Date:         Wed, 15 May 1996 18:55:08 -0700
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         wabbott@mtest.teradyne.com (William Abbott)
Subject:      Splitie reduction box trauma, 63-67 manual

	Friends,
	Here in the USA, metric taps and dies are harder to come
by than good ole' brand X. Faced with $25 and a special order for
a 13mm tap, I'd be tempted to use a 1/2" tap and nice cheap 1/2"
bolt. Paint it pink and write "1/2"" or the right wrench size
on it for future mechanics.
	My old Rabbit went for over 100,000 miles with the 8mm bolt
that holds the alternator bracket to the head replaced by 1/4-20. The
original corroded in place and then sheared off- Trying to easy-out it
I eventually drilled a hole so big through the remains that I just tapped 
it and was done. Must have puzzled the guy who eventually got the head
to rebuild, if it isn't still running.

	Another story:
	A former co-worker of mine worked on radar in the 1950s. They
had a circuit module which wouldn't work with the 'right' value
resistors, but could be made to work by putting in one inappropriate
value resistor to make up for spec-build-up among other passive components.
Reflecting for a while, they eventually painted the 'right' value
color bands over the real markings of the 'wrong' resistor and carried
on.

	The Bentley 1963-67 transporter manual reprint is listed by 
RMMW for $94.95. No kidding. Ouch.

	RMMW's latest catalog also lists

"Brooklands VW Transporter Owner's Workshop Manual" (1954-67) for $24.95

"VW Beetle and Transporter: Guide to Purchase and Do It Yourself Restoration"
by the estimable Lindsay Porter for $34.95 
	(His similar Triumph Herald book is worthwhile).

"How to Rebuild Your VW Air Cooled Engine" (Tom Wilson) is $14.95

"How to Keep Your VW Alive" (John Muir) is $24.95

	I love used book stores which have service manuals- my '68-7x 
Bentley cost me $12 second hand and I keep second-hand copies of Haynes
manuals for the 914 and XK-E around for idle leafing through. 

	Happy Motoring!

	Bill