Let's restart the forum!~

[Westy Wonderland]

Hey Westinauts, anyone else here? What are you doing? I've found an engine for my '78 and a great mechanic to rebuild the 3sp for it. This year we'll Camper!

[Ma'ili Point Westy]

I just logged into my account.  I haven't been on it for couple of years.  I seen a posting from Joe about the campout on the 26th of this month and decided to log on to my account to see what was going on.  I remember the group when it first started and went to several of the campouts and met some great people.

[Westy Wonderland]

Same!

My WEsty's been off the road for a few years with various engine woes. So I decided to buy a running but complete motor and have Matt Steedle redo the 3sp auto. A whole new drive train ought to do the trick.

In the meantime I run with my Syncro

[Gerald Cornish]

Hi Westy Wonderland,

Is your Syncro a passenger van or set up for camping?

That's a great looking Yakima rack.

Are they 15" wheels?

I hope you have your Westy back on the road soon.

Regards Gerald Syncro....Vic, Australia 

Westy Wonderland said:

Same!

My WEsty's been off the road for a few years with various engine woes. So I decided to buy a running but complete motor and have Matt Steedle redo the 3sp auto. A whole new drive train ought to do the trick.

In the meantime I run with my Syncro

[Westy Wonderland]

Gerald, thanks for jumping in to continue the thread! This Syncro started out as a passenger van and bookmobile in Seattle, Washington. The interior was somewhat rough as you might imagine! I converted it to a Weekender with the jump seats and table, retaining the fold down bed. Yeah, those are 15" Passat alloys but with the stock ring-and-pinion gearing, at least for now.  It came with a Small Cars 4-disc brake conversion and a 2" lift kit. I added a Peloquin limited slip rear differential. The PO also installed a locking rear diff without any of the controls. I've made my own console from a 3-D printer drawing on-line and hope to have the lines installed this summer. I also have the locking bits for the front differential, which I hope to install this fall during a planned rebuild. The motor is more or less stock with a Rocky Mountain Motorwork stainless steel exhaust system and a T25 711 shifter in the cabin.

I might have the Westy running again before Fall, a rebuilt motor en route to me from California as we correspond!!! Woo-hoo!

So tell us about your Syncro and how you get to put it to good use in Australia. Is the Outback all it's cracked up to be as a Syncro heaven?

Best, Joe

[Gerald Cornish]

Hi Joe and other Syncronauts,

It sounds like your Syncro is getting a few upgrades...I think it's a great idea, as these cars are over 30 years old. Good luck with the rebuild!

Mine came to us in 2012 as an '89 passenger with a small pop top. I removed the rear seats and fitted a 2 seater drop down bed at the back, and fitted a few cupboards. I got made up a 56 Litre water tank and a matching aux fuel tank and were mounted either side under the body, and got installed 2 lithium batteries...1 starter and 1 auxillary, with a fixed solar panel on the pop top. 

It's had 3 engine rebuilds and a gearbox rebuilt...all in 140,000 kms.....but we press on!

So, now it's getting upgraded axles in the back and front, 2" lift all around, and Peloquin diffs back and front (removed the ageing Viscous Coupling and put in a solid shaft and de coupler)...pick it up next week.....and we'll ready for anything the Australian outback throws at us....when we're allowed over the Victorian border that is.

There's lots of places to explore in Australia, National Parks, forests, rivers, mountains...one just has to get out there, and I think the Syncro is just one way to get there.

It's now done 330,000kms, and we've had it for 9 years....it suits us at the moment.

Cheers, Gerald.