Date:         Thu, 13 Feb 1997 09:38:28 -0500
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Karen Winter <cen13504@centuryinter.net>
Subject:      Cabriolet Freind

David,
My name is Kenneth Winter. Your friend Chris tells me that we have
something in common, salvage Cabriolets. My Cab is an 89 stolen and
recovered Cab. It's had an exciting Life.  It was stolen from the
streets of Atlanta GA, striped of it's serial
numbers, and painted flat white. The painter didn't use any masking tape
when the car was painted. He painted parts of the windows, motor and
top.   The goofs that took the car waited a few months and then
proceeded to drive the car around the same town they stole it in.  
Soon the police picked them and the car up.  The insurance company had
already paid off on the car. Due to the horrible paint, missing
ignition, carpet and steering wheel they sold it as salvage.  I have
less than a thousand dollars in a 1989 Cab with less than 75k miles on
it.  After appling alot of elbow grease and steel wool and now have the
car looking good at fifty feet.  I've never had a car I can wash with
comet and touch up with Flat white spray paint.  Don't wash spray paint.
My dad tells me that what they use to do in the army.
Chris indicates that you may be replacing your clutch soon.  I just did
that on my cab.  The mechanic indicated 70 to 80k on a unadjusted clutch 
was about average for these units. Anyway, I had premature clutch
failure 
because the adjustment from the peddle to the pressure plate was to
tight.  The flanges that retained the pressure plate broke and caused
the peddle to fall to the
floor.(Exciting when pulling away from a red light in traffic.) This
tension also causes the plates to wear out quicker.I limped it home (53
Miles) with out a clutch, Thanks to conversations on the list about
driving without a clutch.   

My mechanic stated that the cable was so tight that it had stretched. 
The whole job cost $295.00.  I think that was a good price for the job? 
At that
point it didn't really matter.   
What I learned:  Its cheaper to adjust old parts than it is to replace
them. Make certain the clutch is adjusted properly.  My last rabbit had
180k and the original clutch.
I have included some of Chris' my conversations for a point reference.   

"Chris where are you located? I'm in Knoxville TN.
I'm looking for an 1987 of newer four door golf, with possible rearend
damage for a project car.  Seen any?" 

Kenneth 
89 Cab
87 Vanagon
83 Jetta
JordanView@aol.com wrote:
> 
> What year is your Cab??  A friend of mine - David Allen
>  david.a.allen@gecm.com has a '87 triple white "Bestseller Edition" w/ a 5
> speed, and he'll be putting a clutch in soon. Maybe you could give him some
> tips.
> 
> later,
> chris