Date:         Fri, 7 Mar 2025 23:36:27 +0000
Reply-To:     Stephen Grisanti <bike2vcu@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Stephen Grisanti <bike2vcu@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      Post-mortem post:  a fond farewell
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8

Not me, don't worry, but for the first time since August of 2006 we find ourselves Vanagonless.  Having moved to the woods years ago our camping dwindled off and we only used the Westy for trailering duties like hauling sod, firewood, mulch and big things that we would have used a minivan for when we had one.  Finally got another Mopar in '23 so the Westy, returning to third-vehicle status, had even less to do.  We'd pretty much decided to sell it but were relieved of that task when a big storm came through on Sunday, February 16th and sent a tree crashing down onto the van.  For those of you who recall the Bus Depot van smash from years ago, this one was just as dramatic, thorough, and spectacular.  The primary differences were, our tree was a hickory and it fell right-to-left across the van's middle instead of Ron's oak falling left-to-right. Both equally totaled.
Took our tree guy a week or so to show up but he eventually did and took a day to remove the instrument of destruction but he could, of course, do nothing to save the van.  I took a Sawzall to the top of the slider and C-pillar and cut myself an access slot so I could get in and extricate our camping gear, spares, and tools that lived inside. I was also able to start it but movement required replacing the flattened left-front tire, so once that was done I was able to move the van across the yard.
I placed an ad on Samba to sell the whole carcass, wanting the parts to go to someone in the community.  I did not want to part it out myself, lacking the space and the time to deal with it, and I just didn't have the heart.  Got three interested parties but none stepped up so I just let the whole thing go to the insurance company, including all the stuff I could find in the garage that I'd accumulated for it over the years.
Meanwhile we were dealing with the insurance company on two claims, one for the van and one for the damage to a rock wall lining the driveway when the tree uprooted it. They are being real champs about this, I must say.  A wrecker showed up to tow the carcass away and the settlement check for the van arrived today. 
Sad not having the Westy here but we'd already made the emotional break by deciding to sell.  Sadder yet is the reality of one more nice camper gone when someone else might have enjoyed it for several more years after us.  We don't expect to be getting another (I'd kick myself for giving up all those good parts) and we'll buy something newer or rent if we choose to camp again.
Here's a link to some gruesome photos for those of you who can't resist looking at terrible things
photos.google.com/album/AF1QipMEK8XrNZAvl1ivAvwf03QqwWBT9vIgrDXDYZ7m

Don't let this happen to your van if you can possibly help it, and enjoy yours while you can. You just never know what might happen.
I'll still continue on the list but will have less at stake in the future.  Good luck to all and thanks for the fun, the advice and the fellowship. 
Stephen GrisantiFormer owner of a Wolfram Grey Metallic '87 full Westy, 2.1 WBX w/ 4-speed, no name--we just always called it "the camper."