Date: Thu, 28 Apr 2011 09:57:08 -0700
Reply-To: Roger Whittaker <rogerwhitt1@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Roger Whittaker <rogerwhitt1@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: New Westy owner with a few questions
In-Reply-To: <BANLkTinY0Do6y7EnmT8KtZXcQz-TV3-ESQ@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
dear happy new guy
welcome to your new van
best to carry an entire other vanagon .. with you ..in a small box that
includes a compliment of easy to use tools
such as a
1 all the wrenches snap on sells in both SAE and Metric
2. All the Allen keys
3. two of every part already on the vanagon (one for R&R and one for R&R on
that vanagon in the box cause that one will likely be worn out to )
4. A 2 Post electric hoist
5. Cell phone actually a smart phone to call out to The auto club when you
break down and a smart phone so you can email to vanagon gerry all the blow
by blow of your current travails
6. Auto Club recognized North American wide .... like triple a or CAA (Get
RV membership so they will send a wrecker suitable to lift and carry vanagon
loaded for travels)
7. GPS so you can describe to the foot where exactly you are located so
wrecker can pick you up easily
9. and most important item required for when on the road ... is a wonderful
traveling partner who rolls with the punches no matter what ... always
remember JOB had no trouble except that which his friends and wife kept
reporting to him through out the details of the story
happy travels
regards
On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 1:09 AM, Tyler Dann <tylerdann@gmail.com> wrote:
> Greetings!
>
> I bought a 1986 Vanagon Weekender (fridge removed) from the original owner
> about a month ago. Dave is a great guy and only sold his van because he
> couldn't fit all the grandkids in any more. He gave me a great deal and,
> since he had taken his van to my neighbor (also my mechanic), I knew it was
> a solid van.
>
> The 2.1 L Wasserboxer had the head gasket resealed in 2003, a casualty of
> our Anchorage winter climate. The same happened the next winter, after
> which
> Dave didn't run the van below 20 F. He had original records from his first
> drive down the Alcan (~ 22 mpg, I only get ~14 in town) and lots of great
> stories. The van is gold, has a hint of rear rust but is otherwise cherry,
> and came with good vibes.
>
> So I am trying to learn as much as I can about my family's new ticket to
> summer road trips and am impressed by this listserve! You guys know your
> stuff! I've been bombarded for a week or so and have already learned a lot
> (e.g., no light oil). I have a copy of Bentley's en route but have a few
> questions for this group:
>
> -What do other arctic/sub-arctic Wasserboxer owners do? Garage all winter?
> Conversion? A mechanic friend of mine with a Eurovan says the conversion
> route is foolish, and that instead of swapping the engine and everything
> downstream I should simply have a rebuilt stock engine ready to swap out.
> The uncertainty of future engine failure in a remote spot leaves me a bad
> taste, but so does the cost/time of a conversion. I'll probably go back to
> my bike next winter, but would love to learn about other options/opinions.
> Canadians? Other Alaskans?
>
> -What do you keep handy for road trips? I've ordered a belt, some fuses and
> spark plugs, other ideas?
>
> -Awning preferences? I'd like something robust to winds, those I've seen
> seem pretty flimsy. I don't care about shade but am thinking about rain
> protection to cook under.
>
> -My scissor jack doesn't work for one corner because the inside jack port
> rusted to the point of failure. So I'm thinking a 2X4 across the frame
> members above the jack port with a standard jack for future tire changes.
> Better ideas?
>
> -Which battery powers what? The battery under the passenger seat is much
> newer, Dave had it replaced three years ago, so I assume that powers the
> starter. But what is the very old-looking battery under my seat power? Are
> both recharged by the alternator? I look forward to Bentley for this one,
> but would appreciate any words of wisdom.
>
> That's all I can think of now, pretty late for me. I can appreciate that
> these are amateur questions for this group, so if you want to reply to just
> me, cool. Thanks for your time.
>
> Cheers,
> Tyler
>
--
roger w
From Proverbs:
Under three things the earth trembles, under four it cannot bear up: a
servant who becomes king ...
----------------------------------------------------------
Explore printed work at: http://www.prliving.ca/
View the growing list of video work at:
http://www.prpeak.com/articles/2010/11/29/multimedia/video/doc4c62e5f80d228504902172.txt
| 
