Date:         Sun, 19 Jan 1997 20:44:15 -0800
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Robert King <spectro@hooked.net>
Subject:      Baja, deluxes and shameless FS (long, not much VW)

Well, I've got to admit not a lot of VW content in this long postso  I
thought I'd send this on a Sunday.........

For those who don't know I'm an Aussie(with family)  who has  been working
in California for the last year.  My family and I are heading home on the
1st of April.  We are going to take a month to do a camping trip of Baja and
Mexico before leaving with a Baja departure date of 3 March. We will drive
down Baja to Cabo, catch the ferry across to the mainland, and then drive up
the west coast of Mexico back to California.... If anyone knows of any
potential surf spots in Baja I'd be grateful to hear from you (its been a
long year in some ways and I'm hanging out for a wave).  Similarly I'd be
grateful to hear a bout any 'must sees'or 'must avoids' along the way.  It's
a bit earlier than the planned date for the great List Baja trek but if
anyone wants to come along you're welcome.......(I reckon I could nail
Hoover, even on a long board....).

In the tradition of all invaders I have managed a little rape and pillage as
well.  The biggest personal reason for taking this job was to find a deluxe
bus.......I have bought a 59 23 window deluxe and will take it back to Aus
with me.  Thanks to Joel Walker who posted an ad from hot vws about someone
selling their VW 'collection' just after  I arrived in the country.  No
buses were advertised but I checked out the number 'just in case' anyway.
This turned out to be Rex Eastman at Sunbugs and he happened to have a
lo-rust 23 window squirrelled away!  I looked at a lot of buses along the
way, but always sorta knew this would be the one for me!  We're still trying
to get it ready to ship (talk about cutting it fine) and I'm still trying to
get all the bits I need to complete it (and perhaps Dave Easterwood can come
to the rescue) but WHOOOOEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!  Joel, you can sleep in it if you
ever come to Aus! For all those to hate to see another leaving the country -
it's still a resto job, and will be restored 'stock' and loved for
life...........

On the purely self-interest side, we have a 74 Ford 302 E300 Econoline 'boat
top' camper we will want to get rid of at VERY short notice after we return
from Baja (I know, I know but I couldn't seem to find a 'good' VW camper for
$1500 in Cal - I probably didn't know the right places to look then either).
It sleeps four (two in roof and two in fold down seat), has power steering,
air, radio/cassette, water tank,  twin sinks, four burner propane stove and
oven, 12V fridge with freezer compartment.  Two marine batteries
'automatically' charge via an isolator.  Color is a lime green with stripes
(the sorta thing you could imagine the Manson family driving). Body is
straight apart from a small crease above rear passengers wheel.  Good
compression, runs/drives well, has good tyres, steering,  brakes, lights
etc.....will have current Cal smog certificate......On the down side it gets
about 16 mpg (urk!) and noisy above 60 mph......

We paid $1500 for it and I pulled the back out of it, reveneered half of it,
put in new carpet ($100 all up) and put  a new used fold down three person
seat and belts in the back ($150). Re-plumbed gas lines etc.  Deal will
include just-paid registration ($213), two childs seats (new a year ago
$100), tent ($100 second hand), porta-potti ($50) and misc. camping pots'n'
pans, plates and utensils, new fire extinguisher etc.  I just put in new
hoses, belts, plugs, coil, points and replaced the rubber sections of fuel
line etc for the Baja trip ($100).  It has no thermostat (or a 'stuck open'
thermostsat) and runs a bit cool - I bought a new thermostat/gaskets  but
inspection shows its gonna be a real knuckle skinning mongrel to get the
housing out so I piked...but the parts are there.....

We would like to drive back to LA (preferably) or San Francisco get $1200
for it (and a lift to the airport).  If you know anyone who might be
interested please let me know.  We would be happy to show it to anyone on
the way from San Francisco to Baja in order to prearrange a sale on
return.........

Rob K.

----------------------------------------
Robert King
rdking@mail.arc.nasa.goc (wk)
spectro@hooked.net (hm)