06/19/2026
To all the Fathers out there be very careful when you open up your mouth and make a promise to your children...I stuck my foot directly into mine.
During Covid, I was dropping my daughter off to start college and she asked me during the drive if I would build her or if she could buy a VW bus and I of course said absolutely not while you are in college. We went back and forth for a bit on the double standards of my decision etc., and finally I said: "I'll tell you what: You get dean's list all 4 years all 4 semesters and I will build you a bus".
Fast forward 4 years and my wife informs me January of senior year as my daughter drove off back to school for her final semester that I better get busy because she (my daughter) was going to pull it off... and of course I had no idea what she was referring to, i'd completely forgotten all about my promise.
The next 5 months of nights and weekends were a complete blur, but happy to say it was completed just in time for graduation:-)
A build like this does not occur in that time frame without the sweat equity and generosity of the many people who helped me make this possible. A massive thanks and shout out goes out to the following:
Fern and crew @ Fern's Bodyshop, Carol @ Sewfine, Leo of Leo's Custom Upholstery, Kyle Automotive Specialties, Mario "Mr. Whippy" @ MV Engineering, Stevie Daniels, Paul Krabbendam, Fred @ United Motorsports, Chris @ uniWerks Design, Phil @ Togus Pond Customs, Christopher Schimke of T3 Technique and all "my brothers from another mother": Chris "Shanks" Shankle, Matt "The Count" Cook, Matt "Janine" Steedle of Steedle Transmissions and the 4 who were at every step in the build process to whom I am forever in debt:
My son Julien "Ti-boot" Gagnon, Clif "The Dark Knight" Wilson, Jeffy "Potsue" Simpson, and of course Gari "Big G" Kneeland...
Specs:
'91 Vanagon Carat painted L63H Sage Green
Master Coat 3 Stage process on floor and entire under Chassis
Legacy Sliding Rag Top
20th Anniversary Golf GTI Plaid Custom Upholstery
Specially made Tinted glass for center Westy Windows
Specially made Tinted Rear Side Glass
Specially made Flat Rear Hatch Tinted Glass
Powder Coat Porsche Cayenne Red undercarriage and Dash
Front and Rear Disc Brake Upgrades
Schwenk Lift Springs
South African Wet Black Powdered T3 Rims
'06 Audi TT 1.8T fully rebuilt, balanced and punched out .020 with Wiseco proprietary Forged pistons
Daniels Machine Cylinder head work
Matt Steedle 3.73 3-speed Automatic
550cc Bosch Injectors
K04 Turbo
Bell Intercooler
European 1.8 DOHC NA Valve cover and intake for longer Intake runners
Stage 3 Tune
FAS GEN V Injection
Enjoy!
