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Date:         Thu, 29 May 1997 16:58:00 -0700
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         smcquilkin@pdt.net (Scotty McQuilkin)
Subject:      FS: '85 Westy in SE Idaho (Victor)

Hi gang,

After a week I finally stopped by to give this the external once over. It's just outside of Jackson, WY.

VIN: WV2ZB0250FH011926 ID: 11926 Serial: F685 Created: 10/84 Color: all beige w/ white pop-top and luggage rack odometer: 170,893 miles (original engine... not bad ;) owner phone #: 208-787-2216 asking price: $4800 US, negotiable

First impression is that this has been a very well maintained machine, and talking to the owner solidifies that. Most records of major work (rear brakes last year, suspension 'a few years ago', etc...) are still possessed. Joy.

-The interior's in fantastic shape. The dash is completely unscathed and all of the instruments are clean with clear windows including the Audiovox analog tape player, and the clock works too (what a plus :). The lower interior's a slightly darker brown than the walls, headliner and exterior, and all of the seats, including the pilot's, are all untorn with a barely visible scuffing from wear (looks as if they were covered, all of 'em). The headliner throughout's perfect. The carpet, even surrounding the pedals, is also in great condition (again probably covered) except for some slight wear behind the front passenger seat on the corner of the step down to the back that was hastily mended with duct tape, but it was not done too poorly ... ahhh the mighty cure-all! The kick and other panels are all in excellent shape. The canvas looks good, but it's all folded and tucked. The skylight looks great, even has some velcro all around it, maybe for some screening (was this stock?). The molding around the back closetry is a bit shrunken and warped, but hey, wasn't it designed to do that... ;) The kitchen area is well maintained (couldn't see under the range cover) as are the external ports (H2O, 'lectricity,' LP-Gas, flue-vent, etc...).

Other things; -fire extinguisher present behind passenger seat. -Pop-top seal in great shape -all glass and seals are in excellent shape (no 'runny mascara' or even any cracking). -apparently fairly new suspension all around; KYB gas-adjusts in back and gas/oil coil-overs up front. -tires all match (wintermasters) and are 25% worn (also has mudflaps up front). -I'm not sure on which side the battery resides but both pans are solid as are *all* undercarriage metals (quarter panels, too!), even the front AND rear (engine) skid plates. Factory rust proofing is still 90% attached underneath, except in some spots in the wheel wells. -no oil leaks, that I could see, stemming from anywhere (brake cylinders, cv joints, tranny, engine).

-the only real cons that I saw were; *that two of the four CV boots (the outer two, in their protective ski plates) were detached from the shafts slightly on the engine side exposing the joints to moister (easy grease-n-fix). *the nose had quite a few pebble nicks ('member the 178k+) but there was no rust aside from a one molecule thick brown oxidized dust around some of the larger ones. Nothing close to rot. *a small scratch below the sliding door's window that was sealed with a black spray-on rust retardent, just one circular dot of spray though. *the rear, right bumper's been doinked but it does not affect the engine tin there (transom? ;) *the owner said that there 'might be some synchros going' in the tranny (original, btw) as some shifts are not as smooth as they had once been.

This beast is only a few miles down the road from me so if anyone's really interested I can contact the owners again and do some basic diagnostics (check plugs, compression, timing/dwell, wires/hoses, brakes, shifting, etc...) for you. Hell, it'll finally get me in one of them new-fangled third generation thingy-ma-bobs ;)

Take care, Scotty '71 Westy, Ms. Moneypenny

ps- The owners purchased it from the original owners in 1989. Both families are still in the area. They are selling because the '85 because the other family's selling them their later-model synchro... all in the family... :)


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