I hear you Ken, but I would add a couple of points:

1. Several years ago GoWesty went to a "you get what we tell you" approach to restorations. I.e., they quit restoring customer vans, and started buying them, doing what *they* wanted, then selling them. I think its a hard sell when you're charging $80K for a 30 year old vehicle and telling the customer what work is done, and how it's done. Kind of the Henry Form / Ma Bell approach of yore: You can have anything you want as long as you want Black...

2. People don't buy neat bolt on stuff for dead vehicles. If mundane repair parts become NLA, or mechanically unnecessary, but functionally/aesthetically necessary (window/door/top rubber, popup canvass, etc.) the bolt on business dies along with it, and likely ahead of it. Maybe others will get in the game, maybe not.

Everyone needs to take care of themselves first, obviously, and I'm certainly no different so please don't take this as a criticism. But in niche market like we're in with Vanagons, doesn't take too many folks dropping out of the "mundane" market to make a big dent. It's just sad that, in so many areas these days, providing valuable services - as opposed to selling "trinkets" - just doesn't pay a decent living wage anymore.

Or maybe I'm just old and crotchety. 

Keith Hughes
'86 Westy GenV (Marvin)

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 Date:    Thu, 14 Sep 2017
 11:54:02 -0400
 From:    "kenneth wilford
 (Van-Again)" <kenwilfy@COMCAST.NET>
 Subject: Go Westy no longer selling
 restored Vans
 
 Just saw this on the EV list and
 thought I would post it here.
 
 I think I know why this has happened.
 
 It is really the same path that we have
 been on for the last several
 years.  Going from a repair
 shop/parts store, to a restoration shop/parts
 store (where we are now), to an
 accessories developer/parts store (they
 will probably eventually stop selling
 the repair parts at some point and
 only supply the accessories/Westy parts
 which would be very ironic as that
 is how the whole business started back
 in the day).
 
 It really just comes down to making the
 most money with your time, with the
 least headaches.  Developing cool
 accessories that aren't mission critical
 is a great way to make a ton of money
 (high mark up) while avoiding the
 thing that is the most soul destroying
 in the Vanagon world (dealing with
 broken down vans on trips).   I
 had lots of great experiences with doing
 repairs for customers over the years,
 however one bad experience (with an
 unreasonable customer, or someone who
 seems to be jinxed for some reason)
 overshadows your life until you get it
 resolved.  Getting a phone message
 at 10 o'clock at night on a Saturday
 from a customer broken down in the
 middle of nowhere and there is nothing
 you can do for them until Monday
 will wreck your weekend if you actually
 care (which I do).  Getting away
 from that wheel of pain has helped me
 enjoy servicing the Vanagon world
 again and we are actually making the
 same or even a little more money.  I
 have just dipped my toe into the
 restoration and sales world and so far
 that is going well.  However
 eventually, I will use that money to expand
 the accessories that we sell, because
 that is really where the money is
 right now.  People just can't get
 enough stuff to bolt and strap onto their
 vans.  I tried to buck the trend
 for a while but if you can't beat em, join
 em.
 
 Just my thoughts on this.
 
 --
 Thanks,
 Ken Wilford
 John 3:16
 www.vanagain.com
 
 ------------------------------