Vanagon EuroVan
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Date:         Fri, 23 Jan 2009 20:35:43 -0500
Reply-To:     Jonathan Poole <jfpoolio@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jonathan Poole <jfpoolio@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Air vs. Water
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

I didn't see any pancake or type IV air cooled vw engines in Mexico. All of the bug, thing (pretty common) and bay bus motors that I saw had the upright cooling system (or pieces of it at least) and similar at least engine case. The Vanagon was also never available in Mexico from what I know, though I did hear one rumor of a limited release in one local,, can't remember the details of that though. I drove around much of the country and only saw a few Vanagons that weren't temporarily being driven in the country by tourists. Those few vanagons that I saw were all out of service and on the west coast. One mid eighties water cooler had even been painted up like the local taxi busses, but was retired years ago.

The newer beetles that I saw had upright cooling, hydraulic lifters, fuel injection, alternators etc.,, can't remember the displacement. When first opening the decklid on those new beetles they look a lot like a late 70's u.s. beetle engine with an alternator but then you start to notice that things are a lot different in there.

Many or most of the bay window busses that are common around mexico are running water cooled I4 motors with radiators up front.

There are not many parts that you will be able to get for any Vanagon down in Mexico, water or air cooled. Good tires are easier to find than here in the states but the rest of it you can bring it with you, have it shipped in from out of country or get lucky cross referencing to a Mexican VW through etka.

I know of a few folks living in Mexico with their vans that have trouble getting service. They have to have parts shipped in etc. etc.

If this is a big issue to you consider buying a van when you get there and then just driving it. I saw a few folks doing just that. Of course if you plan to pick up an air-cooled bus I recommend taking the cooling tin and seals down with you because apparently the Mexican version of the Bently discourages reinstalling the tin after engine removal.

Jonathan Poole '83 AC Westy


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