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Date:         Wed, 4 May 2005 08:11:00 EDT
Reply-To:     FrankGRUN@AOL.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Frank Grunthaner <FrankGRUN@AOL.COM>
Subject:      Some Serious Parts Scoring in Europa with GPS Comments
Comments: To: Diesel-Vanagon@yahoogroups.com, TDI-conversion@yahoogroups.com
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

I'm just finishing a two week conference and business trip to Vienna, Austria and Noordwijk, Holland. In addition to the conference meetings, I have been scouring Austria, England, the Netherlands and Belgium as well as ebay.de for some additional parts for my 1Z TDi install in my '82 Westfalia. The effort has been frustrating at best.

First, it appears that the term "junkyard" has no meaning on this continent, and actually generated (even or especially after a Babelfish translation) the same reaction as a racial epithet in central city LA. Nonetheless, with amused assistance from some of my German colleagues, if found breaking, salvage and recycling yards. Throughout Austria, Holland and England, I was told no TDi parts were to be had (I was looking for pieces appropriate to the longitudinal mounted versions of the 1Z, AHU and ALH) and that wrecked cars were immediately bought up at the auctions and shipped to Israel!

My efforts at ebay.de were equally frustrating. Over here, transactions are handled by direct bank draft transfers. Cross border shipping was a hassle, and the language barrier was non trivial. My scientific colleagues with a native command of German and seven other languages, had no clue about describing automotive parts. Subtle differences in language, lead to delays of weeks in shipment. Aargh.

Then, sweet success! I found a serious VAG yard with a very intelligent (ie, spoke English well and knew his diesel stock like only a autojunkie can) fellow who stayed open several extra hours while I climbed throughout his multistory warehouse. Sweet is all I can say. 192 high resolution digital pictures later, I found all the parts I wanted at excellent prices. And no, he won't ship to the US.

The name and details: VAG Recycling, Maxburgdreef 48, 2990 Loenhout, Belgie with phone +32-3669-59-69. He has an internet site: www.vag-recycling.com.

With his help, I'm well on my way to turning the 1Z I started with into an AFN with ALH credentials. Some of the key longitudinal parts I acquired include:

Top engine cover correctly embossed for the longitudinal mount - 028 103 935 N Oil filter flange - 050 115 417 Oil cooler as mounted in the 110 PS AFN: 028 117 021 C

This plus oil lines, vacuum tanks, alternator covers with the Audi air inlet. brackets, coolant piping adaptors, heat shields, etc. Now to stuff them into a suitcase for home shipment. Also need a creative story to wrap them and present them as souvenirs to the wife for Mother's Day.

Last comment on Euro travel. I have been spinning around Vienna, Salzburg, the Danube castles, Prague, Budapest, Linz, Holland from the north sea through Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Delft, and Belgium through cities and backroads. All alone (no wifely navigator), often lost, never truly defeated. This was only possible running Route 66 Europe 2004 on my Mac 17" Powerbook G4 and my Earthmate Bluetooth GPS system. The Route 66 database is superb and inexpensive. I typed in the VAG-recycling address in the location finder, added the hotel name for a departure and few hundred turns later, was at the site. Distance calculations are extremely accurate as are the timing estimates. It only lacks voice navigation. I got lost because of the periodic inability to read the computer screen because of bright sunlight and poor computer location. The 140+ km/hr velocity never entered into the problem. 1 x 1 km screen in town, 10 x 10 on the Autoroutes. And the GPS lock never failed. Seems more accurate than the Nave system on the BMW, but to be seen.

Just for possible utility of the few, delete as necessary. Off for a lunch of Leberknodelsuppe and Augistinerbrau!

Frank Grunthaner


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