The new Golf R is a force to be reckoned with, making the first appreciable increase in power since these MkIV R32s brought 4WD performance and the R moniker to the VW Golf lineup. While the new 2.0 liter turbo four may produce a lot more power, the open-flapped exhaust on these 3.2 liter VR6s will still turn more heads. Having covered just over 40k miles means this is one of the best examples on the market, so the seller is going big and asking for $20k. Yes, that’s well on its way to a new GTI or slightly used Golf R, but I’ll always have a soft spot for the original R32.
Category: Volkswagen
Most of the T3 Syncros we see in the US are megacampers, done up with lots of GoWesty parts to take a shot at being the toughest van out there. Today’s Syncro used to belong to a German fire department but comes delightfully bare; a tin top with standard wheels and hubcaps keep it extra stock, with just the white top and bright red paint alluding to its public service history. There’s no camper or even bed in the back, but you can seat 9 people in this thing! With fewer than 50k miles, it’d go for something crazy on this side of the pond, but in Germany the T3 supply helps keep prices low.
Click for details: 1989 Volkswagen Vanagon Syncro on mobile.de
2 Comments
One thing I really love about writing up these 10K posts is a odd combinations pricing allows me to come up with. For today’s post, I decided to do something a little different. Instead of maximizing the budget, I decided to look at it from the perspective of what was a classic 1980s car that you could buy and maintain well under $10,000. Obviously, if you’re willing to shill out much more, there are countless classics you can jump in to turn-key; but under $10,000 means with almost certainty that the car you’ll be getting in to today will be at least in part a bit of a project. Is there anything wrong with that? No, I think there’s an inherent appeal to trying to save and resuscitate a car that was in part neglected or just needs attention. Certainly I’ve tried to do that several times with 1980s cars – with mixed results. Today, I grabbed one classic from the 1980s (give or take, we’ll see…) from each of the major manufacturers – which is the one you’d like to save?
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1980 Porsche 924 Turbo on eBay
3 Comments
There is one vehicle I’ve been on the lookout for ever since I started writing for GCFSB. The Porsche B32. Not familiar with this Porsche? Well, that’s because it really isn’t a Porsche. Rather, it’s a Volkswagen T3 Transporter, or Vanagon, as we knew them in the US market, with a Porsche heart. Motivated by a 3.2 liter flat-6 out of a 911 Carrera, this was one quick people mover. Only a handful of these über Vanagons were devised as a chase vehicle for the Porsche Group B 959s competing in the Paris Dakar Rally. The chances of getting your hands on a B32 are highly unlikely, but a few have attempted the Porsche flat-6 conversion themselves. If speed isn’t your concern but you like the aggressive B32 look, this 1990 Vanagon Carat may be the ticket.
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1990 Volkswagen Vanagon Carat on eBay
2 Comments
In America, DoKas are so rare that even mediocre examples (albeit with a GoWesty engine) can go for almost $40k. In Germany, you can get this amazing VR6’d DoKa for less than $10k. The matte/murdered-out look is a bit past its prime, but if any sleeper deserves a mean rattle-can job, it’s a crew-cab VW van-truck with more than twice its original horsepower. The seats have been nicely recovered, highlighting an interior that is functional if not cohesive. Double bonus points for the home-brew see-through engine cover. Like a Ferrari, but with a window from West Marine! All told, this is a Vanagamino that isn’t clean or perfect, but it’s not trying to be either. It’s made to blow minds and scare children.