White Westy Build

Here at Small Car Performance: We perform custom projects for many customers throughout the year on their Vintage Volkswagens and want to showcase those builds here to show options that are available and to highlight the amazing customers we are honored to meet throughout the build process. 

Story of this Vanagon: This 1987 2WD Automatic Westy van arrived to us after being at a shop for a few years with a failed attempt at installing a WRX Subaru engine with an automatic Vanagon transmission. Coolant pipes hanging down, window stuck down, steering wheel peels off into your hands... you get the picture. After many conversations and revisions of quotes with the customer he decided to preserve the freshly re-build automatic transmission and go with a Drive-by-Wire 2.5L 2005-2012 Subaru Engine. This engine has plenty of power for adventuring in his Vanagon while also not adding too much torque and horsepower to that Automatic transmission. See below for details of the build.

There were also a few other systems that were restored on this Vanagon while it was in the shop for its build.

• Power windows repaired
• CV service performed
• Front and rear heater core
• Steering wheel replaced
• Fuel system - restored to a safe working system
• Brake booster replaced