Date:         Sat, 29 Oct 1994 22:13:11 -0400 (EDT)
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Mark Janello <mjanello@umich.edu>
Subject:      Re: Muir "How to Buy a VW" Question

On Sat, ^29 Oct 1994, J. Walker wrote:

> On Sat, 29 Oct 94 13:02:48 CDT Mark Janello said:
> >I'm a Wanabuser, but don't want to be.  I'm not in any particular
  <snip>

> want a 1978 bus camper for $2500? :)  but it has an automatic transmission.
> anyway, it's in the papers right now. i've not gone and looked at it ...
> but i can if anyone wants me to. go ahead: twist my arm. ;)

Even this is out of my perpetual graduate student price range.  Here's
the bus I'm looking at, so any and all advice is requested before
I decide to buy or not:

- 72 camper (no poptop) with surface rust, mostly on the front
      (stone chips, I bet), but no deep rust (! in Mich).  Interior
      is in good shape (I love the birch-faced plywood roof!)

- engine rebuild done 50K ago, with the dual carbs replaced with
       some kind of single Weber (anyone know how to tell what kind?)

- there is a lot of oil on the underside of the engine, and some of
       the rubber seal between the top and bottom of the engine
       compartment is missing.  This is the stuff that most concerns
       me at this point.

I'm going to drive the car on Monday and plan the following:

-compression test
-test for hard shifting and popping out of gear
-find out where the oil is coming from
-brakes and steering examination and drive test
-find out if the sink/fridge works

Anything else anyone can think of let's hear it.  By the way, he's
asking $975.

I know from looking at the service record that the original
owners took great care of the car.  This guy bought it from
them 5 or 6 years ago and brought it to MI from San Diego,
but he has let it pretty much sit for the past year, and the
amount of junk in the car and the present engine condition
don't make me think he took exemplary care of it.  I vacillate
between stay away and rescue a great van from an unworthy
owner.

It's been a while since the rebuild, how long do these Type IV's
usually last (assuming reasonable care)?  I guess my
main concern is some huge unexpected expense.  How sure are
these tests for engine wear and transmission condition?  I don't
mind a cranky old car but I can't afford a cranky old car
that needs huge infusions of cash.

> >My question is, he says to check the differential and brakes
> >this way:  jack up one side of the car, block the
> >other wheels, and run the car through all gears (this is on page 25 of
> >my "15th" edition), is this possible?  Won't the other rear
> >wheel try to rotate too, with dangerous results?  Has anyone
> >done this test?
>
> uhhhhhhhh ... well, from past experience in mud and snow, it WILL spin the
> loose wheel. but i think it's a bad idea, from a safety point of view.
> why not just take the thing out and drive it? that way you get to 'feel'
> the suspension and steering as well.
> joel
>

I'm skipping this test and will just drive it and (jacked up) try to rock
the wheels back and forth to test the bearings.  (the 3/9 and 6/12
o'clock tests).  The diff. will make a rumbling sound while
driving if it's bad, won't it?

This list is great and rekindled my long-standing love for
VWs--thanks volks.

Mark Janello
mjanello@umich.edu