Date:         Wed, 10 Dec 2003 19:32:14 EST
Reply-To:     BenTbtstr8@AOL.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Ben T <BenTbtstr8@AOL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Passenger van to westy pop top conversion?
Comments: To: jeff@TSSGI.COM
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

In a message dated 12/10/2003 4:11:52 PM Pacific Standard Time,
jeff@TSSGI.COM writes:
But Ben, you're forgetting that strange feeling of satisfaction you get when
it's done.  Kind of like when I used to ride dirt bikes down the Baja
peninsula.  During the ride, I often thought to myself "why the hell am I
doing this?".  But upon arrival in Cabo, all we could talk about is what a
great ride it was.

Or that lousy feeling of complete failure when it doesn't work out quite as
well as you hoped.  Kind of like when I used to ride dirt bikes down the
Baja peninsula... and half way down my Husky or someone elses bike would
implode.  But upon arrival in Cabo (via chase truck), all we could talk
about is how good the beer was.
Yeah, but you are forgetting that feeling of contentment when you are tooling
down the road with your factory built Westy whilst your neighbor is still
sweating in her/his garage trying to get personal fulfillment. You can be in Cabo
instead of toiling with a JUGsaw and drill. I think I am speaking for the
majority when I said that.

Afterall, how many of you folks even own a welder? Maybe a jigsaw or drill?
How many even knows that the Westy roof was springs to help you lift it? OK,
how many of you know what fiberglass is? Can you see where I am going with this?
For me, it would take several weeks to get it done. I would need help. I
helped a buddy of mine to it "right" in one looooong day. This was in a fully
equipped shop with aircutting tools, sawzalls, plasma cutters, welders, lifts,
hoists, etc. It was a long arduous day. Heck I know quite a few of you on this
board who make $1K a day.  You know who you are as I've had discussions with
you. For one of these guys to the work, they would have been able to buy a
low-mileage Syncro Westy in the time lost to build a so-so product ion their own.

Hey, I am not against trying to take on projects that build character. I just
think that someone needs to put things in perspectivce from the point of the
typical vanagon owner. Damn. I know several of you who just lost several
hundred dollars just reading these posts.

BenT