In 1995 Marco Martinez, a Volkswagen factory trained Master Mechanic, bought an ’82 VW Vanagon with a safari sunroof. The van had several engine problems: poor performance, oil leaks, and was very unreliable. However, Marco was confident that by making some repairs, adjustments, and tuning the engine, the van would perform like all other vehicles on the highway. Marco spent the next few weeks and well over $1000 replacing engine valves, gaskets, seals, relays etc.

After all repairs were made, Marco decided to take his vanagon for a weekend trip from L.A. to Vegas to see U2 live in concert. Las Vegas is 300 miles from Los Angeles, a trip that usually takes about 4 hours at a constant speed of 70-75 MPH. It took Marco eight hours to reach Vegas due to the three stops he had to make to refuel. Plus, the van was unable to exceed speeds of 55 MPH with no grade and 35-40 MPH with a grade. On the way back to Los Angeles, the trip took ten hours because the engine developed an oil leak and ran poorly.

Nevertheless, on that trip, Marco realized the van's true potential. It was spacious for luggage and comfort, able to seat up to seven people, offered good visibility and an incredible sunroof. He began to brainstorm about alternative engines. One mechanic suggested using a Subaru engine; another suggested a 4 cylinder VW engine, but Marco decided to study the VW Vanagon factory specifications before making any decisions. He discovered that the Vanagon’s gross weight is 4,200 pounds and the Westfalia’s weight is 5,162 pounds. These are very heavy vans, which meant they would require a significant amount of torque — not just horsepower, but torque. He researched how much torque the original transmission could stand and, based on the specifications, he made a list of eight possible engines — from a Mazda rotary to an Audi 5 cylinder, to a short block V8.

After much research, Marco realized there was only one engine that met ALL VW Vanagon specifications. This was the ‘91-‘94 3.0 V6 Nissan Maxima engine. An engine which, if well maintained, is known to go up to 300,000 miles with a reliable track. At this point, it was time to put the idea to the test.

Three months later, the conversion was complete. The van ran like no other. What's more, the Vanagon (and all his vehicles to date) are smog certified in California, meaning they will pass any smog test in the United States.

Shortly thereafter, Marco realized the van required additional modifications to make it fully-compatible with the new engine. For instance, the tire gear ratio was very low, making the engine’s RPM’s run high at highway speeds. To compensate for this problem, he replaced the original VW 14" rear rims with 16x8" aluminum rims, which, along with 225-70- R16 tires, takes the van to new levels of handling, traction, suspension, and fuel efficiency. Additionally, the van now boasted a top speed of 95-100 MPH without grade and 65-70 MPH with grade.

Marco now had a very heavy, fast running van, one that required a braking system that would not overheat when heavy braking was needed. He replaced the solid front brake disc for a larger ventilated disc and caliper, making the van a far safer vehicle.

After seven years of refining the conversion, Marco now had the recipe for a reliable and exceptionally well-performing Vanagon. He coined his masterpiece the Maxi-Westy/Vanagon Conversion. People started to take note and before he knew it, he was flooded with requests for Vanagon and Westfalia conversions.

Marco has since converted four Vanagons and ten Westfalias. The vans became so popular that people were even asking for customizing beyond Marco's original design. He got requests for cruise control, power steering, air conditioning, entertainment/sound systems, full sets of five aluminum rims, rear tire carriers, stronger bumpers, brighter headlights and even spare gas tanks. Through the years, the requests only increased, so Marco decided to leave his day job and begin making Maxi-Westy/Vanagon Conversions full time.

To see actual pictures and read more about the Vanagons and Westfalias that have been converted, please check out our gallery. Also be sure to read the testimonials of some proud Maxi-Westi/Vanagon owners.