Date:         Sun, 27 Jun 2010 23:27:19 +1200
Reply-To:     Andrew Grebneff <goose1047@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Andrew Grebneff <goose1047@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      FS in NZ: 84 Caravelle and 93 Microbus 2.5i,
              or swap for Split-windshield
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252

For those members who inhabeteth the Land of the Long White Cloud
(Aotearoa)...

I have been long planning my SVX conversion of one, then another, T3, but
have been unable to find the drive to do much more than accumulate the
necessary parts. I now think that I may have discovered the reason (apart
from suffering long-term severe depression)... I want another Split
-windshield.

Therefore I am on the market for one of those, but most of the parts I have
amassed for the T3 won't go to waste, because they will almost all go into
the Split instead.

    Swap 93 Microbus 2.5i or 84 Caravelle GL for Split van body?



I'm thinking of disposing of my two T3s, selling or swapping for a late
Split Kombi (NOT a Panelvan or Pickup, which are NOT Kombis).



I have the choice of selling my van(s) and buying a Split, or arranging some
sort of swap.



What I have is the following:



1) Australian-market 1984 T3 Caravelle GL 7-seater. Van is minus engine
(came with a Holden V6, which I sold) and trans (died and was stolen by a
certain Christchurch VW "mechanic") and possibly both rear seats (if I use
them in another project). Body has a few small dents made in storage. Paint
is 2-tone-blue, somewhat oxidized but will buff up well. No apparent rust.
Good tires on rusting Mangels chromed wheels. Rego on hold for last 11
years! Reason for selling: recently bought the 93.



2) South African 1993 T3 Microbus 2.5i 5-speed 8-seater. Metallic gray,
paint in good condition. Small scrapes on both rear wheelarches (they were
there when I bought it). This has a stock factory AAY Audi five-cylinder
engine, which runs but is somewhat smoky. Has working factory aircon. If I
can find a parts source (no luck so far) I would like to repair the engine
before sale. If anyone knows a source. please let me know! Reason for
selling: want a Split!



Images are available on request.



What I want is:



A 1964-67 van (wide tailgate), not too battered and not too rusty,
preferably complete apart from engine and seats. It would need a trans to be
towable, as in swingaxle vans there's no semitrailing-arm to secure the
stubaxles, unlike a CV type. The trans can be a total dud, so long as it
won't seize in towing.



Other items I'd like:

-T3 shell on wheels for some lower body sections, can be severely damaged so
long as it's towable and the suspension and the body areas it mounts to are
undamaged (and no, I'm not going to cut up my good T3s). The suspension and
mounting sections are to be grafted into the Split.


I have been offered 2 Splits for $1k, an early-60s Kombi and a late-60s
Panelvan, but both are a bit too rusty for my state of mind and probably my
ability to repair. If I can't find anything better that I can afford, then I
will probably go for these vans. The same person offered me a high-roof T3,
but it's too good to cut up. I did get both sliding doors and openings with
tracks from a dual-slider late Bay Panelvan from the same person, and these
will go into the Split. I will graft Split Kombi windows into them.
Cooling... I am considering options. Underfloor won't work satisfactorily,
will be prone to damage by road debris, plugging by mud thrown up by the
tires and grounding offroad. Putting it inside the roof, as someone in
Australia is doing to a poor Bay, won't work (the Aussie will discover
this). Fitting it in place of the engine door is not desirable, nor is a
cutout in the engine compartment side. An idea I had from an idle sketch I
did of a VW 412 wagon with similar roof-mounted radiator is a likely
candidate, and this would comprise a very low thick full-width radiator at
the rear end of the roof, upright or inclined, set inside a fiberglass
spoilerlike cowling, with stainless water pipes welded in at engine roof and
van roof level and similar engine intlet pipe of larger diameter; this gets
the intake out of the hot and dusty engine bay. Waterpump on the Subaru EG33
engine is integral, and I will have to check its ability to raise coolant
above roof-level. The alternative idea is to remove the gas tank and the
shelf it is mounted on, fabricate new tanks to go underfloor and to set twin
radiators where the fueltank once was, on either side of the trans; this
would be not dissimilar to the setup in a Japanese van such as a Hiace or
Liteace, though of course those don't need two radiators because of a
transmission sitting in the middle of the space. Comments?


With the "Vanagon" suspension and many other parts, would such a Split be
considered a "Vanagon" for the purposes of this list?



I’m in Dunedin and will be willing to travel for the right van. Phone is
03-453-4436.

-- 
Regards
Andrew Grebneff