Elton John released the album Rock of the Westies all the way back in 1975, featuring the duet with Kiki Dee — Don't Go Breaking My Heart. Today's Nice Price or Crack Pipe VW Westie rocks a 1.8T, but will its price have you singing don't go breaking my bank?
A 78% Crack Pipe vote meant it was lights out for yesterday's custom ‘81 Celica Sunchaser. There seemed to be nothing redeemable about its awkward mix of Toyota beiginess and aftermarket open roof conversion of unknown water tightness. In the end, that was one Sunchaser that you all would rather ray-ban to the scrap heap.
The sun rises in the East and sets in the West - day in, day out - and Bill O'Reilly can't explain why. Another of life's enigmas is why such a rabid cult has arisen around Volkswagen's camper van-breadbox, the Westfalia, despite its performance being equatable to octogenarian coitus. It's unexplainable, mystifying, and yet oddly compelling, and I for one would like to subscribe to their newsletter or pamphlet. That at least should be a damn-sight cheaper than actually buying one of the ass-engined bricks because, I mean, have you seen what they're going for these days?
In case you haven't seen, take a gander (but leave the goose) at this updated and upgraded 1990 Westie that's packing a 1.8T. Its price tag may make you think the current owner is perhaps selling a six pack of them. Yeah, that's 42,000, as in dollars. As in, ay carumba! Part of the reason the seller feels he can ask so much is because of this T3's condition - it is in pretty nice shape and doesn't look to have suffered at the hands of the evil Dr. Rust. Inside it's tidy and can sleep 4 comfortably, although the front seat welting is so wavy gravy you might need a Dramamine just to look at the pictures. A Kel-lite clipped to the underdash will facilitate easy passenger up-skirts, so it's got that going for it
What else its has going is that 1.8T that's bolted to the 4-speed manual T3 tranny with a shift lever long enough that some people might think you're compensating. The 1,781-cc 20V four is claimed by the seller to have been slipped into the Westie by Stephan's Auto Haus, and with Haus in the name you can bet Stephen knows his German cars. Along with the can of whoopass the engine promises, this Westfalia has been blessed with a bunch of cool add-ons from the mecca of Westie wackadoodlia - Go Westy of Los Osos, CA.
On top of that - literally almost - there's a Fiamma awning, plus Mercedes alloy rims, an upgraded heater, and a 1K power inverter so that you won't have to rough it in the dark, or without TV. All this stuff fits nicely in the T3's utilitarian box shape, and this Westie is painted an appropriate brick red. Total mileage isn't given, however the seller does say that there've been only 5,000 done on the new engine. The other parts - the top, sliding door and interior bits are claimed to work without issue, as does the A/C, preventing this Westfalia from becoming an easy bake oven in the summer.
And then there's that price. The way Westies are coveted, you'd think they could improve your sex life and had their own exclusive freeway lane rather than just being a sort of people-sized Habitrails. Still, $42,000 is a lot of cheddah, and even with the greater pushin' under the back cushion you'd have to ask if that would be seen as a fair deal by the cult of Westie. And the best way to do so is to jump over to Go Westy and check out the prices on the camper vans there that have sold.
I'll give you a minute.
Okay, did you see that? A ‘90 full-camper Syncro for $77,535! An ‘81 automatic for $51K! Kudzu Jesus, those are the ones that people have lain down cold, hard cash for! Screw gold, silver and Linked-In IPOs, It looks like your best investment option might just be hot-engined Westies. If you should concur, what would be your take on investing in this particular one? Is that $42,000 a price that would make you say box it up, I'll take it? Or, is that too much to waste on a Westie?
You decide!
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