Date:         Wed, 2 Jan 2008 23:19:23 +1300
Reply-To:     Andrew Grebneff <andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Andrew Grebneff <andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Subject:      Re: Considering scrapping my project van after forking out over
              $26 grand
In-Reply-To:  <477AF4A4.4040300@verizon.net>
Content-type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1; format=flowed

>FWIW, I would certainly have no qualms about selling/sending things
>to you ... if only I had what you need.  I'm honestly surprised that
>you haven't had better luck in that regard.
>
>Mike
>Houlton, Maine


I know there are some helpful folk on the list; one even sent me a
front chromed bumper... free... didn't even want me to pay the
shipping! That was Larry Chase; I'm still grateful!

I've been having a bad week and today was REALLY bad... even threw a
recalcitrant minisystem out the 3rd-floor window. I proably won't
trash the project, but after messing around with it since late 1998
and still being stumped, I'm getting a bit despondent.

I do apologize to listees for my importune outburst, but only to
those who do have the parts and are (or would be if they HAD the
parts) willing to trust someone outside the US.

Stephen Weiler was going to charge me $100 for the parts and an
hourly rate to get them off, cleaned and crated. He was paid the
first $85. The agreement was (quote from his message): "And we're
right at 5.5 hours.  Figure 1.5 hours to finish crating it and get it
to freight pickup point.  So total will be $140 labor, $100 parts
plus freight.  If this sounds good I'll continue with the crating."
And: "There's left and right cast front control arms, left rear
trailing arm, front knuckles/hub pins, sway bar end links, p/s rack
tie rods, dust shields, license lights.  I included relevant hardware
with each part, plus brake line LR and any small loose bits.  I did
have one of the trailing arm pivot bushing bolts seize in the bush
center halfway out; ended up cutting the mount tab off the body.  It
should come out with a big hammer/punch." His messages were always
friendly and detailed. Admittedly there were long delays on my part,
due to unemployment and lengthy hospitalization, but Stephen
indicated that he was in no hurry. My payment of a deposit should
have been indication of my good faith. So I can't really understand
why he stopped communicating. he changed his e-mail address after
this, so I can't e-mail him. Frankly, I can't be bothered to phone
him.

Hmmm... the subject line is $26NZ grand, a bit less in greenbacks...
say $18g. That's a minimum approximation; I haven't actually added-up
all of the "little" items like electrics.
--
Andrew Grebneff
Dunedin
New Zealand
Fossil preparator
Seashell, Macintosh, VW/Toyota van nut
‚ Opinions stated are mine, not those of Otago University
"There is water at the bottom of the ocean"  - Talking Heads