On Nov 8, 2006, at 1:55 PM, Dr.Chris wrote:

> Just know that if you modify your van at all, its value immediately
> drops to $6,000, at least acording to one vendor offering to
> facilitate the sale of my van....

Yep, just what I was thinking!

Tom B. -$6k here, $6k there.
>
> Chris
>
> On 11/8/06, Tom <bueses@earthlink.net> wrote:
>> > BTW - I strongly agree with Mark that any mods you make, you should
>> > do it with an eye to being able to return it to stock as needed.
>> > Often times your "perfect mod" will only translate to scare away
>> > potential buyers should you ever need to sell your Van.
>> >>
>>
>> >> I would leave the original battery and wiring alone. I deplore
>> >> butchery
>> >> such as you suggest. Add any aux batteries in such a way that
>> it is a
>> >> simple matter to return the base vehicle wiring to unmolested
>> state.
>> >> Design your new wiring so that by unhooking a single wire the
>> >> vehicle is
>> >> back to normal, other than the minor things you moved over to run
>> >> from
>> >> the aux battery.
>> >>
>> >> Mark
>> >>
>>
>> This brings up a different but related thread in regards to your
>> Vanagon,  The pros/cons of modifying a vanagon.
>>
>> Since the vanagon model is relatively new in vintage auto circles
>> (16-26 years old), many volks see it as a contemporary vehicle, but
>> want to "update" it to todays standards.
>>
>> To each their own, but as stated above, do so at your own risk.  If
>> you must "update", think seriously about doing it in a manner that
>> can easily be changed back to stock, or not doing it at all. Those
>> volks that are old farts like myself, can remember all the 60's mods
>> that were made to VW buses, etc. that are now major costs to restore
>> back to og to make them worth any $$ at all, i.e. radiused wheel
>> wells for bigger tires, cutting in windows in Panels, non vw engines
>> such as Corvair, Chevy,  "shorties", extended buses, etc.
>>
>> Flame suit on,
>>
>> Tom B.-65 Deluxe Westy w/ poptop?
>>