Date: Sun, 19 Aug 2007 16:55:58 -0700
Reply-To: neil N <musomuso@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: neil N <musomuso@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Van Meet 2007 at White Rock Beach
In-Reply-To: <71d9cdf90708191619r197778d4wc44cd9c23430ba7e@mail.gmail.com>
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Yup have been giving that some thought. It makes sense. But, OTOH.......
..... if I got a deal on an I4 gas donor vehicle and paid fair prices
for bellhousing etc., it may make economic sense to put them in Jaco,
use the van for a while, then sell. I'm already into a lot of time and
a fair amount of money for this van. The body isn't too bad in terms
of rust and even though it looks like shite, I can slow the rust
process with a wire wheel and chemicals. One things for sure though;
getting a pro to cut rust etc., isn't worth it on this Westy.
When I "weigh out" things like room to work and keeping "eye sores"
like a known running donor vehicle (my preference) AND a rust free
project van around, finding a diesel bell housing etc. for a good
price, then keeping only a cheap Jetta donor around for a short while
to pull engine etc., may be a good stop gap to use in my van. Not
saying I wouldn't do a Suby, just not now and not on this van.
For sure, I need more power. And, I'm trying to have my cake and eat
it too. Get the donor, get the parts out quick (WV bylaws don't allow
*uninsured* derelict vehicles to be lying around) keep using my van
while I put in rad/hoses, then when I have "my ducks are in a row",
stuff in the rest, cross my fingers and turn the key. Repeat if
needed.
Getting rust free Westy w/busted engine + Suby parts = $4000 easy.
Likely more.
Used I4 install parts + donor parts = $2000 or less??
Never say never, and I'll see what the future holds, but it's looking
like this van isn't the "winner" to sink big bucks into. But it is
great for learning on. And even though it's no "prize" to look at,
when I'm done with it, it'll still drive ok, and have a water cooled
engine to boot.
Neil.
On 8/19/07, Jake de Villiers <crescentbeachguitar@gmail.com> wrote:
> You're absolutely right Neil, I completely forgot about the "Coil as Wheel
> Chock"! :)
>
> On your other topic, you might want to consider keeping an eye iut for a
> nice van with WBX motor issues; you might get a better deal and a better
> transplant candidate all at once.
>
> On 8/19/07, neil N <musomuso@gmail.com> wrote:
> > No, thank you Jake!
> >
> > And thanks to those who loaned out their ear/brains for questions
> > about engine swaps and what not. I know I asked a few....
> >
> > Seeing engine conversions "in person" really helped me wrap my head
> > around what's involved.
> >
> > And Jake you forgot to mention the "Best Use Of An Ignition Coil"
> > award. I think Paul took that one:
> >
> > http://web.mac.com/tubaneil/iWeb/Site%205/Coil.html
> >
> > And for the record, I may have beaten out Jakes 84' by more than one
> > dent! --- ;^)
> >
> > Neil.
> >
> >
> > On 8/19/07, Jake de Villiers < crescentbeachguitar@gmail.com> wrote:
> > > Thanks to all who showed up at the beach yesterday to share a common
> love of
> > > Vanagons. It was great to finally put voices to people I've only known
> as
> > > text.
> > >
> > > Appearing were Harold Kiesewetter in his freshly painted Orly Blue TDI
> > > powered Westy , Neil Nicholson in his Assuan Brown AC '81 Westy, Paul
> Guzyk
> > > and Dot in their Bordeaux Red Carat, Bill MacLachlan in his 1.8 Golf
> powered
> > > '82 GL, Tabe Johnson and his sweet son Trevor in their Pastel White '85
> > > Westy, Bernie J in his very clean '85 GL Westy and John Woo in
> his Silver
> > > '86 Westy. Dave and Helene Marshall with their lively kids Richard and
> > > Loraine drove their killer Hightop Syncro Westy with the R-TDI motor and
> VW
> > > LT 4 x 4 with 2.4 litre AUDI 6 cylinder diesel. Official Photographer
> Milo
> > > de Villiers drove my Wolfram Grey '84 GL work van and I got there plenty
> > > early in Dixie, our Pastel White '86 Westy Weekender.
> > >
> > > John Woo from California won the Long Distance Award, Neil's '81 edged
> out
> > > my '84 by a single dent for Most Beat Up and David Marshall took both
> the
> > > Tallest Van and Biggest Truck categories. Paul Guzyk won the Best Tool
> > > Award for his aluminium floor jack and Bernie's van took the Most
> Original
> > > Award.
> > >
> > > For those of you whose lips are already getting tired, skip to the pix
> at
> > > http://subyjake.googlepages.com/
> > > Click for larger versions and if anybody wants more just email me
> direct;
> > > Milo took hundreds!
> > >
> > > By liberal use of folding chairs and traffic cones I managed to claim 11
> > > consecutive parking spots at the extreme western end of White Rock
> Beach.
> > > After a couple hours of queries from pedestrians ('Is there going to be
> a
> > > race?' and 'Will there be music?' ) Vanagons started to show up.
> > >
> > > Bernie brewed up green tea for folks in a French press, Tabe created a
> > > community kitchen and his son Trevor passed out potato chips, I showed
> the
> > > beer-drinking members how to use the passenger side door jamb latch as a
> > > bottle opener and Dave wowed us with his Big Truck.
> > >
> > > Young Richard pumped up their inflatable and Loraine collected shells
> in
> > > the shallows while the rest of us hung out, ate and drank and talked
> > > Vanagon. With the Syncro, the LT, an air-cooled van (ABX?), a Golf
> > > transplant and two TDIs plus my impending 2.5 Subie swap there was
> plenty to
> > > talk about. You know, motors, trombones, wheels & tires, baseball, gear
> > > ratios.........
> > >
> > > We managed to attract the attention of a couple of passing Westies, one
> of
> > > whom had been corresponding with David about a diesel conversion, the
> other
> > > of which was the long lost Pat Jackman in his beautiful Flash Silver '90
> > > Westy, fleeing from the 2 hour border lineup.
> > >
> > > We also had a visit from a photographer from the Peace Arch News who
> took a
> > > bunch of pix and wanted to interview me, as erstwhile 'organizer' of the
> > > event! I told him that organizing Vanagonites was like herding
> cats.
> > > :)
> > >
> > > There was much talk of a repeat of the event next year around the same
> time,
> > > maybe in a different spot, maybe with camping. Stay in touch.
> > >
> > > Thanks again everybody, Jake
> > >
> > > --
> > > Jake
> > > 1984 Vanagon GL
> > > 1986 Westy Weekender "Dixie"
> > > www.crescentbeachguitar.com
> > >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Please send me your Vanagon/Westfalia links!
> > http://vanagonlinks.googlepages.com/home
> >
> > Neil Nicholson. 1981 Air Cooled Westfalia.
> > http://web.mac.com/tubaneil
> >
>
>
>
> --
>
> Jake
> 1984 Vanagon GL
> 1986 Westy Weekender "Dixie"
> www.crescentbeachguitar.com
--
Please send me your Vanagon/Westfalia links!
http://vanagonlinks.googlepages.com/home
Neil Nicholson. 1981 Air Cooled Westfalia.
http://web.mac.com/tubaneil
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