Vanagon EuroVan
Previous messageNext messagePrevious in topicNext in topicPrevious by same authorNext by same authorPrevious page (February 2003, week 4)Back to main VANAGON pageJoin or leave VANAGON (or change settings)ReplyPost a new messageSearchProportional fontNon-proportional font
Date:         Sun, 23 Feb 2003 15:22:39 EST
Reply-To:     Oxroad@AOL.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jeff Oxroad <Oxroad@AOL.COM>
Subject:      Re: '99 SA Vanagon pics
Comments: To: kimbrennan@MAC.COM
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

From my experience the SA steering wheels should be an easy swap. I have a SA steering wheel with padded leather that is of the same shape and horn button as the steering wheel in the photo of the 91 SA Caravell (which is the wheel I think you're speaking of). Seems the wheel I have is about the same diameter as the steering wheel used on the USA buses equipped with power steering. The padded leather steering wheel ran me somewhere in the $300+ range--but I'm guessing the non-leather wheels would be much much cheaper.

I'm also curious about the labrinth of exhaust pipes under the SA bus which seem to go forward from the engine and take a trip to about half the length of the bus before taking a 180 degree curve to the back of the bus finally exiting at the the rear. I wonder if that set up could be developed for the Tiico conversions and if it is the extra length of exhuast pipe that would cut down on some of the exhaust resonance, vibration, and noise associated with the Tiico conversion.

Also on the 99 SA bus pictures, notice the mud flaps that are mounted in the wheel wells as opposed to the classic USA Westy mud flap (and similar kits with all four mud flaps) that is mounted on the side of the body about 4 inches behind the wheel well. The 99 mud flaps for my money are much more functional and are available through VWSA. How one gets them I don't exactly know. Most of my SA stuff came from sometimes-listee James Cohen which I got a couple of years ago.

I'd still love to see a pic of the SA dashboard and instrument pod on the late model buses say 99-02 if anybody has one. Be interested if they are different or have any upgrades since 91.

I also wonder if it would be cost efficient to import the fiberglass bumpers from SA. Even the SA metal bumpers off the later models are cool. As I've seen they are black (not chrome) and appear to be more streamlined than the USA bumpers. The SA metal bumpers have what look like end caps that are the same dimension as the bumper, meaning they do not "clip" over the bumper adding a littl bulk, but join the bumper with the same dimesion and a smooth look. Once the front bumper has mad the bend around to the side of the bus it has the option of an "extra" piece continuing on bolted to the bottom of the front doors like the fiberglass bumpers on the later USA models. This giving a bit of the added protection on the bottom of the door and changing the look a bit. The rear metal SA bumpers come around to the side of the bus all the way up to the back of the rear fender well. I have an old Just Kampers catalogue that shows the metal SA bumpers as what JK sells as a "styling kit." I suppose all in all the SA metal bumpers are a suble difference, but in my opinion a improvement.

Anyway, I don't know how favorable the Rand exchange rate is these days. But does anyone know if VWSA will do business with a customer in the USA and ship and all? Doesn't seem like that should be too complicated, but I'm guessing it is.

Jeff 83.5 Westy LA,CA

In a message dated 2/21/2003 2:42:33 PM Pacific Standard Time, kimbrennan@MAC.COM writes:

<< So I was looking over those pictures. I sure would like to have that style steering wheel. Hey, Ron, you were talking about Steering Wheels (that didn't come) a couple of months ago. Any chance of getting some of those South African ones (on the assumption that they'll still work with our North America Vanagons?) >>


Back to: Top of message | Previous page | Main VANAGON page

Please note - During the past 17 years of operation, several gigabytes of Vanagon mail messages have been archived. Searching the entire collection will take up to five minutes to complete. Please be patient!


Return to the archives @ gerry.vanagon.com


The vanagon mailing list archives are copyright (c) 1994-2011, and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the list administrators. Posting messages to this mailing list grants a license to the mailing list administrators to reproduce the message in a compilation, either printed or electronic. All compilations will be not-for-profit, with any excess proceeds going to the Vanagon mailing list.

Any profits from list compilations go exclusively towards the management and operation of the Vanagon mailing list and vanagon mailing list web site.