-----Original = Message-----
From: tonyd <tonyd@CANDESA.COM>
To: = vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM = <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM&g= t;
Date: Tuesday, April 20, 1999 8:17 AM
Subject: Fire ruins my = day...

My vanagon is no more. Saturday evening it caught on fire. Not = quite sure what caused it. I was driving, and had gotten about a half mile from = my house, when I experienced some serious hesitation in 4th gear. I put = it up into 3rd, and it picked back up, but as I approached the stoplight, = and put in the clutch, it died completely. So, with the momentum I had left, = I coasted into Taco Bell's parking lot, and out of the way of traffic. = As soon as I stopped, smoke engulfed the bus. I ran around back to discover = flames coming out of the license plate cover, and drops of fire dripping = onto the ground underneath. I popped the hatch, and scrambled to get = all of my stuff out of the van. Running into Taco Bell screaming like a maniac = for the fire extinguisher, I waited while the MINIMUM WAGE IDIOT, = WALKS!!! to get the extinguisher. As I was trying to contain the blaze, the van = tried to start itself, and was lurching itself towards the parked cars. = People began flying out of the place to move their cars. Luckily the fire dept. = showed up and pulled the ground off. I didn't dare lift the deck lid before = that, in fear of the whole thing going up in my face. Anyway, after 20 = minutes of soaking the engine and the interior of my van, I assessed the = damages; The engine is fried. All the wiring is fried. The poor computer is = nothing but left over micro chips. The right rear plastic molding melted into = oblivion, not to mention anything else that was plastic in that area (tail = light cover, rear park light cover, vent, etc.) The outside right rear of = the van is charred. The interior sustained heavy water damage: There was = water half filling the gauges, glove box and door step up areas. The upholstery = is soaked and wreaks of barbeque. Really though, the damage didn't pass = the engine compartment, and the rest of the van (outside of the water = damage) is untouched. In fact, from one side, you wouldn't know. So, I wait for = the insurance to show up and reimburse me. Here are some questions for = the list; What would it cost me to replace the engine, the wiring (all wiring = in the engine compartment, and make sure everything works front to back) = and paint the rear (or whole) of the bus? What about water damage (smell, = etc.) I would just like to know in case I want (or they let me) to keep the = bus after I get the money. Also, any thoughts on what may have caused = this to happen. I'm thinking fuel line problem.

This has been an unfortunate loss for us. The bus ran perfectly = (I thought) and everything worked. It had served us well on many a = trouble free trip. We will be sad to let it go if we have to. Please check your = fuel lines and hoses regularly. I'm lucky it was me driving and not the = wife and kids.

Thank you all for your input over the past year. I will remain on = the list however, because I believe in it and will soon replace this bus = with another. After 8 VW's this is my first fire, and it hasn't soured me = a bit.