When I was fifteen I purchased my first car. It was a 1985 Volkswagen Vanagon. I took it home and started making it mine. I changed the brakes, did some body work, and decided to repaint it “wind blue” to get rid of the less-than-appealing champagne/brown. It became The Mystery Machine.
She was not perfect, but she was mine.
The summer after I graduated high school I had the opportunity to get a 1982 Vanagon Westfalia. It was aircooled and came with all of the original camping equipment — even the kitchen sink. I sold the mystery machine and bought the Yellow Submarine.
Photo Courtesy of William Shirey.
Both Vanagons have been alot of fun, alot of work, and most the people I interact with each day do not know a me without a VW. I sold the Yellow Submarine on Monday. May it fare well with its new owners. What car will I drive next?
LEAVE YOUR FAVORITE VANAGON MEMORIES IN COMMENTS!!!!!
Example: Remember that time we broke down on the way to a K.I.S.S. concert?
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Like that one time we were driving and smoke started coming through the vents and you said don’t worry about it. And we kept driving and the smoke got so bad we couldn’t see the windshield and you said “The damage is done, let’s keep going”.
I wonder how awesome we looked on the side of the interstate with smoke pouring out the passenger compartment of a VW van.
You get the Flaming Transmission award.
But seriously, the van was the awesome. I miss it already.
Remember that time we had a floor retreat at your house, and Baby Bleu and I slept in the pop top, and Looper slept on the back seat?
dangit. i wish i had a story.
i think maybe i saw you drive it…once.
Like the one time that we jumped out and tackled Dauthan and drug him to the car for not running in pairs? And then Megan jumped in and fought us away the second time. So much feistyness.
Yeah that was fun.