My advice would be to forget it Nathaniel.

Rust never sleeps. And unless you live in the East, you don't have to have a rusty van.

Just wait. If you're thinking of doing a Subie, you're in command, because somebody will sell you their nice van with dead WBX for $2000 and you'll be WAY happier!

My two Canadian cents worth of Vanagon advice.

On 12/23/06, Nathaniel Poole <npoole@telus.net> wrote: > > I've got a decision to make. Just bought a '84 non running Westy for $750 > Ca. Guy has replaced gas tank rad clutch brakes bearings, cooling hoses, > CV > joints and did a bunch of body work (rust at the side service fittings) > welded in new metal. > > Engine is out of a California '86. > He spent his summer holidays doing all this work and when the engine > wouldn't work right he just walked away from it. > > The engine hasn't been run in months and it smoked white like crazy when I > got it running, and I might be wrong but heard a not-very-loud knock that > made me wonder main bearings (Didn't sound like con rod). But then, I > don't > know what these things are supposed to sound like. > > It has some kind of big secondary heater underneath it - what is that? > > Don't remember seeing a propane tank. > > Seats upgraded to nice cloth captain's chairs. > > The dirty side is pretty corroded - you can tell this came from upcountry > and the land of salt. Body is clean and straight although it needs paint. > > Dash is rough and carpets - phooey. Poptop great. > > My dilemma now is whether to gut this beast or fix it up. I still have my > '80 Riviera which is in fabulous condition, but I don't like the > conversion > -cabinets too small, very basic interior, fixed vinyl seats, no tables and > more cramped. I could swap the whole interior of this Westy into my AC and > be happy, although I wouldn't have the 50% increase in Hp. Certainly it > would be a much cleaner, lower mileage vehicle. Or I could pull up my > sleeves and fix up the Westy and sell the Riviera. > > I have a prejudice against rust, even if it's all under the car, but we > just > want a rig to travel across the continent for a year, after that it can > fall > apart. > > Comments, suggestions? >

-- Jake 1984 Vanagon GL 1986 Westy Weekender "Dixie" www.crescentbeachguitar.com