Date: Thu, 6 Mar 2003 03:34:17 +0000
Reply-To: Randy Charrette <rcharrette@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Randy Charrette <rcharrette@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Reply to Robert Keezer
Content-Type: text/html
<html><div style='background-color:'><DIV>
<P>Hey Jon. Caught your post on vanagon.com. Guess your catching some shit from it. I have to say I agree with you on this. I am fairly mechanical and I decided to have this engine installed by Verners Auto here in Boulder, CO. Not because I did not think I could get it stuffed in there and running, but because I new with Verner it would be right AND under WARRANTY!! I paid attention today driving home and can say I do not have a vibration, however there is a lot of noise (resonance??) between about 4K-4800K. I am not picky. I plan to install some B-Quite insulation and that should be it. I wonder how many people are mistakeing this noise for vibration? I live in the mountains and will gladly take a little extra noise in order to get my ass over a 12,000ft pass faster that 25mph! I have had to take my van back 2 times in 6K Once for a PS leak and the other for loose exhaust. No questions asked either time and no charge.</P>
<P>So when are we expecting the cam/chip to be out for this? When I had this engine put in Peter mentioned it was in the works.</P>
<P>Randy Charrette</P>
<P>87 Syncro Tiico</P>
<P>Happy Owner<BR><BR></P></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>>From: Jon <JON@FOREIGNAUTOSUPPLY.COM>
<DIV></DIV>>Reply-To: Jon <JON@FOREIGNAUTOSUPPLY.COM>
<DIV></DIV>>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
<DIV></DIV>>Subject: Reply to Robert Keezer
<DIV></DIV>>Date: Tue, 4 Mar 2003 21:13:06 -0500
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>Your clever,
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>You ought to write a pilot for NBC they've been lacking since Seinfeld went
<DIV></DIV>>off the air. You and the small few who have responded in this manner only
<DIV></DIV>>demonstrate how close to home it hit for some of you...when you get done
<DIV></DIV>>with your sewing circles, let me know Thanks Mr.keister-----Jon
<DIV></DIV>>----- Original Message -----
<DIV></DIV>>From: "Robert Keezer" <WARMERWAGEN@HOTMAIL.COM>
<DIV></DIV>>To: <VANAGON@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
<DIV></DIV>>Sent: Wednesday, March 05, 2003 7:49 PM
<DIV></DIV>>Subject: To All Tiico Owners: Tiico Conversion fiction
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>> > The phone rang, it was Greg Dodge:" Jon- have you heard what they are
<DIV></DIV>>saying
<DIV></DIV>> > about the Ticco on the Vanagon list?"
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> > The Vanagon what? Jon replied. "You know, the internet site - where
<DIV></DIV>> > everyone's been reporting problems with their Ticco conversions!"
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> > Jon was stunned. After 30 or more Ticco conversions that turned out
<DIV></DIV>> > flawless- he could'nt believe his ears.
<DIV></DIV>> > Nobody knew Tiicos like Jon did.
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> > "What's the website address?" Jon demanded. Now he was going to find out
<DIV></DIV>> > where and who these folks were, spreading lies and urban legends about the
<DIV></DIV>> > Tiico engine conversion.
<DIV></DIV>> > "I need to write them and set the record straight, before this spreads any
<DIV></DIV>> > further. " he added.
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> > Greg replied" OK, here it is- www.vanagon.com-you got that?"
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> > He got it all right. He'd heard the rumors- now they were calling him.
<DIV></DIV>>"Next
<DIV></DIV>> > thing you know they'll be driving to my front door to deliver the bad
<DIV></DIV>>news"
<DIV></DIV>> > he thought.
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> > But he knew what to do. Damage control was his specialty.
<DIV></DIV>> > He would drop the bomb on them.
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> > He went out back and fired up the Diesel generator.
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> > His computer was fired by power from a old 82 Diesel Rabbit pick-up with
<DIV></DIV>> > the letter's SPORT TRUCK emblazoned on the sides, or was what was left of
<DIV></DIV>> > them after 20 years of driving on Maine's salted roads.
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> > It was an old Compaq, '93 model 3.1 Windows -forever crashing but thanks
<DIV></DIV>>to
<DIV></DIV>> > the rescue software he could keep it working.
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> > "Dang this thing takes a long time to boot up"! he exclaimed , hacking
<DIV></DIV>>away
<DIV></DIV>> > on a cigar.
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> > "I'll boot it up, right out into the snow". And he meant it.
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> > After around 15 minutes he had the blue screen cleared out and in the
<DIV></DIV>>search
<DIV></DIV>> > box he typed in www.Vanagon.com.
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> > After a long wait he snorted "That's the ticket" as he tapped his
<DIV></DIV>>fingers
<DIV></DIV>> > like a row of rocker arms on a inline-four.
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> > He typed in the message body SUBscribe Vanagon.
<DIV></DIV>> > Bingo!
<DIV></DIV>> > An instant server-generated message replied that he was now subscribed.
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> > "Good". Jon spoke out-loud. He actually subscribed on the first try-he'd
<DIV></DIV>> > heard that it was hard to subscribe to the Vanagon list.Even harder to
<DIV></DIV>> > unsubscribe. It was a good omen.
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> > "Look at all these members!" the exclamation was low and thick, like a
<DIV></DIV>> > growling dog. "Ah-ha! Here I go- I'll show these loud mouths who's the
<DIV></DIV>>boss.
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> > The strategy was simple. He would make the case that only the Ticcos he
<DIV></DIV>>had
<DIV></DIV>> > installed were flawless, and this because nobody's shop had 100 years of
<DIV></DIV>> > experience like his did.
<DIV></DIV>> > He wrote directly and to the point:
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> > "Recently a few customers forwarded emails to me regarding many of you out
<DIV></DIV>> > there appearing to try to "split the atom" when it comes
<DIV></DIV>> > to this kit. My customers were not concerned because in part their vans
<DIV></DIV>> > have many miles of excellent running (from Vancouver to
<DIV></DIV>> > Mexico, to Montana, etc.)...they just thought I'd be interested in all the
<DIV></DIV>> > "Bad Rap" that they weren't experiencing. I just
<DIV></DIV>> > chuckled and deleted at first until I started fielding calls from people
<DIV></DIV>> > with little to no experience bashing the product only
<DIV></DIV>> > because of this forum and asking us to do other installs.
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> > "That's why I'm here and I'll gladly go head to head with any one of you
<DIV></DIV>>to
<DIV></DIV>> > straighten out all this slander from a relatively small
<DIV></DIV>> > group of inept people with big mouths"!
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> > He continued on addressing all the Ticco problems that were solely the
<DIV></DIV>>fault
<DIV></DIV>> > of the owner.
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> > Nothing was inherently wrong with the Tiico, after all. Problems were the
<DIV></DIV>> > result of amateurs trying to do the work of professionals.
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> > They were the arrogant ones, thinking that they could actually do their
<DIV></DIV>>own
<DIV></DIV>> > installation. He knew the truth- only a shop with the latest equipment
<DIV></DIV>>can
<DIV></DIV>> > set up a Ticco. And there was some truth to that.
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> > There was also some truth to the claims that not all the Ticco parts that
<DIV></DIV>> > shipped with the kit were of good quality.
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> > Some had vibration problems caused by poorly made brackets, oil coolers
<DIV></DIV>>that
<DIV></DIV>> > leaked, bolts and case drillings that broke from vibrations, poor quality
<DIV></DIV>> > non-VW hoses that burst, header pipes that were mounted to a solid flange
<DIV></DIV>>,
<DIV></DIV>> > instead of a bellows flange as headers a manufactured by VW for the North
<DIV></DIV>> > American market are.
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> > It wasn't as if there were'nt years of evidence on record of solid mount
<DIV></DIV>> > flanges breaking on other makes and models of automobiles.
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> > These problems were witnessed by others who owned Ticcos or knew those who
<DIV></DIV>> > did own a Ticco. They were un-biased observations for the most part, and
<DIV></DIV>>by
<DIV></DIV>> > others on the Vanagon list trying to help.
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> > These Tiico customers turned to the Vanagon list where many Ticco owners
<DIV></DIV>>had
<DIV></DIV>> > already turned to find support in an otherwise support-less Volkswagen
<DIV></DIV>> > community.
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> > Then -out of the blue- help came like a lightning bolt.
<DIV></DIV>> > With a full back-up orchestra called a development team.
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> > This team, previously unknown, was now our man Jon's job to reveal . He
<DIV></DIV>> > would see that the Ticco owners got the support they were unable to find
<DIV></DIV>> > from a naive Ticco kit supplier.
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> > It appeared that this naiveness was passed on to the Ticco kit consumer,
<DIV></DIV>>and
<DIV></DIV>> > at great cost.
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> > One has little to worry when your new car under warranty has problems.
<DIV></DIV>>You
<DIV></DIV>> > can count on your dealer.
<DIV></DIV>> > Unfortunately, depite endless hours contacting Ticco for support, owners
<DIV></DIV>> > have been left stranded with bolts shattering and mufflers cracking, but
<DIV></DIV>>no
<DIV></DIV>> > definitve answer as to the cause of these vibrations could be given. Until
<DIV></DIV>> > now.
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> > Here , in just a few paragraphs, the truth was displayed for the entire
<DIV></DIV>> > vanagon list to see:
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> > "so those out there spreading crap about
<DIV></DIV>> > the Tiico ones being old factory left-overs are wrong, so shut it.
<DIV></DIV>> > Vibration, especially on the diesels, was something the engineers
<DIV></DIV>> > put a great deal of time into...so all of you out there with all this
<DIV></DIV>>"free
<DIV></DIV>> > time" of "re-inventing the wheel" on how to get rid of
<DIV></DIV>> > vibration...you may want to listen up."
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> > He liked the blunt approach. This always worked with his customers , it's
<DIV></DIV>> > sure to work here also he reasoned. Besides, there are too many of these
<DIV></DIV>> > free thinkers out there on these mailing lists . This is good as a place
<DIV></DIV>>to
<DIV></DIV>> > start.
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> > Jon took a long, deliberate draw on his cigar. 'Flame me?" he said in
<DIV></DIV>> > self-defense" I'll show them who's got flames!
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> > It was up to him, and he knew it. If any of these bad reports should make
<DIV></DIV>>it
<DIV></DIV>> > on 60 Minutes, the Ticco was doomed. He was certain.
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> > As far as he was concerned , it was slander- and he was certain about it.
<DIV></DIV>> > These "fluffers" would get theirs.
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> > Under his breath he he invoked that all their WBX engines would spring
<DIV></DIV>>head
<DIV></DIV>> > leaks. "Hey, after all, that's more Ticco business for me " he chuckled.
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> > It was almost finished- the message just needed a little proofing before
<DIV></DIV>> > hitting the send key.
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> > "Fair warning!",he shouted,as he looked out the window and saw the Diesel
<DIV></DIV>> > smoke plume wafting slowly up into the subzero sky.
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> > "Mainly because others out there aren't savy enough to know you're full of
<DIV></DIV>> > "fluff" and eventually you'll
<DIV></DIV>> > start hurting the VW business as a whole and this site with your slander,
<DIV></DIV>> > and that's not what this should be about."
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> > "Done! "- he struck the send key and proceeded out the door, hitting his
<DIV></DIV>> > head on the single bare light bulb covered with dust that hung from the
<DIV></DIV>> > darkened ceiling.
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> > The dust left a splotch of brown on his forehead.
<DIV></DIV>> > "I'll have to fix that " he remarked as he closed the door.
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> > Robert
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> > 1982 Westfalia
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> > Robert
<DIV></DIV>> > 1982 Westfalia
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> > _________________________________________________________________
<DIV></DIV>> > MSN 8 with e-mail virus protection service: 2 months FREE*
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<DIV></DIV></div><br clear=all><hr>Add photos to your e-mail with <a href="http://g.msn.com/8HMQENUS/2746">MSN 8.</a> Get 2 months FREE*.</html>
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