recycling my meagre contributions from 10 years ago:

The Manual of Bentley
(with abject apologies to dead poets, starting with W. Stevens)

Call the raiser of large cars,
The industrial one, and bid him jack
In solid steps safe sufficency.
Let the wrenches lie in rows
Upon the tray of red, and let the parts
Be laid on last night's newspaper.
Let's see front is front?
The only manual is the manual of Bentley

Take from the cabinet of tin,
With the decals, that meter
On which inscribed is tiny print
And connect it to here and there.
If the needle does not move, it tells
Of parts no longer live, or dumb
Owners, connections crossed.
The only manual is the manual of Bentley

To all Vanagoneers, Make Much of Time

(apologies to Robert Herrick)

Drive ye Vanagons while ye may,
For electrons the iron is lustin,
And this same van that shines today,
Tommorrow will be rustin.

Hella, Hella.
                         (I'm not going to apologize to Blake)

Hella, Hella, burning bright
In the Van'gon late at night
What relay size or guage of wire,
Could tame thy fearful 'lectric fire?

Alistair

'82 westy, diesel converted to gas in '94
http://www.members.shaw.ca/albell/