Date: Wed, 29 Jul 1998 09:06:48 -0700
Reply-To: Ari Ollikainen <Ari@OLTECO.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: Ari Ollikainen <Ari@OLTECO.COM>
Subject: Re: Eurospec Conversion MORE INFO!!!!
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
At 6:46 AM 7/29/98, vwmaster@volks-motorsports.com wrote:
>Ok guys,
>
> Here's the dirt on the "Issues" you're bringing up.
>
> Yes AC is something you need to specify when ordering a Eurospec
>engine.
Do you use the existing compressor from the wasserboxer or does
the conversion supply a replacement? In any case...we're looking at
a complete evacuation and refill after the conversion is completely
installed...meaning more $$ (probably a good time to convert to
R134a?)
>
> Cruise is too, along with Power Steering.
>
So do these "options" cost more?
And what about the Calfifornia Air Resources Board - CARB -
certification? Can you give us the certificate number?
How will a California Vanagon with this kit installed be treated
at smog test time? Will the Eurospec conversion show up in the
database?
As I recall, engine transplants/conversions are allowed ONLY if the
donor engine is the same year or newer than the donee. Has Eurospec
taken this into account and supplies year matched (or newer)
donor engines?
> The amount of time and money put into this kit is more than any of us
>can imagine. I drove the prototype van a year and a half ago.
>
It better be, if the price is $5K per kit...installed? What's
the price of the kit w/o installation? Or is it only installable
by a Eurospec "authorized" shop? What sort of warranty will they
offer on the parts they supply?
So what's their business plan on re-powering Vanagons? Do they
plan to sell 1000s of these kits, or more?
> Since then there is also an Automatic Westy in their fleet too.
>
This is Good...I'll bet the autobox version is another "option"...
since it will require a tap into the coolant system for the
ATF (fluid-to-fluid) cooler. Or does Eurospec use the Vanagon
plastic "coolant distribution unit"? What will the auto option cost?
> The only people left out of having this awesome engine are the Syncro
>owners and I've been at bat for the Syncro owners since I got wind of
>this project almost 2years ago?
>
That's Bad.
> If you look back in the archives I posted about this quite a while
>back. I also was told that European Car was to come out with this
>article on the 15th and I was going to have allready posted MUCH of the
>info to the list prior to this.
That posting (2/12/97) was somewhat contentless other than mentioning
the conversion kit development effort and the hearsay which smacked
of Audi runaways ;^):
" The tech told me that it was hard to get it slowed down!
He said it totally overpowered the braking system."
>
> Another piece f info is that the adapter plate is made by Euorspec,
>NOT Kennedy.
>
Is this Good or Bad? What makes Eurospec's adapter better than
KEP's?
> If anyone has questions feel free to e-mail me directly on this topic
>as I have probably more info than all combinded on this topic? I've
>been waiting for this to be released for some time now, there still is a
>small lag in a couple of the kit parts but I expect to have delivery of
>kits on schedule.
>
If Eurospec expects to sell and you expect to re-sell/install
these inline power conversion kits to the Vanagon owning public,
you'll have to be more forthcoming with the details including
specifications, options, costs, warranty and anything else that will
help someone to make the decision to plunk down the money to buy.
Diverting the questions to personal e-mail is, IMHO, a tactic that
gives you a list of interested, self-seleted, potential customers but
keeps the rest of the listees in the dark AND limits your future
market. In the interest of disclosure, I suggest that you make
available as much information as you can directly to the list AND
answer any and all questions regarding this conversion on the list.
OLTECO Ari Ollikainen
P.O. BOX 3688 Networking Technology and Architecture
Stanford, CA Ari@OLTECO.com
94309-3688 415.517.3519
