Date:         Thu, 28 Jun 2001 21:49:46 EDT
Reply-To:     CMathis227@AOL.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Chuck Mathis <CMathis227@AOL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Engine conversions and such...(Long and rant like)
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

Oh if ever there was a subject that needs a separate list it is conversions.
A nice safe place where people can argue and hurl insults freely.  On this
list we are driving wedges right and left.

 Me, I've got a solid low mileage original 1.9L that's working just fine.
Some folks would advocate tearing this miserable piece of junk out and
replacing it with another engine.  According to the Subie guys I need to use
a Japanese engine cause it is way more powerful, economical and dependable.
According to the I4 guys I should use a Golf engine cause it is way more
powerful, economical and dependable.  According to the Lilley-ites (I am a
semi practicing one) I should balance, polish, coat, tweak and tune my WBX
because it is way more powerful, economical and dependable.  Michael
Haywood-Sullivan is doing (maybe is done with) a fascinating 1.9L TDI
conversion that is way more powerful, economical and dependable.  According
to the WBX crowd if I put anything other than a dead stock WBX in it I will
ruin the collectible value of the vehicle not to mention trashing its
precious German heritage.

I'd really like to see some good side by side comparisons of the Subies, I4s,
TDIs and Lilleys -- solid comparisons not a lot of "My <insert engine of
choice> is way better than your <insert other engine of choice> 'cause I said
so."  Would any of you guys really fess up if you spent $4K to $7K and ended
up with a piece of crap?  Some times I think I spent way too much on my van
but I'm sure as hell not going to say so.

I've wanted a Westy since the first time I saw a '67 model way back when.
First time I saw a Vanagon Westy I fell madly in love with it.  Took quite a
few years before I could afford one but now I have it.  Collectible value?
Don't care cause I'd have to sell it to collect.  When my 1.9L gives out I
will look at options -- facts like weight, horse power, torque, fuel
enconomy, dependability, maintainability and availability will be very
important, unsubstainated opinions will not.  I really could care less if a
converted van will go 85+ mph -- I don't need to do that anymore (I went 90+
mph once in a '67 Deluxe -- scared the hell out of me).   I will keep this
vehicle until we are both worthless pieces of junk.  What engine I decide to
put in the back is not worth fighting over.

We all have strong personalities that's why we have these vehicles not a
Dodge or a Ford or a Winnebago.  We're not quite the same as other people.
If we spend a lot of time and energy alienating each other this list will get
real small and we'll all be a little lonelier.  Our vans probably won't run
as well either.

Chuck
'85 Wolfsburg Westy - 'Roland the Road Buffalo'


In a message dated 6/28/01 7:55:21 PM, korkwood@SURFREE.COM writes:

<< > FWIW I get tired of the my-Subie/I4/WBX-can-kick-your
WBX/Subie/I4's-butt debates too.  Probably quite a few of us out there since
there are still a lot of posts dealing with WBXs.


Don't blame Suby or I4 for it, it's some of the WBX devotees that can't leave
the issue alone.

Can't figure out what exactly irritates them so much about conversions so
they keep attacking anyone

thinking diffrently...

Leon

85 Subwagen Westy >>