Date: Thu, 27 Jun 2002 10:56:44 -0500
Reply-To: wilden1@JUNO.COM
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Stan Wilder <wilden1@JUNO.COM>
Subject: Re: What's the scoop on early vanagons? (Circa 1981)
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Chris:
I really like your take on this bargain 81 Westy.
Buy cheap and spend two to ten thousand dollars and still have an 81
Westy.
Good thinking ........... why not just buy a nice 81 Westy for a few
hundred more.
Stan Wilder
83 Air Cooled Westfalia
On Thu, 27 Jun 2002 08:47:23 -0500 Chris Mills <scmills@TNTECH.EDU>
writes:
> If the body and interior is good (think no rust) then the price is
okay. I'd start at $500 and dicker. The aircooled engine is fine. It
needs top end attention at about 100K miles but so does the wasserboxer
when it blows it's gaskets.
>
> The only difference between one model and another is creature
comforts. A1978 is better than a 1970. A 1990 is better than a 1981. A
1981 is better than a 1978 like mine.
>
> For a few thousand you can buy a Boston Bob or Jake Raby engine and
> probably have a nice rig long term. You could take it one step further
and
> go with a Porsche 901 or 915 tranny to give you 5 speeds to make the
> most of the power you have. You could go with a Corvair powerplant
like
> me but understand at that point you are on your own with service. The
> Corvairs guys can advise you on service and repairs but I doubt any
shop
> would touch it unless they dealt with Corvairs and even that is just a
maybe.
> The Corvair is a good stout engine and parts are easy to get. If you
pursue
> this route be sure to join the Corvair list and Corsa the national
club -
> LOTS of great tech info floating about with those guys.
>
> If you are rich you could go with a Porsche 911 engine.
>
> I mention all of this because I think all of the Westies are a bit
anemic
> for modern highway speeds. I want to travel at the posted speed limit
and
> 52 mph on an interstate hill won't cut it with me.
>
> I would buy it, make the repairs, and keep it stock or at least all
aircooled VW until you are sure you really like this beast (we love ours)
and can deal with a 20+ year old vehicle when it requires
> attention.
> RUST and COLLISION DAMAGE are the things you have to worry about the
> most when you buy an old vehicle. Everything else can be dealt with
easily enough.
>
> I would seriously consider figuring out a strategy on bringing this
puppy back from the grave - safety systems first, cosmetics, then
mechanicals.
>
> Good luck.
>
>
> Chris M. <"Busbodger" of "TEAM SLOWPOKE">
> Cookeville, Tennessee
>
> ICQ# 5944649
> scm9985@tntech.edu
>
> '78 VW Westfalia (67 HP -> that is...67 Hamster Power)
> '65 Beetle - Type IV powered
> '99 CR-V AWD station wagon
> '81 CB900 Custom moto-chickle
> 2.5 Corvair engines for my Trans-vair Conversion
>
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