Date:         Mon, 18 Dec 95 07:51:53 0800
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Steve Hoge <steveh@emu.com>
Subject:      FS: V8 Vanagon - Ultimate Transplant?

Not a misprint.

FS: '82 was-a-diesel Vanagon ("The Beast") with a 5 liter Ford 
V8 engine and Pantera transmission.  60K miles on the engine, 
30K (?) in this van. $4900 (just listed in the Auto Trader - was 
previously $5900 parked on the street.)  Contact the owner, Tim 
Silva, in Santa Cruz at 408-479-1886 (no email.)

This bus was sighted by my fellow (modem-free) Syncronaut Larry, 
who relayed it to me for posting. I then had a really 
interesting conversation with the owner, Tim, by phone.(see the 
post "Surprising Syncro Sighting II" for more on Tim.) 

He says the engine is mounted amidships with the transmission 
pointing backwards, which seems to me like it could only improve 
the handling. Larry's seen the van and says the engine is housed 
in an expanded compartment that simply looks like the rear seat 
is permanently folded down.  Still has the middle bench seat.  
Larry's report is that the body is in fair to good condition - I 
haven't seen it myself but would be willing to eyeball it (and 
give it a little test drive! 8-) for out-of-towners that are 
seriously interested.

Tim, says that he bought it just a few months ago from a 
neighbor who did the conversion himself, but he has now decided 
not to keep it  I guess the original diesel designation means no 
smog hassles.  Claims it goes like a bat out of hell.

Any takers among the wanna-transplants out there?  Email me, or, 
better yet, call Tim and ask him about it; then email me if 
you're still interested and need someone local to check it out.

Steve Hoge
'77 Auto Loaf (Da Rust Bucket)
'89 Syncro GL (Da Stud Bucket)