um, i dont think anything spells pedophile like an econoline--ok--maybe a dodge tradesman. but a Delica--nothing about that seems "creepy" to me, its all out--not american excess smart diesel. and its made in japan not korea.
here is my back ground, i owned 4 syncros (some with wbxer some with subaru) and loved them to death, selling my 4th one when i moved from CO to Vancouver BC because i had every intention of buying a Delica (small displacement diesel, real transfer case etc etc) or a toyota land cruiser BJ60 (diesel version of the FJ60) or a toyota hiace (diesel van--think that right)
anyway--i stayed 10 months in vancouver, found out i really am a sun person after all and the 7 days of sun i saw in 10 months didnt work for me. I figured this out in the first month, so i never did buy anything i couldnt bring back with me.
but before i moved back i bought a syncro westfalia that was dead in the water, site unseen in CO since i couldnt live with out a van any longer. i spent the next 2 years building out my dream syncro, subaru SVX motor, suspension mods, and the interior I wanted, bling here, bling there. I finally realized i had out grown the VW van platform after 25 rear engined VW's in my history. me and my wife both ride dirt bike, and like to camp on jeep roads where we can dirt bike from camp--trailering didnt cut it and i want to put my bikes inside and be self contained
so, i sold the syncro and got my long lusted after (seriously--since i was a kid) 4x4 7.3 PSD econoline. did i need a 7.3--hell no, would i have loved a smaller L psd--hell yeah. do i love the van--hell yeah, do i find it american excess--definitely.
that being said, im not about to stop modding it and i love most things about it so far, its quieter than a syncro ever has hopes of being (anyone who complains about a diesel econoline being loud has never driven a VW vanagon), real transfer case, diesel, solid axle, blank slate to continue what i learned from past builds. even at 7.3L, im still ahead mpg wise. me and the wife are really digging the new van, and it gets better by the day (stay tuned for build thread), but even she keeps me in check to make sure it doesnt turn into a "compensating for lack of something" 4x4, which i never had to worry about in a syncro.
do i miss my syncro--oh yeah. i must admit the syncro community are some of the best people on this planet, and they still want me to come camping with them (so i can pull them out no doubt). syncro to SMB (or 4x4 econoline) comparison is not apples to apples, they really are different vans
here is my back ground, i owned 4 syncros (some with wbxer some with subaru) and loved them to death, selling my 4th one when i moved from CO to Vancouver BC because i had every intention of buying a Delica (small displacement diesel, real transfer case etc etc) or a toyota land cruiser BJ60 (diesel version of the FJ60) or a toyota hiace (diesel van--think that right)
anyway--i stayed 10 months in vancouver, found out i really am a sun person after all and the 7 days of sun i saw in 10 months didnt work for me. I figured this out in the first month, so i never did buy anything i couldnt bring back with me.
but before i moved back i bought a syncro westfalia that was dead in the water, site unseen in CO since i couldnt live with out a van any longer. i spent the next 2 years building out my dream syncro, subaru SVX motor, suspension mods, and the interior I wanted, bling here, bling there. I finally realized i had out grown the VW van platform after 25 rear engined VW's in my history. me and my wife both ride dirt bike, and like to camp on jeep roads where we can dirt bike from camp--trailering didnt cut it and i want to put my bikes inside and be self contained
so, i sold the syncro and got my long lusted after (seriously--since i was a kid) 4x4 7.3 PSD econoline. did i need a 7.3--hell no, would i have loved a smaller L psd--hell yeah. do i love the van--hell yeah, do i find it american excess--definitely.
that being said, im not about to stop modding it and i love most things about it so far, its quieter than a syncro ever has hopes of being (anyone who complains about a diesel econoline being loud has never driven a VW vanagon), real transfer case, diesel, solid axle, blank slate to continue what i learned from past builds. even at 7.3L, im still ahead mpg wise. me and the wife are really digging the new van, and it gets better by the day (stay tuned for build thread), but even she keeps me in check to make sure it doesnt turn into a "compensating for lack of something" 4x4, which i never had to worry about in a syncro.
do i miss my syncro--oh yeah. i must admit the syncro community are some of the best people on this planet, and they still want me to come camping with them (so i can pull them out no doubt). syncro to SMB (or 4x4 econoline) comparison is not apples to apples, they really are different vans