1990 3.3L 240 hp SVX Syncro Westfalia Camper – $72k in Monument, CO
UPDATE: Now listed for $52k on TheSamba.com. Seller has dropped the Buy It Now price to $62k as of about an hour ago(2/9). There is also a separate auction listing here, with bidding in the low 20s at the moment. The seller did contact me to let me know that the Subagon guys are the ones to talk to for technical questions, and he wasn’t able to provide any additional pictures. I wonder what the reserve price is on the auction?
Today, I’m dreaming, how about you? This dream van was posted up recently on eBay with a lofty $72k $62k Buy It Now, or you can make an offer as well. While one of the highest prices you’ll ever see for a van like this, the current owner likely does have well more than $72k invested into it. While the seller provides a nicely detailed written description of this van, there are no recent interior pictures, only the original ones from Subagon a few year ago.
The title check provided on the eBay listing is spot free, showing what appears to be one original Canadian owner, then a transfer to someone in Redding, CA in (likely the Subagon guys, who likely did this SVX and other upgrades), then was sold to the current owner in Monument, Colorado (near Colorado Springs). The odometer appears to be accurate at 208k, with the seller stating there’s about 9,000 on the SVX.
The SVX engine conversion (done correctly) is one of the most sought after replacements for the original 2.1L water cooled. It’s naturally aspirated (non-turbo), boasts 240 hp and is known to be very reliable, occasionally even used in small aircraft. It was designed as a non-interference engine, which basically means when critical components like the timing chain/belt breaks, the engine won’t self destruct. A van will loose a little bit of clearance when compared to the stock motor though.
If I were lucky enough to have this van, I’d add bed liner around the bottom and install some big comfy captains chairs, as it appears to still have the original seats. I’m also 6’4″, so original Vanagon seats are bit small for me. I’m really digging these ANtero bumpers that Rocky Mountain Westy makes, maybe throw one of those on too for good measure.
I also found this same same listing on The Samba Classifieds, but have yet to see it anywhere else. For comparables, there is this similar Syncro Westy that’s been posted everywhere for quite a while now. It’s a 1991 Syncro with the 2.5L Go Westy motor for $74k. For folks in the Colorado Springs area looking for something more affordable, there’s always this low mile 1984 Westy full camper for cool $10k.
