Date: Mon, 9 Oct 2000 12:03:47 -0400
Reply-To: "Samuel L. Walters" <slwalters@EARTHLINK.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: "Samuel L. Walters" <slwalters@EARTHLINK.NET>
Subject: Two Westfalias, dead camper FS in Baltimore Sun
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Yesterday's Baltimore Sun lists two Westfalia's for sale.
I know nothing about these vehicles or the sellers, just saw
the listings in the Autombile Classified Ads.
'84 VW Vanagon Westfalia. Exc. cond. 114k mi. new heads, MD inspec.
$6,000 410-889-1650
'85 VW Westfalia German import, compl. rec. Extra wheels,
$7500/BO 410-664-8908
Also happened to notice this one in the VW car ads just above these:
'74 VW 412, 83,500 orig. mi., very nice $2700. '78 VW Camper, does
not run $600. Call Falk, (410) 426-8499.
Hope this might be of some interest to someone in this general area
who does not read this newspaper.
FWIW - I am relatively new to the list - have been reading and learning
quite a lot in the last two months. I have an '84 Vanagon which I
purchased
from the dealer in late summer '85. Except for down time for new heads
(twice)
and a few periods of poor starting and cutting out, it has been my daily
transportation since its purchase. Now has 161k miles.
The starting/cutting out problems had started again last spring, after
about a
year of good running, and in my frustration with the inability to find
someone
who could solve the problems, I was about ready to sell it or give it
away.
Got some relief when one mechanic found insufficient flow from the fuel
pump
and replaced it and the relay (relay free - he just swapped one from a
parts
van on his lot). This guy specializes in VWs and he assured me that the
engine
and body, suspension, etc. are in very good shape and that I should not
get rid
of the van but fix it up. After this it runs reliably but only if the
Idle Stabilizer
is disconnected.
At about the same time as I had gotten the help from this man, I found
the list and started
reading. Even though I have never worked on this car before, I am
convinced that I can
squeeze at least another few years out of the van from the information
and help I can find here.
In fact, I have ordered several parts (Idle stablizer, Temp II sensor,
lower range thermostat)
that I will begin to install as soon as I finish a demanding work
project. I will probably
be asking for "diagnostic sequence and logic" help as I start this.
I worked on simpler carb cars when I was young, did motorcycle repairs
then too and maintained
all of my racing bicycles for years better than most shop mechanics, so
I can do this kind of
work, at least up to a certain point. When I got the van I was
seriously into bike racing and
didn't have time to work on it. The bikes and the training were my
non-work passions.
The van was actually selected over other vans because of the way it
could hold bicycles in the space above
the engine. So it took me and my racing buddies to many a bike race.
The middle seat was out for
years so 4 of us could go to races. 2 bikes over engine, 2 right behind
front seats, both pairs
attached to a rack I had made that secured the bikes by the front forks.
But now, I want to keep my van running and well maintained, and think I
can do it because of the
information and cooperative spirit that I found here. It is amazing to
realize how much BS and
uninformed guesswork have gone into the repairs that I have paid for
through the years.
Hopefully, these few repairs that I plan will be done successfully from
the information that I have
already gleaned from the recent posts and the archive. But if not, or
if I have questions, you
will hear from me.
Sam Walters
'84 Vanagon 161k
Original owner
Frederick VonVanagon, "Fred" for short
