Date: 05 Dec 1995 09:46:09 EST
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: "Tom Forhan" <TFORHAN@hr.house.gov>
Subject: Personal, private thoughts.
I've been discussing this with a couple of listmembers,
and thought I might as well let the whole (Vanagon) world
know what I was thinking.
The 87 Syncro arrives (DOA) tomorrow night or Thursday morning.
Once I've got it, what am I gonna do? It seems there are
three possibilities.
First plan: complete disassembly, a million baggies
and a spreadsheet for inventory: 20 year parts supply, or rotating
inventory for rebuilds. The 87 has diff lock, I was thinking
of installing it on the front diff of the Westie early on, so I would
have front and rear diff locks, way cool. The engine, with a bit of
welding on the case, might serve as the basis for building an Ottinger
2.5, or something similar.
Second plan. Keep it intact and use it for a transplant test bed. No
need to do this unless the swap is something that hasn't been worked
out yet, i.e. an Audi. That project is looking pretty
complex, though, and the price of the multistage oil pump for the Audi
dry sump is around two grand, the whole project would easily consume
much more. Still cheaper than a 911, but if you put that kinda
money in a wasserboxer, you might get the power and none of the
conversion headaches. I realize some with more experience than I have
with the wasserboxer will do anything to get rid of that engine.
Anyway, upon completion of second plan, implement the first.
Third plan. From descriptions over the phone, maybe this bus is
too pretty to part. The mechanic SAYS it has a good body and interior,
new clutch that he put in not long ago, new tires, and that it drove
fine. This plan would have me just get it back on the road, maybe
rebuilding the engine in larger displacement format, then putting it
in the Westie. Then put the Westie engine in the 87, and sell it. Put
extra cash in the bank to buy syncro parts in the future. This is the
least likely, I suppose, because a bird in the hand is worth two in
the bush. I know I will have second thoughts about dismantling a rare
vehicle, no matter what I paid for it.
Of course, once I've actually seen it, the course of action
may be more obvious. Your two cents welcomed.
Tom F.
90 Syncro Westie
87 Syncro GL (already loaded on the trailer)
90 Audi 200 TQW IA Stage I
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