Date:         Sun, 14 Jan 2001 21:54:42 -0800
Reply-To:     Derek Darling <derek.darling@TELUS.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Derek Darling <derek.darling@TELUS.NET>
Subject:      The Project Advances
Content-Type: multipart/alternative;

Hi all,

Derek Darling here in Surrey, BC (just outside Vancouver). I received an '84 Vanagon from a friend who was in an accident with a front-end loader. It hit the front drivers' side corner at about dashboard high. the friend doesn't drive much anymore, and I got the vehicle for one dollar. Thje vehicle has been sitting for about a year.I found another Vanagon ('88) at a wrecker that had been t-boned int he rear, and bought the first 12 inches. I found a door locally, and a windshield. I had to go to West Coast Metrics in Southern California for a windshield seal, but I finally got all the parts together. 

Sanjit at Craftsman Collision in Surrey sectioned the '88 front-end onto the vehicle and did a fantastic job. I towed it home last weekend, backed it up to the garage, put all the junk in the garage into the back of the Van, and backed the van into the garage. Tomorrow I am going to begin to put ita all together. I think I need to do the following:

1. replace a brake line at the front, from the brake cylinder down the front (the old one wa skinked) the charge the brake system and bleed brakes (I also want to take it to a garage and have the brake system purged and charged under pressure)
2. bang the shroud around the rediator to an approximately round shape so that the fan can turn.
3. re-install the radiator and re-fill the coolant fluid (I know, phosphate-free!!!!) and bleed coolant system (see brakes, above, for a trip to have it professionally done)
4. hook up the heater control cables and re-instal lthe dashboard, all the while making sure that the electrical connections are clean (I'll spray them with R-5, also know in same parts as "Tweak", cleans off corrosion, promaotes better electrical contact and leaves a corrosion-fighting film).
5. re-install the steering column.
6. re-install the grill and headlights
7. start the motor and pray
8. begin a life of being a vanagon person!

While lurking on this list, I have found out so many good tips and tricks,l and hope to have many years enjoyment. I'm taking the next week off work to do the majority of the work, so I'll post my progress as I go. Any hints, tips, prayers and the like are gratefully received!


Derek Darling
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'72 Sport Beetle
'84/'88 Vanagon
'00 Tracker




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