Date:         Thu, 28 Jun 2001 08:46:33 -0700
Reply-To:     Alistair Bell <albell@UVIC.CA>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Alistair Bell <albell@UVIC.CA>
Subject:      Victoria VW show mini-report
Content-type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

Brief notes about last Sunday's show at Gyro Park in Victoria B.C.

(attention Andrew Grebneff! yes I did take some pics of the concrete
animals!)


-found out why no vendors this year -  local park board objected to
commercial activity on park property!

-very few vanagons, I was part of a row of 4 (found others outside main show
aroea).

One beige/pale yellow 89 caravelle , imported by VW employee, fancy interior
with two bucket seats in rear, two separate swivel buckets facing. Lots of
storage compartments, and aircraft style interior lights.

One maroon passenger van, owned by Vancouver chap (Dimpho). Nice 4 round
light grill, and aux lights in vulnerable chin spoiler. Tail lights were
interesting, extra "blank" black plastic area towards the license plate.

And an extremely lowered, low profile tyred, repainted silver passenger van.
Looked like the guys started with a bare shell and are trying to make some
sort of street cruiser. Must ride like a rock, and watch out for speed
bumps!


Met Mark Keller and hs wife (sorry Mark, typical of me to forget names).
They had their Toronado red van parked outside the show arae, had a look and
was impressed. Didn't know that Mark got it as a wreck, amazing! Had a nice
chat with them.

Good selection of splitties and loafs. Saw a nice yellow westy loaf sporting
a new pop top canvas from "Bus Depot". Had side windows, and looked very
good, great material and construction.

Nice seeing a range of side tents, loved the red and white striped "privy
tent" attached to a splitty (tent was for sale, Can$1200!)

Lots of water cooled stuff, sciroccos, golfs, jettas, passats...lots of them
modified the way you can imagine, verging on the "rice burner" style.

Nice selection of beetles.

Russell Sherman had his TDI powered rabbit pickup on display. Repainted and
very sharp looking. The engine install looks stock, expect for the air to
air intercooler and its associated small scoop intake on the hood. Russell
is still exparimenting with gear ratios, finds that he has lots of torque to
play with.



Alistair