The current syncrosource homepage syncro is a virtual representation of an ongoing syncro project.  The vehicle started off as a 1987 vanagon syncro, very stock, very beat, with sunroof and locking rear diff options.  Purchased off one of the lists from the original owner in Lake Tahoe, CA., with 147K miles.  2.1 WBX ran ok … transmission had some 3rd/4th gear issues.

Design:  Those of you familiar with my other project [VR6 powered Doka] know that my main motivation is probably how a vehicle looks.  I’m an industrial designer [see fuseid.com ], so there you go.  I love the look of the awesomely functional Unimog and Pinzgauer … so I set out to see how much of that I could design into a Vanagon.

Big tires were a must.  As most of you know, the first thing to limit tire size on a syncro are the rear trailing arms.  You can massage and shave the arms to get another inch of tire diameter [about 30” max], but I wanted more.  So, I’m fabricating my own trailing arms, and also planning on moving the pivot-point mounts forward, so that I can get 33” – or maybe 36” – tires.  

A related modification is the complete removal of the rocker panels, and front/rear sheetmetal -  all trimmed up to the knee-height body crease.  All this trimming necessitated relocating the bumpers upwards by almost a foot, and relocating lower-door hinges and sliding-door tracks.  

The stock bumpers were retained, in an attempt to cause people to do a double-take: “what exactly is different about that van??”

The virtual image includes a few other features that may make it into production.  Notably, the roof rack system, and also the front auxiliary light/bar protector.  That light/bar is pretty subtle, no?  

Mechanical upgrade plan:
Suspension: am hoping to have John Wessels build coil-over front suspension units, and something similar for the rear, to work with my radical trailing arms.  Transaxle: Front and rear diffs will have the lowest possible ring-and-pinions [6.17] and diff locks, of course, will be built by Daryl at AA Transaxle.  A solid shaft and decoupler will be provided by Tom and Adam Lengyl.
Brakes: South African front discs … possibly rear discs.
Wheels: the radical set of steel wheels shown will be built by Stockton Wheels.
Tires … still deciding …

More info to come: engine choice, interior ideas, etc.… stay posted!