Date: Wed, 23 May 2007 05:59:51 EDT
Reply-To: RAlanen@AOL.COM
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Frank Condelli <RAlanen@AOL.COM>
Subject: Re: Black oxide finish on stainless steel
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
In a message dated 22/05/2007 9:28:19 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,
LISTSERV@GERRY.VANAGON.COM writes:
I am getting a fourth set of stainess steel screws together. This set is
to suppliment the set I sell for the Vaangon body(not fibergalss top). It
will supply the final screws needed for repacement to stainless steel.
What I am going to include is 2 machine bolts for attaching the overflow
tank near the rear bumper. 2 washers will be included as OEM. I think Vw
used washers to prevent the paint from chipping when the screw is
tightened against the paint.2 screws to attach the license plate door( 2
washers, too).
4 metric sheet metal screw to attach the lens to the two license plate
lights, just above the tag door. This is hard black plastic and can easily
break if stressed by an oversized screw.Needs to be metric.Best to
replace these screws one at a time and not actually remove the tag light
from this position it is in. It may break.
A nylon insert lock nut and washer for the rear wiper, to help keep it
in proper position.
Two sheet metal screws and washers for attaching the sliding door cover to
the body.3 sheet metal screws and three washers where the gas filler tube
attaches to the body(behind the gas cap). These two different locations
have no soft plastic nuts for the screws to attach to, so they need to be
mertic replacements.They fasten directly,through steel.Dont want to cause
new steel to be exposed for rusting. This may happen with using an
American screw substituted. You might not mind, but the next person would,
so I cant offer American sized screws, here.Sorry
Finally, the 5 black oxide screws for the lower grill.
This is 29 pieces. Im going to sell them in a set. I think the only other
screws on the Vanagon, not avaliabel from me, are for the end caps and
attaching the license plate holder to the bumper( on some Vanagons). I
could get the hardware for attaching the palstic to the lower area on
Carat, as the big square flat spacer/washers are avaliable in stainless
steel. The mirrors are the only stainless steel screws that VW put on the
Vanagon at the factory .Repalcement mirrors usually supply a plated steel
screw that will begin to rust within a week.Best to reuse your OEM
screws,here.
This set will cost more that would be expected.This is because of all the
metric sheet metal screws, and black oxide. The 4 machine bolts are not
expensive, costing less than the smallest of the metric sheet metal
screws outlined above.This is not for everybody.There are very nice
Vanagons out there that can use them.After a repaint, the old trim looks
marginal. Mcmaster-Carr , MSC, WW Grainger,ect dont sell metric sheet
metal screws. Not necessary they say, as sheet metal screw sizes are not
brain surgery. Most people substitue metric with American.How could I do
this, and answer a complaint?
Maybe I will get OEM style footman loops(tie downs) for the luggage rack
made up.They are unavaliable in stainless steel as far as I can tell.Go
Westy would sell them if they were avaliable,right?? They sell thenm in
galvanized,like you already have. The tooling will cost $1200 alone,but
the final product would be second to none. I may get them forged,instead
of casted.I've been working on this. In the end the total pieces of
stainless steel on a Westy would approach 300. I may also get the
stainless steel self tapping screws/washers for the black plastic end
caps. I would like to offer everything stainless ontehexterior.Even the
little frame that the license plate attach to, and is currently rusted
badly. I thik many people treat the license plate and what attaches it to
the vehicle , like some people treat the little strip of land that the
county owns ,out in front of your house. It gets ignored.
The sheet metal screws supplied in the 36 piece set I currently sell for
the exterior , all screw into soft plastic nuts.Tail lights are an
expample. American sizes work just great. I have sold more than 100 such
sets, since August. Not one problem!!! To suppliment these, to complete
the exterior of the 7 passenger/westy,takes metric only(exotehoverflow
tank and tag door), to do it right. Not sure of the final price ,yet, but
it will be similar to the price of the 36 piece set. Take a look
_http://stores.ebay.com/werksforwwagens_
(http://stores.ebay.com/werksforwwagens)
Roger, you beat me to the punch. I am reading this message AFTER I sent you
my last one. Good on you ! I forgot about the overflow bottle at rear.
Also, the screws and washers for the licence plate door to body. The footman
loops in stainless are available. I have a few sets here. I got them from
either Van Cafe or Go Westy, don't remember right now. The ones I put on
Monday were the OEM ones but I used SS machine screws with flat washers and
Nylock nuts, stuff I already had here !
Cheers,
Frank Condelli
Almonte, Ontario, Canada
'87 Westy, '90 Carat, '87 Wolfsburg (Forsale) & Lionel Trains (_Collection
for sale_ (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/trainsal.htm) )_ Frank Condelli &
Associates_ (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/busindex.html) - Vanagon/Vanagon W
estfalia Service in the Ottawa Valley_ Vanagon Stainless Steel Exhaust Systems_
(http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/stebro.htm) _ BusFusion_
(http://members.aol.com/BusFusion/bfhome.htm) a VW Camper camping event, Almonte, ON, June 07 ~ 10,
2007
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