Greg Schoenberg
Kalama, Washington
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If you find yourself in cope-mode on these dark, cold winter days, may I suggest a fascinating internet read. It's the ongoing saga of a 30-something couple who decided to invest their commodity earned assets into sailing around the world (without any experience). Having survived, they are now they are driving around the same world in a restored 1958 VW van (invested 18k in). Currently they are in Baja, on their way to South America, then across.......
They write well...lottsa of nice pictures. The sailing blog is fascinating. Be sure to read the 1st page of the sailing blog. It describes how/why they decided to go on this trek.
The question I'd love to ask them is....why a '58 VW Van? Personally, I'd purchased a quality van conversion RV. Anybody ever own/camp in one of these VW's?
-Greg
Ps. Be sure to hit the cost link. I'm impressed with how cheap their FT RV expenses are.
* This post was
edited 12/04/07 09:58pm by Greg Schoenberg *
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Davydd
Minnesota
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Joined: 11/27/2005
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Greg Schoenberg wrote:
The question I'd love to ask them is....why a '58 VW Van? Personally, I'd purchased a quality van conversion RV. Anybody ever own/camp in one of VW's?
Besides the cost maybe, I suspect it is more of the symbology of the adventure. You have to truly admire what they are doing.
Davydd
2011 Great West Van Legend Sprinter B Camper Van
Visited states in an RV
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WANA B
Rocky Mount, NC
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Joined: 07/29/2006
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Why a VW van??? PARTS and service. You can get parts just about any where on earth, and any, most likely, shop will be able to fix it if needed. Beside that, it's just plain COOL!!.
W
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ennajean
Wisconsin
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Joined: 05/19/2006
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Oh to be young and able to do such an adventure. And yes it is just plain COOL.
Anne and Dick
DABEE a 2006 Ford Sportsmobile Penthouse top.
States we've camped in.
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Greg Schoenberg
Kalama, Washington
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ennajean wrote:Oh to be young and able to do such an adventure. And yes it is just plain COOL.
Young? Isn't 60 young enough? I'm sure thinking about it. Not sure which would be more dangerous....the sailing or the roadtrip.
-Greg
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mockturtle
WA
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Joined: 05/31/2005
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Davydd wrote:Greg Schoenberg wrote:
The question I'd love to ask them is....why a '58 VW Van? Personally, I'd purchased a quality van conversion RV. Anybody ever own/camp in one of VW's?
Besides the cost maybe, I suspect it is more of the symbology of the adventure. You have to truly admire what they are doing.
My parents' first RV was a VW van very similar to that. They took it everywhere and it served them very well. Only complaint my mother had was the small holding tanks.
2000 Born Free 24RB Class C
6.8L Ford V-10 Engine, E450 Chassis
2002 Honda CR-V toad
Roadmaster Sterling A/T towbar
VIP braking system
Eddyline Merlin kayak
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JoeRT04
Cape Cod, MA
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That is some nice looking van. And stealthy too. And the photos are awesome.
I would love to see some interior pics too.
I would probably keep that thing in my garage it is so nice looking.
I am jealous. We almost at the point in our lives when we can take trips like that. Thanks for sharing that website link, Fun stuff.
2012 Aliner Sport
2010 Toyota RAV4 SPORT with 269 HP V6 Tow Package
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Hit The Road Jack
Treasure Coast of Florida
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Looks like the same roof rack on that bus as on my 'Roof Rack On A 'B'
'thread' bus
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topless
Wichita, KS
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Maybe they chose a '58 VW,because if it looked like they had money, they'd be a target for kidnapping. "Rich" people are targets for that in many countries.
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Handbasket
Asheville, NC
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Joined: 01/17/2003
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Aside from the reasons already mentioned, the older VW's are dirt-simple to do DIY repairs & maintenance on. Carry a few parts and simple hand tools, and almost anybody with half a brain can do enough to limp into the next town after most breakdowns. Recruit a few locals, and it can be easily push-started if no jump is available or the starter's gone. And in the day, there were no "US-specific" models; the same thing was sold world-wide, so new and used parts are easy to find. No computer or electronics... just points and condenser.
Heck, I rebuilt my first '66 VW engine in the bedroom of my basement apartment in 1978, when I was poor as a churchmouse. My girlfriend didn't really appreciate stepping over the halves of the case, but.... 
There's even an excellent spiral-bound book... something like 'How to Keep Your VW Alive and Running: A Manual of Step-by-Step Procedures for the Complete Idiot'. It lives up to the title, and even takes you thru an engine rebuild.
Jim, "There is a lot of history which isn't fit to repeat itself."
'06 Tiger CX 'C Minus' on a Silverado 2500HD 4x4, 8.1 & Allison (aka 'Loafer's Glory') www.tigervehicles.com
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