Date:         Sun, 17 Sep 2006 11:35:49 -0100
Reply-To:     Jeff Stewart <fonman4277@EARTHLINK.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jeff Stewart <fonman4277@EARTHLINK.NET>
Subject:      Opening Pandora's box
Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII

Hey Folks,
      As of 3:30 yesterday afternoon, I am officially a Vanagon (Westy)
owner again, #8 in VW buses ranging from a '67 Splitty to the recently
purchased '84. It was delivered via tow truck since the engine appears to
be locked up due to the PO running it VERY low on oil. I gave it it's first
bath in God knows how long, and cleaned up the interior which now looks
like new. The exterior is in great shape too. The irony is it is the exact
twin the last '84 Vanagon Westy i owned, which was Ivory with brown
interior, although no a/c in this one, which is fine with me.The owner of
the shop ( Mark 1 VW in Walkersville, MD) where the PO had it was the one
who towed it to my house, seems like a pretty nice guy. He gave me the list
of options that he had given the PO for engine replacement.They are 1) used
1.9 engine for $1775.00 with no warranty 2) install used 2.0 engine for
$6,000.00 and 3) install new Tiico conversion for $8,000.00. Add to that
list 4) finding a used 1.9 that someone has pulled to do a conversion and
5) order the 2.1 long block from Bus Depot.I'm tempted to just start
tearing down the current engine, after all,. what have I got to lose? I'd
like to hear from others what route they've taken when in this situation. I
know this is one of those questions that can start a flame war. I also know
of the Subaru conversion, but not sure I want to go that route, and I not
too seriously suggested the other day that I was considering sticking a
Corvair engine in it, since I have 2 Corvair engines in my garage. Back to
the Vanagon-as I sat in yesterday I remember what I loved about
Vanagons-damn they're BIG inside compared to a Bay! I really think this was
the best of all Westfalia's VW ever built in terms of size and layout. When
I sold my last '84 a few years ago I swore I'd never buy another Vanagon
again, and I bought a '75 Westy, which I still have. I found this one on
Craigslist Thursday, and it seemed like too good a deal to pass up.I guess
you could say it's technically a one owner, as the original owner passed
away and left it to his granddaughter, and I purchased it from her and her
husband, who admitted he knows nothing about cars and was driving it at the
time it "ran out of oil". they gave me a few receipts from the Goodyear
service center where they had been having it worked on-HUGE mistake. Would
you believe $575.00 for 4 new shocks? I haven't even looked to what brand
they are, but I'm sure they're cheap ones (in terms of quality, that is).
I've rambled on enough, here is a link to some pictures of my Vanagon:

http://www.geocities.com/vw_vanman75/vanagon.html?1158460801656?200617

It's a Yahoo! geocities page, so it will only take so many hits before it
shuts down for a while.

Jeff Stewart
fonman4277@earthlink.net
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/vwcampersmidatlantic/