Date:         Wed, 6 Nov 96 21:25:31 EST
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Sean Bartnik <sbart7kb@www.mwc.edu>
Subject:      '78 Bus still FS

Hello all,
Still for sale, my 1978 VW Bus.  I bought an '81 Vanagon Westy and can't
afford to keep both buses :( .  Besides, how many buses can you drive at
one time?

The Bus is located in Fredericksburg, Virginia.  50 miles south of D.C.,
about 50 miles north of Richmond.  

The Bus will be advertised in the Washington Post this Friday, Saturday,
and Sunday, so I'll post here before that hits the papers.

Here's the deal:
1978 VW Bus, 7-passenger, 4-speed manual trans.
170K on the odometer.
engine is excellent (if it's rebuilt, I have no idea).  Runs great, only
leaks a couple of drops (really :) of oil, only burns a little bit on
the highway (doesn't burn any around town).  Has the standard Bosch
L-Jetronic fuel injection, which functions wonderfully and has never
given me any problems.  Hydraulic valve lifters.  New pushrod tube seals
(did this myself, not too long ago) and a VDO sump plate oil temperature
sender.
It has a rebuilt starter/solenoid as well as the relay fix for the hot
start problem.
It has a rebuilt alternator.
I replaced all the fuel tank vent lines (even the ones that you have to
take off the firewall to get to) to cure a gas smell.
Relatively new white paint (PO painted it white).
Brown interior, carpet in the back.  Looks nice.  
The interior is in very good shape, only the driver's seat cushion is
ripped up a bit, but both front seat lower cushions have very recently
been restuffed.  
The dash is in great shape.
The bus has a/c, but the compressor is non-functional (seized), however,
the roof unit inside the bus is there and the fan still works.
It's got lots of new little interior parts.
It comes with a VDO oil temperature gauge (installed)
It also comes with an am/fm cassette stereo that was once installed but
I removed it to install a CD player, then took the CD player for the '81
and I haven't gotten around to re-installing the am/fm/cassette yet, but
all the hardware is there -- it's a pull-out unit.
It's got a new turn signal switch, new hazard flasher switch, and new
flasher relay (all due to a short in the old turn signal switch).
There is some rust on the bottom of the passenger side door, as well as
a little bit of rust on each front door (on the window ledges, usual
spots).  
There are a couple of bubbles on the lower edge of the sliding door, but
it's not coming through the paint yet.
The battery tray is pretty much rusted to hell.
Overall, the rust is all surface stuff and is very manageable (it's at
the point where it can still be controlled).
There is no rust on the underside of this vehicle.
This bus has been my daily driver here at college for almost a year (I
bought it in Feb. of last year).  I've put 17,000 miles on it in that
time (DAMN, I just realized that -- Wow!) and this bus has not given me
any problems except for doing the routine maintenance stuff.  
The tires are still very good, new front tires.

I can't really think of anything else, tho I know there's more.  If
anyone's interested let me know.
 
I'm officially asking $1900 but you folks know how that is, that price
is pretty darn negotiable.  Basically, it's make an offer.

Oh yeah, new problems:  I think the engine mounts are about gone, it
makes a nice noise when the engine is really torquing (like starting on
a steep hill in first gear), I think it's the engine mounts failing
that's producing the noise.  Nothing serious, doesn't affect
driveability, you can fix it while attending to the next problem:

Just recently (like in the past couple of days) the clutch has started
to shudder a bit (mainly when cold) and it's started to slip a bit.  I
think the clutch may be worn to the point where it will need replacement
soon.  Then again, it may just need an adjustment, but I think the
clutch itself is nearing the end of its useful life.  

Like I said, the price is pretty darn negotiable (hint hint, make an
offer already).

I'd like to sell it to a listmember who I know will take care of it, but
that may not be possible, unfortunately.

Oh yeah, pictures can be seen at the web site below!


Sean

*****************************************************************
Sean Bartnik                  I stood upon a high place, 
sbart7kb@www.mwc.edu          And saw, below, many devils 
'81 Vanagon Westy             Running, leaping, 
'78 Bus (For Sale)            And carousing in sin.
			      One looked up, grinning,
			      And said, "Comrade!  Brother!"
					--Stephen Crane
http://www.mwc.edu/~sbart7kb/mybus.htm
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