In a message dated 10/02/2005 4:14:53 PM Eastern Standard Time,
LISTSERV@GERRY.VANAGON.COM writes:

The  hardest part has been finding the
leverage to turn the old, rusted parts,  and having the patience to see it
through.

Matt, you hit the nail on the head with that  statement. It just keeps
getting worse.  Some days I keep asking why I want  to work on these old rusted
junkers.  I just got done cleaning up the mess  I found behind the leaking gas
tank of my '87 Westy.  If you think there's  no rust on your Westy, remove the
tank and take a look.  You won't  believe what's hidden on the other side.
Hydraulic clutch and brake lines  so rusted that touching them made them leak and
they were not leaking before  lowering the tank.  Lucky me got to replace some
hydraulic lines !   Every try using a flaring tool under the van with hardly
any space to move  ?  Also thought it a good idea to remove and clean the
brake equaliser  that's stuffed up on the frame near the rack.  Bet some of you
didn't even  know you had one of them.   Wanna see how much crud I found inside,
 no, I bet you don't.  Anyways, that got cleaned up and replaced.  Then  I
spent the pretty much the rest of the week scraping, prepping and POR-15ing  the
space and components behind the fuel tank.  Nice job tying to get  liquids to
go up !  Ha !  Well, I've not got myself and work clothes  pretty well rust
proofed anyways.  But, it sure looks nice all shiny black  waiting for the new
tank to arrive.  It too will get POR-15ed before  installing.  No more visits
to the fuel tank and beyond for this Westy  !  Just as a side note this it
this Westy's third fuel tank.  The  original was replaced under warranty back in
Edmonton, AB when owned by the  original owner !

    BTW, glad you got through the power steering hose  repair.  Yes, that
coupling on the rack can be a PITA.  Heat and two  long handled tight fitting
wrenched seem to have worked for me so far as I've  not wrecked one yet but I'm
sure my turn is coming.

    Maybe we should go buy one of them there brandy new  Sprinters with no
rust ?!!?

Cheers,

Frank  Condelli
Almonte, Ontario, Canada
_BusFusion_ (http://members.aol.com/BusFusion/bfhome.htm)  a VW Camper
camping event, Almonte, ON, June 09 ~ 12, 2005
'87 Westy, '90 Carat &  Lionel Trains
Member: _Vanagon List_ (http://www.vanagon.com/) , _LiMBO_
(http://www.bcn.net/~limbo/) , _IWCCC_ (http://www.westfalia.qc.ca/)  & _CCVWC_
(http://www.ccvwc.ca/)
Vanagon/Vanagon Westfalia Service in  the Ottawa Valley
_STEBRO/Vanagon Stainless Steel  Mufflers_
(http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/stebro.htm)
_Frank Condelli &  Associates_ (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/busindex.html)
or  http://frankcondelli.com