Date: Wed, 21 Feb 2001 14:52:58 -0700
Reply-To: Keith Adams <keith_adams@TRANSCANADA.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Keith Adams <keith_adams@TRANSCANADA.COM>
Organization: TransCanada
Subject: The Syncro project arrives...
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Well, we pushed, pulled and dragged the Syncro project home
on the weekend. We bought a 1987 Vanagon Syncro 7 pass from
a guy for $1200 CDN. He had bought it to pillage the front
diff out of it because his VC packed it in. I have his old
diff and it still turns an everything, so I just have to
determine if it's only the VC that's gone or if it took the
diff with it.
The outside of the van is pretty ugly. It's silver with
rust spots. Some ugly rust growing under the window seals
too. One dent in the passenger's door. The interior is
blue and in good shape, except that the right hand side
armrests (adjustable) are missing off of both front seats,
so if anyone has a couple or one for sale, I'd like to hear
about it. Also missing the rear speaker pod doo-dad on the
passenger's side. The van has the optional (and very
expensive) Webasto coolant heater. This will be killer for
ski days - if it works. Has a locking diff (not sure if it
works yet?). Engine has a lousy ticking lifter. No big
worry, since a Subaru is going in it anyways. I can't be
bothered with the expense and hassle of replacing TWO
wasserleakers. I'll yank this one and rebuild it for our
Westfalia and drop a subie in the syncro.
For now, the plan is to get it mechanically fixed up. We
have a lot of CV joints to buy. The back ones on one side
are toast for sure (he stole an axle along with the front
diff), so I don't know about the other side, but I'll do
them as well. (I can get some slack in the axle if I grab
it and twist it - signs of worn CVs?). Once it works well
in 2WD, I'll get on the VC and front diff and get the 4WD
working. We plan to have that in action by May or so (once
I sell my 98 Golf I'll have more money to throw at it).
Once it's mechanically OK, into the shop it goes, and it'll
get stripped for paint and engine transplant. That should
keep me out of trouble for the fall and winter. Hopefully,
it'll be looking good, sounding good and driving good in
spring 2002.
I think it's a sign of illness once you cross the having a
Vanagon to drive to buying a Vanagon to fix up. That can't
be healthy. At all.
Keith Adams
Calgary, AB, CA
1986 Westfalia "Roxy"
1987 Syncro "Hugh"
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