Date: Sat, 25 Sep 2010 17:25:05 -0700
Reply-To: Brandon Christophel <bchristophel@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Brandon Christophel <bchristophel@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Simply Stunning....
In-Reply-To: <AANLkTi=KUsLVa86WhBaSjOZ2pHgLSTbG3NHh_YWcSSgS@mail.gmail.com>
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Had to throw in that "highly desired and *Un-importable* Canadian models." didn't cha? Way to twist the knife... touche`
On Sep 25, 2010, at 4:11 PM, Michael Sullivan wrote:
> Sorry...meant WEST coast where ALL the Vanagons live...except the highly
> desired and Un-importable Canadian models. ;-)
> Michael in San Antonio
> 91GL Weekender AT 2.1L 'Gringo'
>
>
>
> On Sat, Sep 25, 2010 at 5:32 PM, Jake de Villiers <
> crescentbeachguitar@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Zoltan is in Lynnwood,Washington - near the Pacific Ocean? ;)
>>
>>
>> On Sat, Sep 25, 2010 at 2:41 PM, Michael Sullivan <sandwichhead@gmail.com>wrote:
>>
>>> Bravo---East Coast to the rescue.
>>> Michael in San Antonio
>>> 91GL Weekender AT 2.1L 'Gringo'
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On Sat, Sep 25, 2010 at 4:04 PM, Brandon Christophel <
>>> bchristophel@gmail.com
>>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> I had beed doing small projects on my 1987 Westy for a few months. As
>>> you
>>>> do van research, you can't help but run across peoples experiences with
>>>> rust. I could see where my seams were showing a tinge of rust color. I
>>>> sense of dread sunk in. Rust is like an iceberg they say. If you can
>>> see
>>>> the tip, then whats underneath is huge. This is what started the sense
>>> of
>>>> dread that I carried while finishing up small projects. Pretty soon it
>>>> became the monkey on my back and I couldn't take it anymore. I finished
>>> up
>>>> the projects and began to seek out a doctor for my baby. Not just any
>>>> doctor, I wanted a specialist.
>>>>
>>>> I put out some feelers. The name that came back was "Zoltan". He's had
>>> my
>>>> van for awhile now. He sent me a mail saying, "its out of paint and it
>>>> looks beautiful". You have to know the man but, he usually doesn't use
>>>> decorative words like that. He'll say, "and it's fine" or "that's ok".
>>> So,
>>>> I was *very* curious what I was to see.
>>>>
>>>> Getting the van to this point is the culmination of a lot of hard work.
>>>> Zoltan has been like the conductor of an orchestra. Doing the tear
>>> down of
>>>> *everything*, noting items to be replaced or fixed and giving me options
>>>> along the way, getting the sanding done and bringing the body metal back
>>> to
>>>> trueness, attacking rust and going through the procedures he has to get
>>> rid
>>>> of it and probably a hundred other things I'll never know he did.
>>>>
>>>> Today I get to see it. The results of all this work so far. So, in my
>>> car
>>>> and off to Lynnwood I go. I saw Zoltan and waved hello. He was moving
>>> cars
>>>> around among the fleet of Westys that are his domain. We greeted and
>>>> walked as we were chatting. We rounded the corner of one of the other
>>>> Westys and suddenly, I looked up and there it was, my baby... it was
>>> simply
>>>> STUNNING... I think I clapped my hands and yelped. I turned to Zoltan
>>> and
>>>> shook his hand. "It's fantastic!" I said. All his preparation work had
>>>> paid off. The van is incredible looking and yet, it doesn't even have
>>> it's
>>>> trim put back on it yet. Zoltan took me around the vehicle and led me
>>>> through pieces of the the work and how it was done. I just couldn't
>>> stop
>>>> looking. It's gorgeous! We still have a ways to go but, man it's going
>>>> well. It is a work of art already.
>>>>
>>>> Zoltan won't brag so, I felt it necessary to send this mail. He may not
>>>> like it but, the way I see it, If I don't inform the community of the
>>>> availability of a master craftsman and the fine work he is doing then, I
>>> am
>>>> doing a disservice to all all those van owners who were like me and had
>>> a
>>>> monkey on their back but, didn't know who to trust.
>>>>
>>>> Get rid of your monkey. Call Zoltan.
>>>>
>>>> -Brandon
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Jake
>>
>> 1984 Vanagon GL 1.9 WBX 'The Grey Van'
>> 1986 Westy Weekender/2.5 SOHC Suby 'Dixie'
>>
>> Crescent Beach, BC
>>
>> www.thebassspa.com
>> www.crescentbeachguitar.com
>> http://subyjake.googlepages.com/mydixiedarlin%27
>>
>>
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