The Vanagon Dictionary

A non-pop top Westfalia Camper

• westfalia
• camper

Practice of lowering the roof on the body of the vehicle by cutting portions of the frame and door frames

• chop-top
• custom

The highest gear ratio available in a vehicle's transmission

• gear
• transmission

Top Dead Center, the position of the piston at the top of its stroke

• engine
• timing

A camper roof section that lifts above the body, usually with a flexible fabric enclosure when raised, adding standing room while keeping a lower profile when closed. Gerry’s 1998 camper-conversion discussion contrasts pop-top layouts with the fixed high-roof Adventurewagen conversion; they are different body configurations, not interchangeable names. Roof design and interior details vary by builder and model year.

• pop-top
• canvas

VW painted in 2 colors, often top and bottom

• paint
• color

The flexible fabric enclosure between a raised camper roof and the fixed vehicle roof. Depending on the design, it may include screened or closable openings; it is an enclosure, not a roof support or fall-protection device.

• camper
• roof
• canvas

( Automotive Services Inc. ) A U.S.-based camper conversion company out of Washington state. Manufactured a Vanagon camper conversion called the Riviera with a straight-up pop-top.

Adventurewagen was a Fort Bragg, California conversion builder, not a Volkswagen model or Transporter generation. In a December 1998 Gerry thread about camper conversions, a contributor describes its high-roof conversion as common on the U.S. West Coast and distinguishes that fixed high roof from pop-top layouts. A 2001 thread also identifies Adventurewagen as a maker of Vanagon high-top conversions. Roof, interior, and equipment vary by build and vehicle year.

• camper
• conversion

Volkswagen’s electronic fuel-injection and engine-management system used in North American Vanagons from 1986 onward according to Gerry’s terminology FAQ. The archived FAQ distinguishes it from Digijet, which it associates with 1983.5–1985 Vanagons; Gerry’s technical bulletin index also lists Digifant topics for 1986–1991 models. Verify year, engine, and market before using system-specific parts or procedures.

• engine
• management

Community name for Volkswagen’s water-cooled, horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine family used in Vanagons. Gerry’s technical index covers 1.9 L and 2.1 L versions and year-specific service topics. A January 2004 archive thread describes an owner’s 1983 1.9 L Waterboxer running roughly when cold but normally after warming up; it records the symptom and discussion, not a universal cause or fix. Identify the engine code and model year before using parts or service information.

• engine
• water-cooled