I have recently seen 2 air-cooled Vanagons which had burned to almost
nothing starting at the engine. The first was still smoldering at the
yard after being dropped off by the tow truck. About the only useable
part remaining was the front bumper. Even the headlights and front turn
signals were burned up and it was difficult to tell whether it was an
auto or manual tranny. The other burned up Vanagon was almost as bad but
I bought the tranny out of it and put it in my TD Westy. The plastic
bushings for the cross shaft in the bell housing were melted out as were
the plastic side plates behind the CV flanges. The tranny works great
though.

Mark

John Brush wrote:
>
> >this is what i say to air-cooled vw people :
> >You should carry TWO FIRE EXTINGUSIHERS !
>
> :)
>
> >and have you inspected every little fuel hose on your 81 ?
> >there's about 8 short peices here and there, at least.
>
> Its an annual event for me, but seeing that burned out hulk of a van just
> made me think about it even more. I wasn't trying to sound like a lecture.
>
> FWIW, I think a gas leak onto an engine is gonna start a fire whether its
> air-cooled or a waterbox.  Don't want to start a 'flame war' over this tho
> <g>
>
> >it sounds nice. i need a good stereo.
>
> Everything inside was torched or melted. :(  I didn't tell the story very
> well.........
>
> Regards from Utah,
>
> John