Date:         Tue, 21 May 2002 16:45:54 -0500
Reply-To:     Stan Wilder <wilden1@JUNO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Stan Wilder <wilden1@JUNO.COM>
Subject:      Re: My First Type 2
Comments: To: jmpio@NHBM.COM
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Ah! Ha! another potential parts customer.
http://williamwareagency.com/forsale/stanvan/buyused.htm
http://williamwareagency.com/forsale/stanvan/shapingup.htm
http://williamwareagency.com/forsale/stanvan/parts.htm
Interesting stuff at these pages.

Stan Wilder
83 Air Cooled Westfalia

On Tue, 21 May 2002 15:32:47 -0600 James Piotrowski <jmpio@NHBM.COM>
writes:
> Hey folks, new to the list and I wanted to say "Hi."  Last night I
> bought an
> '82 Westfalia.  Previous VW experience was with a '78 Rabbit I
> bought in '85
> and drove till it kicked in '90 or '91.  I always regretted not
> caring
> better for that car, but I was young and stupid.  When I got the
> keys to the
> "new" Vanagon I hopped in and took a spin and I experienced a
> unique
> feeling, I can't describe it but it was the same feeling I got when
> I first
> drove the Rabbit,  and it most definitely is NOT a feeling I've
> gotten
> driving any other used car I've bought.  VW Mystique?  Who knows,
> but I'm
> determined to treat this vehicle much better than I have most of
> what I've
> driven.  Like all new bus owners (at least I'd guess), I'm pretty
> excited
> about the potential of this thing.  Mechanicals seem good (I'll
> check it out
> more thoroughly over the weekend, I bought the thing in a hurry
> because the
> price seemed pretty darn good to me), body is solid, paint a bit
> oxidized,
> bumpers need help, and all the camping gear functions.  But the
> interior is
> in pretty sad aesthetic condition.  The white vinyl (?) liner that
> covered
> most of the interior panels and inside the cabinets is entirely
> shot,
> peeling, pulled off, probably 85% of it just plain gone.  Sliding
> door panel
> has been replaced with a piece of cheap, contact paper covered
> hardboard.
> Upholstery is original,  no rips or tears, but a bit faded and
> dirty, and,
> of course, has all the style that 1982 had to offer.  Most of the
> carpet is
> pretty good, as it was protected by mats.
>
> So here's the big question of the moment.  I do a fair bit of
> woodworking,
> I've entirely renovated one home, and my mechanical skills are
> so-so, but I
> learn fast.  So the sky is the limit on what I can do with the
> interior.
> I'm guessing this list has probably discussed before the relative
> merits of
> a "restoration" job, i.e., back to factory original vs. a
> "renovation",
> i.e., doing what you want at the moment to create a beautiful,
> functional
> space.  Would some nonetheless be willing to share their thoughts on
> the
> merits of each of these approaches to re-doing the interior?
>

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