We started our home business in Capitola, California in 2003, with our first product, the 8691 ECU Monitor (for 1986 - 1991 Digifant Vanagon models), and we delivered our first iteration to the Van Cafe in Santa Cruz, California; originally for repair shop use, and occasional customer rentals. A short time later, our first run of 8691 Kits was made available for retail purchase on the Van Cafe website, and we have been busy with different products ever since. We moved from Capitola to Cameron Park, California in 2013, expanding our manufacturing area.

The first addition to our line was the 8385 ECU Monitor Kit (for 1983 - 1985 Digijet models), followed by our Battery Saver Kit, and finally our Throttle Position (TPS) Switch Kits. Two plug and play Shop Systems are also available; The 8691 Shop System (for Digifant FI Systems), and the 8391 Shop System, which adds troubleshooting capability for the 83 1/2 - 85 Digijet FI vehicles. These Shop Syatems are designed for Vanagon repair shops, or folks that simply choose not to do any type of soldering and testing. Our customer can provide either one or two functional ECUs, or we can provide them at our cost (currently $275 USD). Either way, we wire and test the ECUs prior to combining them with the Monitor electronics, when they are retested in one or both of our road test Vanagons.

The complete package includes one or two wired and tested ECUs, Required 25c Ribbon Cables, 8385 Interface (if needed), Wired and tested ECU Monitor, Complete printed documentation, and a USB Thumb Drive with a VW repair / tune up video, and all Shoebox product documentation, as well as either one or two spiral bound Fuel Injection Troubleshooting Guide(s)..

Our most recent release, the HTS-1 Hall Effect Throttle Position Switch is an updated electronic replacement for the stock VW mechanical microswitch type. Two miniature permanent magnets activate a circuit board mounted Hall Sensor at IDLE and Air Throttle IDLE and FULL THROTTLE positions. The Hall sensor circuitry drives a high reliability relay to provide contact closure information to the ECU. We have also added a bright yellow LED that makes adjusting your TPS much easier; with our included 3mm T Handle adjusting wrench.

Our goal has always been to provide top quality customer support and products at fair prices to the Vanagon Community. We have held our prices fairly constant since 2003, and while some of our costs have continued to increase, we will strive to maintain our suggested retail prices as we move forward into 2020 and beyond.