Vanagon EuroVan
Previous (more recent) messageNext (less recent) messagePrevious (more recent) in topicNext (less recent) in topicPrevious (more recent) by same authorNext (less recent) by same authorPrevious page (December 2006, week 4)Back to main VANAGON pageJoin or leave VANAGON (or change settings)ReplyPost a new messageSearchProportional fontNon-proportional font
Date:   Sat, 23 Dec 2006 18:13:24 -0800
Reply-To:   Jake de Villiers <crescentbeachguitar@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:   Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:   Jake de Villiers <crescentbeachguitar@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:   Re: More advice, please
Comments:   To: Nathaniel Poole <npoole@telus.net>
In-Reply-To:   <C1B312A4.2405%npoole@telus.net>
Content-Type:   text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

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


Back to: Top of message | Previous page | Main VANAGON page

Please note - During the past 17 years of operation, several gigabytes of Vanagon mail messages have been archived. Searching the entire collection will take up to five minutes to complete. Please be patient!


Return to the archives @ gerry.vanagon.com


The vanagon mailing list archives are copyright (c) 1994-2011, and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the list administrators. Posting messages to this mailing list grants a license to the mailing list administrators to reproduce the message in a compilation, either printed or electronic. All compilations will be not-for-profit, with any excess proceeds going to the Vanagon mailing list.

Any profits from list compilations go exclusively towards the management and operation of the Vanagon mailing list and vanagon mailing list web site.