> Any advice on depressors, pliers, and discs? I'm familiar with what
> vwdiesel.com has, but not other sources or do-it-yourself tools.

Be sure to buy the depressor for the Vanagon.  It is different from the
car version of the tool for body clearance in the Vanagon engine bay.
The correct tool number is in the Bentley.  AFAIK pliers and discs are
all the same.

> Also, will such tools work on other types of bucket-and-shim
> adjustments, such a my daughter's 91 honda civic?

Not likely.  Check the Honda manual.  My '88 Civic (8v, 1.6l) had
adjustable rockers, not shims.

Mike Snow