1981 Volkswagen Vanagon

This 1981 Volkswagen Vanagon was ordered with a sunroof, and it was retrofitted in 1992 with an air-cooled 3.2L flat-six sourced from a 1988 Porsche 911 Carrera along with the van’s five-speed manual transaxle. It was owned for 29 years by a co-founder of Swiss Motors in Culver City, California, before it was previously sold on BaT in December 2021. Equipment includes Koni shock absorbers, aftermarket front disc brakes, 16″ wheels, and a Kenwood CD stereo with Bluetooth connectivity. The van was acquired in July 2023 by the selling dealer, and the tires were replaced in preparation for the sale. This modified T3 shows 344k miles and is offered with a clean Illinois title. The van was refinished in its current shade of yellow in 2005, and it has aftermarket headlights as well as a 2″ rear receiver hitch. A May 2012 entry on the Carfax report states that the vehicle was involved in a rear-end collision. Body repairs were completed and the bumpers were replaced in June 2012. Alloy 16″ wheels are wrapped in 205/55 Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 tires mounted in July 2023. Aftermarket springs, Koni dampers, and polyurethane suspension bushings are noted, and front brake calipers from GoWesty are fitted along with ventilated rotors and braided stainless-steel lines. The high-back bucket seats were re-trimmed in brown upholstery with patterned inserts in May 2019. Brown carpets line the floors, and a Bluetooth-capable Kenwood CD stereo with a USB port is installed in the dashboard. A two-spoke steering wheel frames the instrument cluster, which has a 120-mph speedometer with a six-digit odometer showing 344k miles. The five-passenger rear cabin has two bench seats beneath a perforated headliner and a hand-operated metal sunroof. Overhauled in 2005 at 233k miles, the air-cooled 3.2L flat-six sends power to the rear wheels through a Getrag G50 five-speed manual transaxle and 930-specification axle shafts. The battery and engine oil were replaced in preparation for the sale. Additional photographs of the underside are shown in the gallery below. The Carfax report shows the aforementioned damage entry. Filed under: vw