This is a completely custom wood interior for the Vanagon. These owners obviously take pride in their van. It has a custom refrigerator, stovetop, and sink, as well as custom upholstery. These pictures came courtesy of Benplace.com which looks like a Vanagon shop in France. Click through to see more of this custom Vanagon interior.
One of the benefits of the Vanagon Westy is the passenger’s seat that swivels. Many people who have regular Vanagons would like that same functionality, and it’s not terribly difficult to accomplish. The entire project will set you back roughly $200, but will gain you maximum usable space in your van. One user from The Samba documented the process he went through to get his swivel seat installed. Click through to see how he did it.
This 1989 Vanagon Transporter Doka was seen for sale on eBay, but has since been sold. Imported from Germany, it has been completely redone and includes several hacks and mods. The original paint color was orange, but the owner decided to spray it black. The interior has been customized, and it even features a spoiler on the roof. You will notice after market side mirrors mounted very high, as well as clear/smoke turn signals. Late model Jetta wheels complete this custom Double Cab. Click through to see more pics.
We all know the Vanagon is ripe for an engine swap. We have seen engines from Subarus, Jettas, and even Fords dumped in a Vanagon. But what about a Chrysler 3.5L V6 from a 1994 Eagle Vision? That would be insanity right? Over at the Grassroots Motorsports forum, a user named Thummmper is doing exactly that. He has posted pictures of his attempt to install a very large engine under the rear seat of his Vanagon. This project is very close to insanity, but if he pulls it off he is THE MAN! Click through to see more.
Here is another Vanagon floor upgrade for you. This user went from a tile floor, to a vinyl “wood floor” and it looks great. The flooring planks are available at Home Depot. It’s called “TrafficMASTER Allure 6 in. x 36 in. Iron Wood Resilient Vinyl Plank Flooring.” If you want to full play by play, click through to see how he did it.
If you’re looking for a vehicle to take you on a serious expedition, this is the Westy for you. This Gold Vanagon Syncro is ready for any expedition you can throw at it. You can hit the road, or off road, with its high top sleeping quarters, bumper-mounted winch, spare tires, extra large fog lights, and a whole lot of extras. Click through to see this monster up close.
This is a scary hack, but if you pull it off it’s very cool. Samba user vwlovr posted his experience adding a ragtop sunroof from StreetBeat Customs to his Vanagon. He had to cut a 40×40 hole in the roof which is no small feat, but he pulled it off. SteatBeat’s website is apparently offline so I have no idea if these are still available. Click through to see how he did it.
This beautiful 1984 Westy is gorgeous on the inside and out, but it is the interior that caught my eye. The owners put this beauty online to sell it and it caught my eye. At first glance I thought it was a bit hokey, and it is, but it’s beautiful. These are not the colors I would choose for my van, but we can all learn a lot about interior Vanagon design from whoever created this thing. Click through to see some amazing photos of this unique Vanagon.
I’ve heard of bike racks on Vanagons, but this is the first time I’ve seen a motorcycle rack. This guy made a rack to carry his 1995Kawasaki KLR 250 on the back of his Vanagon. It fits a 2″ receiver hitch he installed on the van, but can it hold the weight of his bike? He has a warning below.
I made this motorcycle carrier and it fits in a 2″ receiver hitch which I installed on the van. The original bumper fits on the original bumper brackets, although the bumper is off in this picture. Motorcycle weighs 300 lbs wet, full tank of gas. I only used this carrier a couple of times, I don’t think a vanagon hitch can be made strong enough to be used like this.
Notice his rear bumper is removed.
If you’re a serious camper you may find yourself running out of propane on a regular basis. Your stove and refrigerator run on propane, and the stock tank may not satisfy your needs. F. Griffiths faced this problem head on and came up with his own hack. After considering several options, including using disposable propane cans, he opted for installing a second propane tank under the van. His install required purchasing a used propane tank, and using a tee to hack into the existing propane line. He hung the second tank under the van and now he has twice the amount of propane. This hack is not for the faint of heart, but it is doable. Click through to see how he did it.
