I haven't had much time to check in the past year, as we've been busy
building a house. Sadly this means our poor '88 Westy has spent the past
7 months outdoors, along with our '85 Jetta TD. This has presented two
unpleasant problems: the Westy has developed significant mildew on the
poptop liner, which came on rather suddenly in the past 2 months. Not
surprising in our climate I guess, but it's the first time she's been out of the
garage that long (and not driven) since we've had her, and hopefully the
last. Also a strange problem with the driver side window rubber, which
seems to have developed a weird cancer - wrinkled and shriveled,
presumably from being on the north side of a large house, partially under
an Aspen tree for several months. Strange that the rubber could have
survived for 14 years and 375k km in very good shape, and then gone
downhill so fast!

The second major unpleasantness was the discovery of serious rust
through of the rear strut tower on our 85 Jetta TD. I am now driving the
Westy again, as I see needing to take the Jetta off the road asap. If
anyone knows of a cheap, reasonably rust free A2 Jetta or Golf in the
Victoria, BC area, please let me know. Mechanical condition not an issue,
as I plan to drive it until I can rebuild my TD engine, and swap the TD into
it. I would also consider a cheap Vanagon in decent shape, but I know this
is not likely in my area.

Thanks for any help you can provide.

ps: I haven't written of the Jetta yet, but given the mileage (480k), and rust
in other areas, I think it may be best to find a donor body to house the
mechanicals. If anyone has experience fixing strut tower rust out, please
let me know...

Shawn Wright, I.T. Manager
Shawnigan Lake School
swright@SLS.bc.ca
http://Zuiko.sls.bc.ca/swright
http://www.sls.bc.ca