Date:         Mon, 11 Dec 2006 10:37:04 -0800
Reply-To:     Don Hanson <dhanson@GORGE.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Don Hanson <dhanson@GORGE.NET>
Subject:      Some 'new van owner' rap  (long)
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="Windows-1252"

 Posted a few NVC things, thought I'd spend a bit of bandwidth with actual on topic content..                                

  My vanagon is an 84, bought in the Northwest with all the seats still in, a GL, I think they are called.  Found it in Gig Harbor, Washington, and drove up in my old Beetle to check it out.  I live in the Columbia River Gorge about 1.5 hrs east of Portland.  The PO has done a few engine conversions, including the one I got, which has a 92 1.8 liter Cabriolet motor and a 5sp tranny from a diesel vanagon.  A very nice conversion, it all fits under the lid, the wiring is neat, no real issues (so far, smiley face) 
 
   I've owned VWs through out my life, and a few Porsches.  I have a water-cooled Porsche 928-based PCA and SCCA racecar right now that I did most of the work on, other than the motor and the electronics, so I have some experience with the general type and with Bosch.  I must say, working on the vanagon is pure pleasure after the complexity of my racecar with it's 8 individual throttlebodies, 4 camshafts, 32 valves and over 50 relays!
   I kept the van unchanged for a month or so, figuring out exactly how I would 'personalize it' to suit my own uses, and then I "dove in".

   First, very dark 'limo' tint on all the windows behind the front doors.  Next, I found a used interior on the Samba, went and picked that up and installed the pieces I wanted..Just the fold down bed/seat (with the watertank under) and the cab with the sink/stove/fridge. I've been a boatbuilder in my past life, so putting the interior in was easy, as well as doing the plumbing and the external connections through the body..I wired in a second battery under the drivers seat, using a heavy duty solenoid-type switch, and added a couple of bright 12v lights and some power points to run my laptop and recharge some other electrics. 

 I know this will freak out some owners of campers, but I put the propane tank right in the cabinet under the sink after ventilating it with some airholes.  I HATE built-in under the car tanks..a total pain, in my humble opinion, and much more dangerous under there than inside where it at least won't be bashed on boulders or curbs or have it's fittings broken by flying rocks or debris...I like to be able to drop off an empty propane tank and go on about my business, then return and pick up the full one..

  I wanted a minimalist-interior to leave me room for toys, dogs, bicycles, tools and lumber.  So far, it has been just right, though I would like to do those rotating front seats soon. 

 I am a bicycle racer, so I installed a couple of front fork mounts onto the front face of the rear seat.  I carry the bikes inside and still have room to change clothes, with the dark 'Limo-tint' keeping me from grossing out the pedestrians.  For camping bike trips, I have a Yakima rack mounting on the back hatch (better clearance and less aero drag)..room for three race bikes and 9 wheels.  I have a prop to hold the hatch open with the bikes still on.  

We recently went (maiden voyage in the vanagon) to southern Utah (about 3000 miles round trip) to a Stage Race.  Spent about a week traveling, racing and camping..two bike racers and two Chesepeke retrievers aboard with all our gear..The vanagon worked wonderfully  the whole time..Exactly the right vehicle for that kinda trip, which is what I was hoping when I got it.

  With that load I was pleased to pull about 70mph without much stress, except up long sustained mountain passes,  where we were sometimes reduced to 4 gear at about 65-max..I would just downshift as we 'unwound' to around 55 and then hold it as we went back through about 60mph in 4th..  With that load, we averaged about 23mph on the trip, not bad considering the speed and the load..Certainly an improvement over my F 250 diesel ford at about 14mph and over $3.00 a gal for diesel now.

  So far, I've had some overheating (my fault didn't use the radiator bleed screw, not yet having my Bently book) and some fuel injection issues.
  The vanagon started intermittently running super rich.  During the 'throw parts at the problem" approach I used to remedy the problem, I replaced the fuel pump, the filter, the distributor cap and rotor, the O2 sensor and the Coolant temp switch...the last was the cause, I think...

 Next on the 'to do" list is to get a bit better traction.  Tires first, then probably a Limited Slip and then a locker tranny for 'really stuck' situations.  I do some snow, when I have to, but I also do a lot of sand driving in Baja and the California deserts.

  So there you go, more than you ever needed to know about Don Hanson's "new" van..Great rig and this is a great bunch of enthusiasts here..Glad I found you all.
  Don Hanson