Date: Sat, 22 Feb 2014 15:50:18 -0800
Reply-To: Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: I am not alone
In-Reply-To: <CAFnDXk1cg-dOKKRa92BjpJyj7sSj3LWne9dfOuVWKYEQwx1xMA@mail.gmail.com>
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My Vanagon is pretty easy to keep going. I think the key is to replace the
troublesome WBX motor... Most of the unreliability issues seem to stem from
those...
When I first began to consider a Vanagon... a bit of research told me I
wanted nothing to do with a stock motor..... Every review said they were
poorly designed and very prone to frequent expensive repairs. I was smart
enough to choose to do an "end run" and find a Vanagon with a different
motor... Rather than learn all about how to fix a water boxer and keep it
fixed...
Yes a 30yr old machine of any sort is going to have things wearing out
but with the Vanagon we're able to do most of the needed replacements on
our own with simple tools. The Trick seems to be to replace stuff before
it fails...
On Feb 21, 2014 9:42 AM, "Jim Felder" <jim.felder@gmail.com> wrote:
> I would not argue with that logic. They have to be pretty smart to figure
> out how to keep them running at this point!
>
> Huntsville has had a military presence back to WWII, and has had NASA since
> the mid fifties. Back when I was a kid, soldiers could ship a vehicle back
> to the states at low/no cost. Parts places and mechanics for these cars
> were everywhere. I was friends with the guy who came here to be Dr Von
> Braun's Mercedes mechanic and he opened a shop that has survived him, and
> he spawned a lot of other shops (he was the Fiat dealer for a time, and you
> know what that means). I came of automotive age at a pretty interesting
> time. Morgan 3 wheelers, 2-stroke SAABs, Alfa Romeo Giuliettas, all manner
> of British T-series and on, Simca, Renault, Citroen, VW, Muscovich (sp?),
> NSA all cheap if you kept your eyes open. A lot of them deserved to be
> cheap, but some cars were fun bargains.
>
> If you couldn't find it in town, JC Whitney had it. Look at an old Whitneys
> catalog and you won't believe your eyes. I have an old one that I am going
> to scan someday and put up a few pages. You will sob.
>
> When I acquired Fifty Shades of Brown, it had a sticker in the window that
> read
>
> SAVE ME FROM WHAT I WANT
>
> That is good advice for an old diesel Vanagon owner. I was obviously smart
> enough to ignore it : )
>
> Jim
>
>
>
> On Fri, Feb 21, 2014 at 11:25 AM, Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@gmail.com
> >wrote:
>
> > University towns have always been VW centers, especially for campers.
> The
> > Seattle area has three VW dealers, one four blocks from the University of
> > Washington campus. They all sold a lot of campers over the years, which
> is
> > why we still have so many around.
> >
> >
> >
> > At least that seems to be true in the west, and Huntsville too
> > apparently. Hmm, does that mean smart people own Vanagons?
> >
> >
> >
> > Stuart
> >
> >
> >
> > *From:* Jim Felder [mailto:jim.felder@gmail.com]
> > *Sent:* Friday, February 21, 2014 9:09 AM
> > *To:* Stuart MacMillan; Vanagon mailing list
> > *Subject:* Re: I am not alone
> >
> >
> >
> > I'm in Huntsville (Madison, technically). No shortage of parts here,
> > thanks to me! LOL
> >
> >
> >
> > Plus we have a really good shop here and another in a nearby town. I
> > looked at a Carat automatic yesterday at my local shop. It was parked out
> > front with a Birmingham tag. The shop owner said that they owner has the
> > car towed to Huntsville for any kind of service more complicated than an
> > oil change.
> >
> >
> >
> > About a week ago a friend with a westy stopped by for a part. There were
> > my two in their respective driveways, and this one on the street. My
> > neighbor, who just bought a red passat TDI wagon, stopped and rolled the
> > window down and said "You better keep them apart! They're starting to
> > multiply!!!"
> >
> >
> >
> > Jim
> >
> >
> >
> > On Fri, Feb 21, 2014 at 10:24 AM, Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@gmail.com
> >
> > wrote:
> >
> > I've heard that Huntsville has a pretty good quantity of Vanagon owners.
> > Aerospace folks seem to like them. Drive up for a weekend to get your
> fix!
> >
> > Stuart
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
> Of
> > JRodgers
> > Sent: Thursday, February 20, 2014 10:10 PM
> > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> > Subject: I am not alone
> >
> > For the longest kind of time I have not seen any Vanagons around
> > Birmingham, AL but my own. Never see any mention of Birmingham on the
> > Vanagon List so have wondered if I am all alone in the big city.
> >
> > Well, today, just after parking my van and nearing the steps into the
> > house, I hear this familiar engine sound, and almost simultaneously hear
> > the unmistakable sound of a Vanagon horn down by the street. I turn and
> > look toward the street in time to see TWO Tintop Vanagons with cargo
> > carriers on top - one behind the other, one blue, one green, chugging up
> > my hill. They waved, blew the horn again, but didn't stop. Wish they had.
> >
> > But it's nice to know I'm not alone in the big city.
> >
> > John
> >
> >
> >
>
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