At 01:03 AM 2/7/2005, Robert wrote:

>Just up front and off the top of my head, I'm not sure the 'group's
>approval' has any bearing here, just yet. That is, the molds belong to
>somebody: They still belong to Ed, or he conveyed ownership to Steve, or
>someone else. It seems that Ed doesn't care and has probably bestowed
>ownership on Steve, but I'm just speculating from earlier posts.

I spoke to Ed Anderson on the phone about the molds, and he GAVE them to
me with his blessing to make tops if I wanted. He has no further interest
in them. Ed gave me the address and contact info for the shop where they
are stored and seemed quite happy that I was going to salvage them.

I've been to the shop, and fondled and photographed the molds and talked to
the shop owner about taking them away.

As far as I'M concerned, and I think as far as Ed Anderson is concerned,
  *I* am the new sole owner of the molds.

However, as I've said, I don't want the molds. I'm only involved because I
hate to see something good and unique be destroyed, and because I live
close enough to be of real physical help....

Please note, as Joe mentioned that I have acquired the molds only, NOT
the rights to the Adventurewagen name.

>  Steve
>doesn't want ownership, there's another Steven that does, there was another
>guy that already has a glass shop, and now there's you.

So far the folks who have come forward and seem to have a serious
desire for the molds are:

Jonathan Farrugia, who was the first person who actually wrote me about
obtaining the molds.
Jonathan is obviously an enthusiast, and has been very helpful in identifying
them as Vanagon and not Loaf molds. Jonathan seems to know a lot about
the AW tops and that will probably be very helpful...

Steven Dodson,  lives in Eureka which has the advantage of being in the Pacific
Northwest part of the country, which is also where the major percentage of
Vanagons seem to live. I think there's a certain logic in keeping the molds in
the area where the most vans are... but then I may be biased because I live in
the PNW too...  :-)
Steve says he has a shop that could actually produce tops, but his time
schedule
sounds busy, and it could be some time (more than a year) before he could
get to it.
Steve also says he may be able to come up with temporary storage in Santa
Rosa until he can move them to Eureka, which might bypass the need to bring
then to my house. (that has a certain appeal to me...)

Ralph from www.glass-action.com does not appear to be a Vanagon enthusiast,
but is with a fiberglass shop that does VW parts.
Someone who actually has a glass shop obviously has some appeal, but if
the tops aren't a big money making item, who knows what could happen to
the molds in the future... (that's how we got where we are now)
I think Ralphs shop is in AZ.

There may be other options also.... but I haven't heard them yet.

>I'm not sure any 'group consensus' has any meaning or bearing unless Steve
>or whoever has ownership wants to play it that way- like most things it'll
>probably come down to a personal deal being struck.

Since the tops are technically mine at this point, it will probably come down
to a personal deal between me and... whoever.

However... I really feel like the molds are somewhat the property of the
Vanagon
community as a whole, and I would like to at least give the Vanagon community
a chance to speak their opinion (if there is one) about where they go
before I decide.
It doesn't need to be debated on the list, just send your comments to me
via pmail
if you have them.

Steve