Vehicle Description
1986 Volkswagen Vanagon GL Synchro
"1986 was a big year in the evolution of the Vanagon. It marked the
beginning of a new engine, an all-wheel drive system, (Syncho), as
well as other refinements and improvements. Seven models of the
Vanagon were built for the United States market for model year
1986. Volkswagen sold 12,288 Vanagons in the USA in model year
1986." Thx tovanagons.org
For consignment, a 1986 Volkswagen Vanagon GL Synchro owned by our
consignor since 1997 and will come with service records dating back
that far. He's only driven it 10,000 miles during that time and had
itrepainted in 2008.
Exterior
Two stage Marine Blue covers this Vanagon in fine fashion and this
boxy unit approaches with a vertical nose adorned with new for 1986
rectangular headlights with extra square high beams, and two
grilles, one for van ventilation and the other for the front
mounted radiator. A straight chrome bumper frames the lower portion
of the fascia and a tall windshield showcases a short dash pad and
steering wheel that is cab forward. The sharply angled front door
can be described as flag shaped with long panel sides and a narrow
foot entry point, all making room for the wheel openings and axle.
A track is cut into the passenger side for the sliding side door
which provides ample access to the rear seats and rear vents bring
air into the rear mounted engine. The pure box continues on the
back where low tail lights allow for a large liftgate and a low
lift over for cargo. 14-inch wheels carry 185R14 tires with a late
2020 manufacturing date. Imperfections include bubbling in the
paint, some uneven gap filler, and a crack in the paint.
Interior
Gray cloth inserts fit into the blue vinyl door panels and
characteristic black Volkswagen hardware adorn the panels and
includes a speaker and vent. Gray cloth bucket seats with pivoting
armrests on both sides present nicely with wear apparent on the
driver's side. The piping around the seats is wavy but this
condition does not continue on the back seats which are attached
twins in the middle and a bench of three in the rear where plenty
of headroom and legroom prevails and everyone gets a pull down
armrest. Some of the vinyl sidewall shows some looseness but is
fully intact while some vinyl corner guards on the floor show some
wear. The textured steering wheel and dash pod is clean and a now
vintage 1986 digital clock is part of the cluster. A Blaupunkt
AM/FM/Cassette radio is in the center just behind the floor mounted
shifter with rubber boot and surrounded by low pile blue carpet in
good shape but showing some spots and tears from usage. The
headliner is in good shape and the overhead console starts the vent
system which travels through the middle of the ceiling to
distribute air. Overall, the interior is an airy environment with
lots of space to move around and lots of windows to enjoy the
sights.
Drivetrain
Under a panel in the back is the 2.1 liter Boxer 4 cylinder engine
with Digifant electronic fuel injection and rated at 95 horsepower.
The 5-speed manual transmission has four speeds plus low range and
power is sent to both axles where 4.86 gears ratio the all wheel
drive system. The van received a new clutch at 114,475 miles and
one cylinder head at about 117k. The alternator and battery are
also newer. Power brakes are supplied with discs in front and drums
in the rear.
Undercarriage
Generally clean underneath with some residual oil on the front diff
and some flaking invasive rust on the right trailing arm rail. The
exhaust system was replaced at 117k and other than surface rust,
looks fine as it enters a single, stock style muffler before
exiting out back. Suspension consists of coil springs up front and
independent semi trailing arm and coil springs in the back.
Drive-Ability
We love the forward position and grand visibility from the large
windshield and it's rare to exit the garage before the engine does,
but off we go onto the test track and it takes a few minutes for
the engine to smooth out but eventually the brick shaped van finds
its way and provides a comfortable, upright ride where tracking and
braking perform well. The A/C is not working and our consignor
reports it is not holding a charge. The fuel gauge only reads half
a tank regardless of what's in there. Everything else including
lights, signals, wipers and more all work as intended. While
Classic Auto Mall represents that these functions were working at
the time of our test drive, we cannot guarantee these functions
will be working at the time of your purchase.
We were carpooled in station wagons as kids and while cool enough,
riding in a Vanagon would have been so much cooler! This seven
passenger van would not only make a nice retro showpiece, but also
a fun family van for ice cream runs or trips to the local park. The
flat floor and practical use of space along with the AWD could also
serve as the basis for an overland conversion as Synchros are not
very common. Any way you look at it, the unique styling of the VW
Vanagon assures its standing as a classic recreational vehicle.
Classic Auto Mall is home to more than 1,000 classic and
collectible vehicles for sale via consignment in a climate
controlled 336,000-square foot showroom (that's more than 8
acres!). The largest single location consignment dealer of classic
and collectible vehicles in the country is located in Morgantown,
Pennsylvania, just 1-hour west of Philadelphia off Exit 298 of the
I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. For more information visit
www.classicautomall.com or call us at (888) 227-0914. Contact us
anytime for more information or to come see the vehicle in
person.
With so many great cars, you know we have a lot to talk about, and
we do that each week on the Classic Auto Mall Podcast with host
Stewart Howden. Stewart discusses new inventory as well as trends
in consignments and car prices, while interviewing celebrities and
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