Date: Wed, 4 Aug 2004 00:47:43 -0400
Reply-To: Greg Potts <Greg@POTTSFAMILY.CA>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Greg Potts <Greg@POTTSFAMILY.CA>
Subject: Re: diesel conversion
In-Reply-To: <200408040117.i741HCFi019575@deimos.aros.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed
Hi Mark,
On 3-Aug-04, at 9:09 PM, Mark Edwards wrote:
>> Spend $3500 to install a NEW aircooled longblock engine in the westy
>> and
>> sell it for $7K. Right now a low-miles vanagon with a fresh motor
>> would
>> sell pretty quickly for a good buck.
>
>> Then buy the $7K watercooled vanagon westy you really want. End cost
>> is
>> only $3.5K.
>
> This is bad advice.
Why? It provides for reasonably accurate cash expenditures and
performance expectations. None of the other options put forward so far
are as certain to result in saving Skip $$$ and getting him a reliable
increase in power that can be serviced nationwide.
> Anyone here ever buy a Westy in the $7K price range, drive it away, and
> not have to do any work on it, put any more money into it, and feel
> confident in driving around the country, while living in it, right
> away?
I can't see the odds of problems with a newly acquired vanagon being
any worse than with Skip touring all over the country with a converted
driveline. Sure, the mechanic doing the conversion is competent.... but
40,000 miles later when something goes wrong at the opposite side of
the continent it won't be so straightforward to get it looked after. It
comes down to the selection process... Skip can determine the level of
risk he is comfortable with when he lays down his cash on a
replacement. And this way Skip will have more cash in the bank and he
can get places quicker. IIRC those were the goals he has put at the top
of his wish list.
> Isn't Stan the one who repeats, without argument, the mantra that your
> vanagon will cost you as much in the first year, as you paid for the
> van?
> Maybe it won't need another $7K, but history is not on the side of not
> spending any more cash on it. Buying a Westy takes time as well. They
> are
> not on the shelf at 7-11 in most areas :-) If you know of one for $7K,
> that needs no work, and no money beyond the buying price, thats good
> information, so please pass it along to the rest of us :-)
No, I don't. My original advice to Skip was a p-mail suggesting he keep
the vanagon air-cooled. For some unstated reason he doesn't want to do
that. That's the best option in my opinion, but like my granddad always
said opinions are like asses... Everyone has one.
> I wish Skip well, and I hope he reports on the results, with details
> for
> those of us who are interested in how it turns out, especially the
> cost.
Hey, anyone who sets out for a year adrift on the interstates is bound
to have an adventure. My hat's off to Skip, and I hope it works out
too.
Happy trails,
Greg Potts
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
1973/74/79 Westfakia Conversion **Bob the Tomato** LY3H
1977 Sunroof Automatic L63H/L90D
http://www.pottsfamily.ca/westfakia
http://www.busesofthecorn.com
