Dan and Suzy’s Westy – AKA Schultz “I know thhothing!”

I consider myself a very lucky person.  I got Shultz in the summer of 2003 for free.  Yes, free, zero zip nada.  I got him from friends of the family who are long time VW Bus/Vanagon owners.  This was their third VW Westfalia.  I think they had a 66, a 73, and then Shultz, the 87 GL Westy.

Shultz has been cared for well, but time and travels to almost all-50 states had taken their toll on him.  At 195,000 Miles a lot of seasons had passed, and a lot of roads were traveled.  Shultz needed some work that the past owners did not want to put in to him, so I got him with the hopes that I would take care of him in his “older” years.  Recently they saw it again, fixed up.  They were all smiles.  I felt good.

I am an ASE master tech, with a long family history of VWs.  I also teach for the Automotive Technology Department at the Community College of Philadelphia.

Wait, this is a VW, and 195,000 miles means nothing.

So thus, is a list, or a chronicle of sorts of my time with Schultz.

So, now that you know about them a little bit – take a look at the ideas that I have had, and seen from other Vanagon owners.

(External) Fridge Fan

New  Hatch Lifts

Bunk Step

AC Voltage Indicator

New outlet

Automatic battery charger

Solar battery charger

Spare Battery

Sony CD player

Center Console

Rear Speakers

Front carpet kit

Front dash console

Luggage Rack “Modifications”

Replace the front carpet

FIX THE FRIDGE!!!

Make a cool-blue LED light for the fridge panel

Add a Rain Fly

Make a small whisper quiet fan for the hot nights camping

Add a “bunk extension” or “pillow board”

Remove the ugly-ass window “chrome”

Stickers!

Voltmeter

WeatherTech Vents

Making the screens a little better and fixing them

Spare Cigarette Lighter Socket – Behind Drivers Seat and An extra on the dash.

“Quiet” cabinets – Shelf padding/non skid material lining

Get a portable chemical toilet

GET A REAL COFFEE MAKER!!!

Fix the DAMN REAR Door so it does not hit the table!

Add an ice cool A/C unit for “camping”

Work (Maintenance) I’ve had to do since I got Shultz.

Front Shocks (KYBs)

Rear Shocks (Gas- Marmount E-bay)

Fix a coolant leak from the rear heater core (removed)

Upper Ball joints on the left and right sides

Oil Change – (duh..)

Exhaust System (S&S), had to do some work to make this work.

Air Filter

Clean the Engine
Alternator
Belts
Left/Right Axles
Paint Wheels
Fix some rust
Fuel lines and filter
Bleed Brakes (make sure to use DOT 4!) Get correct "Safe" tires
Tune Up (Plugs, Wires, Cap and Rotor

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