The seller of today's Westfalia Syncro is serious about its price. With a flat six out of a Subaru SVX, the Vanagon itself is pretty serious, but is that price really a joke?

Speaking of jokes, you've no doubt heard the one about the horse that walks into a bar upon which the bartender inquires as to the cause of his long face. If the horse happened to be yesterday's then the most likely reason would be its 60% Crack Pipe loss, a devastating event and reason in itself to assume a frown and possibly slop down a couple of Moscow Mules.

You wouldn't think that foxes and ponies would go together so well, but the Fox-platform Mustang is

Mules, in case you don't know, are the offspring of a randy male donkey and indiscriminate female horse. Generally the eunuchs of the Equidae family, male mules never have to worry about child support. They also have for centuries been the sturdiest workhorses of the horse household, serving as pack animals and most famously for carrying Borax out of Death Valley.

Sadly, much like the horse and carriage was replaced by the horseless carriage, so too have the pack mules' purpose been minimized as off-road conveyances by vehicles like this , which goes the extra mile by having a Subaru six under its aft-end.

The SVX EG33 engine - all 3,318-ccs and 230-bhp of it - is claimed to have but 75K under its belt, and like its four-pot brethren fits just fine here. In fact, when shoved up a Vanagon's bum it's also considered by many to make for the king of Vanarus. Here it's fronted by a manual gearbox and, as a Syncro, the Subaru-sourced power is sent to all four wheels through a Steyr- Daimler-Puch designed system. The added weight of the 4x4 system gave the Syncro a nearly neutral 48/52 weight distribution, but it's still not something you'd want to take to your local Gymkhana.

Or maybe it is, as this Syncro is also a Westfalia, that top popping home away from home that's well loved by people unfamiliar with the concepts of motels or not shitting in bags. This one is said to "feature" a fridge delete kit so you'll be stuck drinking beer like the Brits, but its pop-up roof, awning, and assorted cabinetry all look to be in fully serviceable condition. Also, there's a gas-fired heater to keep your cockles nice and toasty, whatever they are.

On the outside, there's decent dark blue paint, 16" alloys under a 2" lift, and an Afrikaner grille all topped off by a Yakima rack, don't talk back.

Westfalias in general, and Syncros in particular seem to be batshitcrazypants desireable these days, and commensurately can command some serious scratch. This one is no exception, as its asking price is a not insubstantial $48,000. Not only that but the seller says he's totally serious about that price, and won't even acknowledge lessor offers. He probably goes to the grocery store and when the cashier rings him up at, say, $63.50, he get's all wild eyed and runs screaming from the store shouting No! Forty eight thousand! Forty! Eight! Freaking! Thousand!

Or maybe not.

Regardless, while he may be no-nonsense about his price, it's now up to you to determine whether his Subaru-powered Syncro is worthy of both a furrowed brow and chin stroke, as well as that $48,000. What do you think, should this serious seller get his way? Or, does that price make this Syncro suck?

You decide!

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H/T to Civardi for the hookup!

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