Date:         Fri, 3 Mar 1995 18:51:28 -0600 (CST)
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         johnson@rci.ripco.com (MKJohnson)
Subject:      Re: 83 Vanagon Water Cooled Camper-HELP

Shirley.....would you consider moving to Fresno/Monterey and marry me...you 
won my heart....

I'll even let you drive my diesel Vanagon while we have Wester VW in MOnterey 
put a new power plant in the water boxer!



> 
> My Camper is sick. Joel was kind enough to answer my plea for information
> resources and told me about this list. Thanks in advance for all the
> wonderful support and interesting stuff I anticipate here. 
>  
> I am a single woman, some science training, but no mechanical experience.
> My father was an auto mechanic who would never answer my questions about
> what & why and sent me to the kitchen to do the dishes whenever I asked too
> many questions (which was always). I have rebelled ever since. This is my
> Final rebellion and I need HELP! 
>  
> Pep boys in Santa Maria said we had a blown engine when my daughter got
> stranded there. I live in the Bay area north of San Francisco, so we towed
> it home. Upon inspection, with the help of my technical advisor  Alex
> Ramsay, I am getting educated. Obeying his every command (suggestions
> really) I took out the push rods of 2 cylinders. I saw what they were
> supposed to look like on one, and on the other (offending member) there was
> a portal with ragged metal around where the lifter should be. Alex suggests
> that we do not have the raw material to rebuild this engine. I have been
> getting VW magazines to find what options are available. I have come up
> with the following and would like comments, suggestions, tales of
> experience and/or advice. 
> 1.) Put in another 83 waterboxer engine    
>     pros-it will fit easily 
>     cons-this engine has problems  
>                they are expensive ($1800-1500 price range I've found with
> core return) 
> 2.) Put in a different engine 
>          pros-better engine 
>                    cons-conversion kit needed, possible heating
> modifications,  no manual to                       follow-new territory etc
> etc etc 
>                             Pinto-1971 
>                            Jetta     
>                            Porsch 911 are possibles that have been
> suggested. 
>  Where to get conversion kits & instructions???? 
>  
> I don't want a suped up vehicle but I plan on keeping it a long time. I
> really like its versatility.  I want to learn and I want a good result
> without too much frustration. We do not have a great workshop to work in
> either, I live in a condo with a carport. We have the Bently manual and
> Alex has done this sort of thing before, so my advisor is trusted once we
> decide what to do (I hope). 
>  
> Please tell me everything I need to know. Recommend a place to buy the
> engine if you can that is reliable and low cost. I will be grateful and may
> even send cookies (I know how to do that!) Thanks. 
> SShirl@aol.com 
>              
>  
>  
>  
> 


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