it, broke it, binned it.

slobbo Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Groupie Joined: 19 Sep 06 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 82	Post Options Post Reply Quote slobbo Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 01 Aug 10 at 08:47
	Be careful when buying just the roof. They will tell you everything is there but will inevitably won't be. A better idea is to get a cheap scabby van with a good roof to transplant. Might even have a few spares other you could harvest as well. A friend of mine searched for a year to get the perfect donor van. He wanted a Weinsburg or SCA pop top and neither are thick on the ground in the first place. Once obtained and installed his van looks braw.
	Cheers Rob.

Beelzibus Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Groupie Joined: 05 Jul 09 Location: Suffolk Online Status: Offline Posts: 211	Post Options Post Reply Quote Beelzibus Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 29 Jul 10 at 23:22
	I have a Syncro Westfalia, an 87, and I run a 99 Quad cam EJ25 motor, it's great fun. Thirsty, but very entertaining. I don't regret doing the conversion in any way.

..lee.. Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Yardie Joined: 14 May 08 Location: llanelli swales Online Status: Offline Posts: 539	Post Options Post Reply Quote ..lee.. Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 29 Jul 10 at 22:22
	i converted a syncro velle to a westy pop top and it is a lot of work and very difficult and expensive to source all the westy specific parts. i`m still struggling to find some. if i was to do it again i think id favour buying a good 2wd westy and a syncro as a doner and turn the 2wd in to 4wd. doing it this way also affords you to use the 2wd for camping straight away and get a feel for the van. lee

Syncost Alot. Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Vanorak Joined: 25 Oct 07 Location: Devon Online Status: Offline Posts: 1261	Post Options Post Reply Quote Syncost Alot. Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 23 Jul 10 at 12:03
	No where near finished yet................ What are the prices/availability like out there? What was the quote for the subaru conversion? 2.5 SOHC? Its on my wish list......
	Founder member of the "WESTERN FRONT VOLKSWAGEN KLUB".......membership no 0001

ghop99 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Not Quite Newbie Joined: 25 May 10 Online Status: Offline Posts: 31	Post Options Post Reply Quote ghop99 Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 23 Jul 10 at 09:23
	Hi Cloudbase I have just gone through a similar thought process with the whole Syncro thing. Yes, people do convert the syncro buses, best to start off wth a caravelle and go from there I was told. Check out my link to see what I ended up doing http://www.brick-yard.co.uk/forum/t3-syncro-14-or-16-and-advice-wanted-please_topic53792_page1.html I have recently put it on BFG all terrain tyres so sits a bit higher also Its different from what I wanted, but love it now and lets face it the $$$ make the choice in the end! All I need now is that subaru conversion.......... Good luck
	I've found my Syncro...... 1971 T2 Bay Window 1987 T3 Syncro 2008 Golf VW Camper Hire in Devon http://www.morecambeandwize.co.uk

Cloudbase Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 23 Jul 10 Location: Bozeman, MT Online Status: Offline Posts: 1	Post Options Post Reply Quote Cloudbase Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 23 Jul 10 at 00:44
	Hello! My name is Andrea, and I am a paraglider pilot from Bozeman, Montana, USA. I've been settled on a VW camping van for some time now, but have recently become enamored with the Syncro. What better to haul me, my boyfriend, our equipment, and our dog in, navigate those steep and bumpy dirt roads up to launch, and camp in comfortably as well? It seems like the ideal vehicle for my purposes. It's taken a bit longer to warm up to the body styling. Most of the Syncros I've found in my price range are not the Westy ones. I would really like the headroom afforded by the Westy pop-top. I was already planning on making a lot of modifications to the interior (fridge, bedding, storage, sink) so adding those in from scratch isn't too daunting to me. Cutting a hole in the roof and installing a Westy top is. Is it unheard of to make a regular Syncro into a camper? I also found a reputable but slightly crazy guy in town who is willing to do a Subaru conversion for a VERY reasonable price. Have any of you done the Subagon conversion, what changes did you notice, and are you happy with it? Thanks a ton. I'm sure there will be many more questions to follow, especially once I go through with a purchase. Edited by Cloudbase - 23 Jul 10 at 00:45