The Facebook post from Joe Jolly was innocent enough: “McTaggart! Is this BangShifty?” Not quite sure why I’m the person to ask…half of the time, most people think I’ve got the eyesight of Mr. Magoo when it comes to the subject…but what the hell, let’s click the link and see what we’ve got. 
Hmm…ok, we have a tubbed out van, with a fuel cell and what appears to be a small-block Chevy mounted mid-ship. Sure enough, that is a 358ci Chevrolet mill, which translates into demonic, high-revving, tire-melting fun. And the parts list looks like Christmas: Pro Comp 2.02/1.60 207cc runner heads, full ARP studs, .040 over, mild cam .488 int/exh, Edelbrock Torker intake, Holley 750, MSD vac advance distributor, TSR full manual valve body, shorty Powerglide, 2800 stall 9″ convertor, trans brake, 9″ full spool, 5.29 gear, 31 spline Strange axles (and new 35 spline axles included as well). Ok, that works! Now, the question: what is the box that all of this fun is being shipped in?
…a brown and tan 1982 Volkswagen Vanagon. Even by “dare to be different” standards, this is a surprise to see. Forget aerodynamics, they simply don’t matter when the vehicle is in the shape of a brick. And it’s Powerglide has a leaking front pump seal. This means that the $4,200 asking price is…ok, it’s a steal even if the Powerglide itself was missing. The sum of the parts alone is above that. But what would you do: finish up this funky VW or find a new home for the good stuff?
Craigslist Link: 1982 Volkswagen Vanagon
Now that’s an e-ticket ride! Put in a transbrake and lift the frontend!
I second Jerry, but perhaps with the addition of some more cam and compression. And a roof chop;
might as well be a full-fledged freak if you’re on that road anyway.
As a semi-relevant sidenote, I saw a Miata roll through town today. License plate read “ETICKET.”
And I thought, “maybe with more displacement or forced induction.”
I t would make a sweet sleeper if you could quiet it down and lose the shiney wheels 🙂
Viva La Street Freak !