Vanagon EuroVan
Previous messageNext messagePrevious in topicNext in topicPrevious by same authorNext by same authorPrevious page (January 2018, week 3)Back to main VANAGON pageJoin or leave VANAGON (or change settings)ReplyPost a new messageSearchProportional fontNon-proportional font
Date:         Wed, 17 Jan 2018 18:50:34 -0800
Reply-To:     Jennifer Rabbitt <yoursocialconcierge@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jennifer Rabbitt <yoursocialconcierge@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Fri: opinion on the proper conversion for Vanagon
Comments: To: Shawn Wright <shawngwright@GMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <CACGFLYVNi=q9Z_x5LNCoyX1vhG4bAFMZAMEHonC6qA6c0z2uOQ@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8

Thanks for sharing. I’m just a LIFELONG VW owner [squareback/ jetta/ jetta/ vanagon] and it’s nice to hear these sentiments.

Jen Rabbitt 90 VeuveBus TinTop

On Jan 17, 2018, at 3:44 PM, Shawn Wright <shawngwright@GMAIL.COM> wrote:

I agree, but I've driven almost exclusively VW/Audi since the early 80s. Our '88 Westy has a 1.6TD from our first '85 Jetta (with a cheapo rebuild done by me - rings & bearings, now ~600k on it, with original injection pump), and a 5 speed and engine carriers from a donor '83 diesel Vanagon. We had a stock '82 diesel Westy which drove remarkably like the '81 Rabbit diesel that I learned to drive on... when it was towing a boat! :) I have contemplated going back to gas in the '88 with an inline 4, as they are cheap and plentiful, but having just bought an Espar D2, I will have to stick with diesel for a bit longer.

On Sun, Jan 14, 2018 at 3:46 PM, Christopher Schimke < christopher@t3technique.com> wrote:

> I suppose if a Vanagon owner is not a lifelong VW sort, they may not > notice the difference, but having a VW engine in a Vanagon feels > (literally) different than a Subaru or any other engine in. Engines have > personalities and there is a certain "DNA" in many VW engines that makes > them all feel like part of the same family. Being part of the family makes > them feel "right" in a VW, regardless if it’s a Vanagon, Golf, whatever. I > was having a discussion about this with a guy at Bonneville Speed Week who > ran a hot rod with a turbo VW ABA engine, along with other various engines, > depending on which class record he is chasing. He said the same thing: the > car takes on different personalities/feel depending on which engine he is > running. And he made it clear that it wasn't just differences in torque and > power. These were intangible things that made each engine feel unique in > ways that were difficult to impossible to describe. > > Thank you! > Christopher > T3 Technique > > -----Original Message----- > From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf > Of ddbjorkman@VERIZON.NET > Sent: Sunday, January 14, 2018 2:26 PM > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM > Subject: Re: Fri: opinion on the proper conversion for Vanagon > > I agree. I really like a Volkswagen in a Volkswagen. I have the Gen V > inline Golf engine in my 87 Westy. The engineering and mods to the ECU > were made by FAS in Maine. It's nice having OBDII. I have done a couple > of cross country trips, along with a few East Coast down and up trips. > It's a daily (almost) driver/hauler and used whenever we go away (hotel > stays too). There is always something in there we need. From multi-day > camping/hiking to being my ski vehicle, it's very versatile and with a hot > little engine. 80 is no problem so long as the hill is not too long or > there is no room to get going. There is a nice wide powerful RPM range in > all 4 gears. I have the long use engine as opposed to the hot rod > engine. Would a 2.5L subie be better? Sometimes climbing some high hill > (and you folks have sent us up or down some doozies) on the highway at high > altitude I find myself wishing for some more HP, then I remind myself I got > a new factory engine, not an older technology and otherwise rebuilt subie > engine and I deal with it. I have been using it for about 5 years now, and > have had no real engine related issues other than those caused by Old RT. > 66 or where I have driven it. The guys at FAS keep telling me I don't have > a Syncro. Bottom line, it's a reliable engine system and all the parts are > available easily. I like it. > > Dave B, > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM> > To: vanagon <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM> > Sent: Fri, Jan 12, 2018 1:21 pm > Subject: Fri: opinion on the proper conversion for Vanagon > > I have an 84 tintop with most of the Westie interior and a 5 sp manual > transmission, powered by an inline VW motor that's installed on the factory > inline deisel engine mounts. I happened onto this rig on a whim... there's > not much "buzz" about this kinda Vanagon... though they are around and have > been done for years. > I'm no expert, and I can't quote exact figures, VW numbers, current > costs, etc. but here's my take on this type of Vanagon. > I think, for those who're using the Vanagon a lot, it's a great set up. > It is very simple and easily maintained, performs like a normal vehicle and > has very good gas mileage. The increase in power from a stock WBX motor > is not so much as to break things, and these inline VW motors are quite > robust. > I like the way the inline conversion makes the Vanagon still a Vanagon.. > Many other types of conversions seem to make these vans into something > else... > I like to be able to get parts in small towns, if needed. I like to be > able to fix it without a degree in computer science and a flatbed ride to > some dealership... > It's a VW van... I've got now an ABA Jetta inline that my wife leaves > over tbe summer in the desert. Her work car. That one is super, too. > Great little simple cheap motors...very appropriate for a Vanagon, >

-- Shawn Wright shawngwright@gmail.com


Back to: Top of message | Previous page | Main VANAGON page

Please note - During the past 17 years of operation, several gigabytes of Vanagon mail messages have been archived. Searching the entire collection will take up to five minutes to complete. Please be patient!


Return to the archives @ gerry.vanagon.com


The vanagon mailing list archives are copyright (c) 1994-2011, and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the list administrators. Posting messages to this mailing list grants a license to the mailing list administrators to reproduce the message in a compilation, either printed or electronic. All compilations will be not-for-profit, with any excess proceeds going to the Vanagon mailing list.

Any profits from list compilations go exclusively towards the management and operation of the Vanagon mailing list and vanagon mailing list web site.