Date:         Sat, 8 Aug 1998 09:37:19 -0700
Reply-To:     AL_KNOLL@HP-ROSEVILLE-OM2.OM.HP.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Al Knoll <AL_KNOLL@HP-ROSEVILLE-OM2.OM.HP.COM>
Subject:      SA Grilles/ VIN analysis
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; name="cc:Mail"

Noted on the list.

Some fellow was grousing a bit regarding 214US$ for a grille.  Not used, new.

Good fellow, have you priced a factory replacement grille for your Vanagon
recently?

List for the "plastic only" is right around $300 US.  Add 250 for new lenses,
20 for new bulbs, 100 for new driving light lenses 20 more for new bulbs and you
may note that Kyle's price is a bargain.  If you don't want your cheap plastic
grille and lights I'll give you $214 and you can throw in the "worthless non-
vw fog lights" for free since you're so dissatisfied and would probably pop 'em
into the dustbin anyway.

Harrumph!

BTW VW doesn't make any head/fog/driving lights.  They're made by one of the
major euro mfgs such as Bosch, Cibie, Hella etc.  The rectangulars are unique to
the vanagon and the vw list price will surprise you.

On mounting the fogs.  The factory grill is not a suitable mount for any light
that's why the original driving/head lights are mounted into the bodywork via a
shell with a "hole" for the lights in the grille.  Just not structurally sound
to mount a light to the grille.  So you wanted to customize your Vanagon?
Expect to have to do a little custom work like creating a mounting method for
the fog lights.

Unca Joel of list fame has done some fine custom light work and might be willing
to consult.

Bun down, on to the rest of the beef.

Beef is VIN catagorization.  Is there any way to decode the VIN to determine
whether or not the Vanagon was originally a westfalia?

I'd like to do a VIN search to find recent recorded sales of syncro westies.

The syncro part is G for Graz Austria where the syncro chassies are manufactured
if I'm not mistaken. Now if I could only get a further classification of
Standard/GL/Weekender/Campmobile etc. I could really provide my mentally
impaired Insurance adjuster with some relevant comparable sales to get the
assessed valuation out of the toilet (can you believe 12000?).

BTW I of course would post this to the list and to the archives regarding
results of the search.

So if anyone has a magic decoder ring ...

al