Date:         Mon, 29 Apr 1996 13:07:51 -0700
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Bren Smith <bren@ccnet.com>
Subject:      Vallejo Show/Lookin for Crew Cab update

My wife was out of town for the last 4 days (in Sandy Eggo), so I was left
to haul the kids around the show on Sunday. The day before, we had
travelled down the coast to stop by and check out a lead on a '76 crew cab
that was given to me by Kyle (pengi@cruzio.com). Thanks Kyle!

The owner was a real nice guy who does restorations himself. He just took
best of show on a '52 bug at the Kelly Park show in San Jose two weeks ago.

The '76 that he's selling has some surface rust, some bondo work, but
otherwise looks ok. I guess my concerns are over the engine. He says that
it's a "German Army" crew cab that was imported over from Deutschland. I
have no reason not to believe him. The speedometer reads in KPH, and there
is a knockout behind the driver's door for a parking light (european kind
where you leave it on all the time). In addition the original paint that
you can see is sort of an olive drab-ish color. My worry is that the engine
may take a significant amount of work to get it smog ready for here in
California.

Anyone care to comment on their '76's? Likes, dislikes? I had my heart set
on a '68-'71, but heck this thing looks a lot like those others. I assume
that '76s also had front disks?

Vallejo was fun. Lots of (way too many) Kustom Kars. Chopped and lowered
and painted, and goo-gawed. They looked like a bunch of painted hookers.
Sure they're fun at first, but will they be true to you in the long run?
There were some really clean early bugs that made me feel bad about how
I've neglected my '63 ragtop. Oh well, someone, somewhere will have a
chance to return her to her original shape. It just ain't gonna be me.

I tried to keep my six year olds' attention diverted away from the Bikini
contest. Mind you this wasn't easy as I kept trying to sneak a peek myself.
"Now son, do as I say, not as I do". Sheesh. How do those women get all
that luggage in such a small space?

After a while, the sugar in the kid's systems ran out, and we had to
high-tail it out of there. When you have a 3 year old in the holds of a
sugar crash tail spin, there ain't nothing to do put pull the rip cord and
get the heck outta Dodge.

Since I wasn't looking for parts, I'm not sure of the crap I saw there.
Mostly looked like junk, but there sure was lots of it. I guess overall,
I'd recommend next year's show to someone who was contemplating on going.
But I'd sign it with a caveat. "Leave your 3 year old at home."

Cheers to all,

Bren

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Bren Smith        | 4 Orinda Way, Bld. C | (510) 253-3048 tel | bren@dantz.com
Dantz Development | Orinda, CA 94563     | (510) 253-9099 fax | bren@ccnet.com
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