Date:         Tue, 30 Mar 2010 00:47:02 -0500
Reply-To:     John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Subject:      Restoration Saga of Two Vanagons
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

Well - it begins.

I have three Vanagons. One is my daily driver - a Burgundy  '88 GL. It
runs fine, and gets good use.

My restoration vehicles are a   Dove Blue '88 GL and a '90 Carat. Both
vehicles were parked for ten years without being run, much less being on
the road. Besides cleaning up, both need the engines worked over and
made to run, and a few things are missing or simply removed but on hand
- like the Grill and Lights on the '88 GL is/are out - but I have an SA
grille and lights for it when the time comes. And on the '90 Carat the
rear bumper is missing, and the right passenger door panel is missing.
The '88 GL has a manual tranny that has to be reworked. How extensively
is any body's guess. The '91 Carat's auto tranny is screwy and must
needs rebuilding. Besides these items, that is a lot of just general
work that needs doing. Fuel hoses need replacing on both engines. Fuel
injectors are to be rebuilt/serviced. All the usual things must be
checked/repaired as needed. Brake lines checked, brakes bled and
adjusted, fuel tank lines and vents taken care off, Coolant checked and
system flushed,  and on and on and on. Periodically I plan to post the
progress to the list - and hopefully create a blog with pictures
somewhere. It will be nice to put these two jewels back on the road.

The first vehicle to get attention is the the dove blue '88GL. I was
just checking things on the engine, and grabbed a fuel line. It was as
hard an rock = no flex whatsoever. That had to go, so I replaced all
fuel lines. Next effort was to check fuel and oil and I grabbed a small
water line off the coolant ring around the engine compartment and it
snapped off in my had it was so brittle.  So, I replaced the coolant
hoses.After checking the coolant and oil, and flushing the fuel lines,
some oil was drizzled into the cylinders - then the engine turned by and
then and engine start was attempted. She would turn but no Start. Check
the distributor cap and rotor, Checks all ignition and it was good.
Checked ignition pulse and that was good. Pulled and tested injectors -
no fuel. They were shipped out for servicing and testing and will arrive
beck in the next day or so.

Stay tuned!!!

--
John Rodgers
Clayartist and Moldmaker
88'GL VW Bus Driver
Chelsea, AL
Http://www.moldhaus.com