Just got back from a short camping trip to our favourite camping beach (Rathtrevor Provincial Park on Vancouver Island) and even though I hadn’t fired up the westy for months before the trip, all I needed to do was install the new battery, check fluid levels, wash it, load it and go.
The Zetec fired up instantly and ran flawlessly for the trip. That would have been unlikely with the tired old waterboxer. ( I realize a well maintained water boxer could do the same, it is just that ours often didn’t.)
A view of the westy I rarely get, courtesy of BC Ferries:
While in Parksville we just happen to see a really big car show with a huge variety of vehicles, including this ‘oddity’ which we saw again driving down the road in Errington a few days later.
Edbee's Syncro, Studebaker M16 & Mustang 
Hey Ed,
You’ve got an enviable rig haven’t you? And the body work looks too good, yup too good. I hate it 🙂
What are your thoughts about the bostig ground clearance? Is it really an issue? And does it get hotter than you’d like in the compartment? I’m not criticizing, I’m curious.
But jeez, it’s a nice van Ed.
Alistair
>
Thanks Alistar,
I think once I put on the high capacity, high clearance oil pan I bough a while ago (http://www.bostig.com/high-capacity-oilpan-hc-oilpan/) and the skid plate I also bought a while ago (http://www.bostig.com/250-thick-engine-skidplate-for-bostig-conversion/ except I have the earlier 3/8″ version which is likely overkill and over heavy) ground clearance shouldn’t be a problem at all. Check out the skid plate video at the bottom of that page, its pretty cool.
I haven’t really noticed that it gets too hot in the engine compartment although when we arrived at Rathtrevor the lower bunk area was certainly nice and warm for quite some time whereas ‘upstairs’ in the tent the evening cooled down pretty quickly.
Actually Alistar, I was thinking about trying to get advice from you as we were planning to take back roads down from Arrowsmith (east of Port Alberni) to Cowichan Lake and I wasn’t really sure if the roads would be passable or not and thought you may know: south on Cameron River Main, over Cop Cr. Main to Nitinat River Main – which appeared like it would work based on the Backroads Map Book of Vancouver Island I bought in Parksville… although it all became a moot point as the weather totally socked in yesterday so we just took the highway and came home. Now I am more wondering about good back roads from around Duncan to Sooke area, nothing crazy as I don’t want to a/ get stuck or b/ scare my wife or kids, just give the kids a different experience than 4 lane paved highways… ideally something that gets us up on a ridge with good views. Any suggestions welcome, thanks!