Date: Thu, 9 Nov 2006 11:43:51 -0500
Reply-To: Tim Demarest <tim.demarest@POBOX.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Tim Demarest <tim.demarest@POBOX.COM>
Subject: Re: Stock or able to return to stock vs. custom?
In-Reply-To: <45529006.5070207@earthlink.net>
Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed
I nearly agree... I've *added* a lot of wiring to my '85 Vanagon westie...
headlight relays
SA grille with inner lights (also relayed)
Power mirrors (built my own harness for these)
Auxiliary fuse block in battery compartment behind driver's seat.
Optima deep cycle secondary battery inside rear cabinetry
Indoor/outdoor thermometer with "outdoor" sensor inside fridge.
Internal fridge fan
Aux 12V power outlets near rear table.
I haven't *cut* a single stock wire to do this stuff. Everything is an
add-on, and can be easily removed if I want to return the wiring to stock.
I doubt any of it will be removed... I've had this van for five years now,
and don't feel much like parting with it.
If I do run into electrical gremlins, I can bypass any or all of my mods
easily, this will make troubleshooting easier, as I'll be able to eliminate
(or implicate) my add-ons as suspects.
Tim
At 06:18 PM 11/8/2006 -0800, Mark Drillock wrote:
>Yes, I have made a lot of one way alterations to various Vanagons over
>the years and will continue to do so. I did not argue against that to
>begin with, that was someone else. I opposed major electrical system
>butchery. Old vehicles like ours tend to develop electrical glitches
>even when kept stock and well taken care of. Finding these can be
>challenging enough even when everything is well documented. When things
>have been butchered you might not be able find the cause of a problem at
>all or get a shop to fix it either without a lot of time and money.
>
>I have a great deal of familiarity with the Vanagon electrical system. I
>find the electrical wiring diagrams in the Bentley pretty much childs
>play compared to the computer system wiring diagrams I worked with for
>many years. The key to working with electrical systems is proper
>documentation. We have proper documentation for the stock Vanagon. Thus
>I argue that it is best to keep the system as stock as possible so that
>the existing documentation is germane.
>
>Mark
>
>Jake de Villiers wrote:
>
>>I was just pointing out that the guy who is now saying not to put the
>>battery in the back has made some one-way alterations to Vanagons!
>>
>>On 11/8/06, Jim at work <jrasite@eoni.com> wrote:
>>
>>>
>>>Google is your friend: http://www.evcl.com/vw/Others/Frame.html
>>>
>>>Jim
>>>
>>>
>>> > On Nov 8, 2006, at 1:32 PM, Jake de Villiers wrote:
>>> >> I have a question though: doesn't Drillock have a stretch?
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > Hmmmmm?
>>> >
>>
>>
>>
>>--
>>Jake
>>1984 Vanagon GL
>>1986 Westy Weekender "Dixie"
>>www.crescentbeachguitar.com
| 
