Date:         Thu, 26 Aug 2010 10:59:05 -0400
Reply-To:     "Peter T. Owsianowski" <pnoceanwesty@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         "Peter T. Owsianowski" <pnoceanwesty@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Potts new Vanagon(s)
Comments: To: greg@pottsfamily.ca
In-Reply-To:  <26dd0e1eb2ae9e4d934b532499134f44.squirrel@ketchup.teksavvy.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

Interesting.  How many "Bus" pilots have both Bay and Vanagon, do you think,
Greg?   Is Bay/ Vanagon less common than say, Splittie / Bay  - which would
keep one entirely in the Air-Cooled world.


Pete
'79 Westy "Aardvark"
'87 Westy "JoesVan"
WWW.Busesbythebeach.com


On Thu, Aug 26, 2010 at 10:21 AM, Greg Potts <greg@pottsfamily.ca> wrote:

> Hi Paul,
>
> Dunno if I am becoming less of a bus guy really, but I certainly am
> becoming more of a Vanagon guy. Which is awkward to admit since there's a
> current thread on another list that is debating the use of the term "bus"
> to describe a Vanagon.
>
> I now have logged 50,000 miles of daily driving on my 87 Wolfsburg since I
> bought it in April 2008. Camping trips, groceries, hauling lumber and
> firewood, beach trips and sign equipment service work year round in
> downtown Toronto, Kingston, Windsor, London, and Barrie.
>
> Pretty much ALL of the typical component failures that are common to
> vanagons have occurred to my 87 since I bought it... Odometer, headlight
> switch, transmission, tires, shift linkage, fuel injection, exhaust
> issues, leaky heads, thermostat housing failure... I could go on but you
> get the picture.  Getting on top of these things sometimes seems like a
> never-ending process but eventually the frequency does fall. There are
> still about 2-3 little details to take care of on the 87 (horn, reverse
> lights, alternator swap) but none of them are critical at the moment so I
> will get to them in a while.
>
> It's a durable and versatile platform that's a good fit for my lifestyle.
>
> The baywindow? Well, I still enjoy it; it's also quite versatile and
> durable. After driving the vanagon I tend to notice that the bay is a good
> bit smaller and the suspension is a bit more primitive. I also miss the
> heater come fall/winter. Colleen has been commuting with it for the past
> month or so; I drove it 800 miles to High Country Bus Festival back in
> July. Eventually I plan to convert it to watercooled inline 4 in order to
> make a bit more reliable power to attack the hills with, but for the time
> being the 1.7L 411 motor I have in it seems to be doing OK.
>
>
> Happy Trails,
>
> Greg Potts
> www.pottsfamily.ca
> WWW.BUSESOFTHECORN.CA   <--- NEW .CA DOMAIN!!!
> 1988 Wolfsburg Weekender hardtop Vanagon
> 1987 Wolfsburg Weekender hardtop Vanagon
> 1973 Westfakia "Bob the Tomato"
>
>
>
>
>
>
> > Hey Gregg, it looks like you are becoming less of a bus guy and more of a
> > Vanagon guy...how does it feel??
> >
> > It's ok to share your feelings...
> >
> > I used to be a bus guy...now I kinda hate driving busses...even though I
> > still think they look cooler...
> >
> > :)
> >
>