Date: Sat, 10 Nov 2007 21:03:18 -0500
Reply-To: Sam Conant <samcvt@COMCAST.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Sam Conant <samcvt@COMCAST.NET>
Subject: Re: Water pump premature failure
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Chuckling at the second comment (below).
My true story is actually true. Back in the mid 90's, I was planning on
traveling to rural Tennessee where my extended family had planned a
week-long clan gathering at Falls Creek Falls. At the time, I had two
teens, and drove a two door Honda Accord SEI. To keep the peace, during a
weakened moment, I had volunteered that my two sons could each invite a
friend along for the trip, and they had taken me up on the offer.
With not a lot of afterthought, it occurred to me that my friend and I were
going to be trapped for more than a week traveling with four exasperating
teenaged males.
Twenty + years earlier I had owned a splitty and a 1972 VW camper. So,
thinking wisely, I called an acquaintance who owned a now-defunct VW
dealership and asked if he knew of any Westphalias in at least decent shape
for a decent price. None were to be had, he said.
A week before the departure day, the VW fellow called excitedly to tell me
he had exactly what I was looking for - a 1984 Westphalia in "PERFECT"
condition. I made the usual wiseguy comment - "Right, a Sunday school
teacher, bakes cookies, lives in the country and never really drives
anywhere. I was enticed into taking the 30 mile drive to view the perfect
vehicle.
When I got to the dealership, there wasn't a VW bus of any kind in the shop
or in the lot, and my "friend" was nowhere around. His lead mech. told me
he had gone out to meet some folks who had gotten lost on their way in to
pick up their new Rabbit. So, I waited.
After about an hour, in rolled a brown a new VW sedan of some sort followed
by a bright and shiny 1984 Westy with an elderly couple in the front. I
honestly believed my friend was setting me up for a practical joke.
They all got out and we introduced all around. I got into the front seat of
the Westy and looked around ... finally seeking out the odometer reading ...
11,670 miles was the reading.
I got out, went rearward, opened the hatch, raised the cushion and cover to
look at the engine compartment.
That vehicle looked as though it had just come out of a show room. I went
inside where my friend was completing paperwork with the couple and, without
thinking asked my friend when I was going to hear his punch line.... He
roared with laughter, leaned back and said to the couple, "I told you he
wouldn't believe it.!"
Those two innocent-appearing, and really pleasant folks told me about their
Westy.
They bought it new from a dealer who had carried as inventory in 1985 or 86,
and had driven it only to and from their rural Vermont home and their
southern winter home - 3 trips all in all. The rest of the time, the westy
had been parked in a garage, started and run a couple of times a month, up
on blocks most of the non-driving time (preserving the tires, I was told).
They were trading for the sedan because he had undergone hip replacements
and, the trip north was just too uncomfortable for him, so they were buying
a sedan. They had already sole their 1963 Chrysler. I paid 10K for the
Westy, and still drive it nearly every day. Neither of those folks taught
Sunday school, but in response to my initial belief, I received a package of
chocolate chip cookies with a note that they thought I'd need them on the
trip to Tennessee. The family trip was great, the teens loved the vehicle,
and were appreciative that they had been able to travel without having to
juggle themselves around luggage and themselves crammed in the back seat of
my Honda.
SamC
----- Original Message -----
From: "Roger Sisler" <rogersisler2000@YAHOO.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Saturday, November 10, 2007 4:47 PM
Subject: Re: Water pump premature failure
>I got a beautiful 1.9 crankshaft pulley W/ attaching bolt.POR15 and only
> 62 K total miles. Only driven by a little old lady to the parts store on
> sundays.
