Looking forward to it. You're goin' down dude. Just have to wait until this
engine is broke in and I put in a tach. I've also ordered a supercharger kit
online. (didn't know 'bout that did you?).

HAHAHAHAHAH!

Also, no hills.

Nathaniel

On 12/3/06 8:43 PM, "Jake de Villiers" <crescentbeachguitar@GMAIL.COM>
wrote:

> You're on Poole!
>
> After the snow goes, of course.
>
> Ideally, we'd also involve Paul Guzyk with a Subie transplant, Harold
> Kiesewetter with his TDI & Geordie with his early diesel so you could be
> faster than somebody!
>
> I have taken the grey van around Seattle International Raceway, with the
> kids in it, and boy is it slow on the uphill section on the back of the
> course!
>
> Seeya, Jake
>
> On 12/3/06, Nathaniel Poole <npoole@telus.net> wrote:
>>
>> I've thought of moving onto a wet westy more than once, but after much
>> thought I really don't want to. There is no doubt that the later models
>> are
>> more luxurious, with lots of power options and stuff. Mine has a steel
>> dash
>> and vinyl seats and a rubber floor. In many ways it's a big brother to the
>> old buses, but with a far better chassis. You can clearly see the lineage.
>> It's a bus with the problems worked out.
>> The thing about puddle vans is that at some point VW decide to make them
>> more mainstream. They became for more comfortable and luxurious, and in a
>> sense making a break from the past. Nothing looks like the old busses, but
>> the later vanagons do tend to look like a lot of the minivans (Westies
>> excepted of course).
>>
>> Something happened in the early eighties. I used to drive an '80 toyota
>> 4X4
>> pickup. All vinyl and rubber and steel inside, with the beloved solid
>> front
>> axle up front. Leafs on 4 wheels. I beat the sh*t out of that truck , and
>> it
>> never gave up the ghost. Drove in mud to the headlights, all the sheet
>> metal
>> dinged and bent, railroad ties for bumpers. A truck. And then toyota put a
>> car suspension in front, cloth seats inside, lipstick mirror, doubled the
>> price and now most trucks are more luxurious than high end cars a
>> generation
>> ago.
>> It seems that VW followed the pack on that one.
>>
>> I guess the allure for me with the first generation is that it is the last
>> gasp of the old world, before everyone turned middle age, soft, and needed
>> a
>> latte holder in their vehicle.
>>
>> And I would gladly race my aircooled against a puddle van :)
>>
>>
>>
>> On 12/3/06 9:31 AM, "Mike Rouby" <mikerouby@YAHOO.COM> wrote:
>>
>>> Well, if there is a Diesel Vanagon list which was only really produced
>> for a
>>> year in the US/Canada, (82-83) never came with air conditioning, and had
>> even
>>> LESS hp than the aircooled models... then you're right - we do deserve a
>> list
>>> of our own.  They made more AC Vanagons than Diesel ones for a start!
>>>
>>> Our AC Vanagons are the vehicles some people wish to ignore.  The
>> "Classic" VW
>>> world would like to think only the 1950-1979 Buses really deserve VW
>> aircooled
>>> recognition, while the Vanagon crew would have wished the aircooled
>> models
>>> never existed in the first place (blaming things like fuel tank design
>> on
>>> aircooled compromises) and citing the usual aircooled inefficiencies
>> (lack of
>>> power, heat, etc.).  Many of the "Classic VW" crowd don't even realize
>> they
>>> were aircooled models of the Vanagon - and would sooner think that all
>>> Vanagons are watercooled and not worth their recognition.
>>>
>>> However, those who 'appreciate and prefer VW of yore' prefer the AC
>> Vanagon.
>>> Pinnicle of Type 2 design, it still incorporated air cooled design and
>>> robustness of Type 4 engine technology with modern safety, drivability
>> and
>>> design of the latter Vanagons.
>>>
>>> For starters, AC Vanagons are relatively simple to upkeep.  I forgot the
>> last
>>> time I had to change the antifreeze, replace the water pump, or dealing
>> with
>>> head gasket leaks, coolant pipes or corroded head stud issues.  Just a
>> basic
>>> EFi and usual upkeep.  And yes that includes living with the lack of
>> power and
>>> strong heat, although one should point out the Vanagon offers the best
>> heat
>>> delivery of all non-watercooled VWs.
>>>
>>> Now there is a Type 1 engine versus Type 4 debate within the VW
>> aircooled
>>> world which also helps alienate the AC Vanagon as a black sheep
>> too.  But
>>> anyone in Britian will tell you (since they also had a Type 1 1600cc
>> aircooled
>>> option in pancake style ala Type 3) that the Type 1 in Vanagon fitment
>> tended
>>> to crack heads even when new with a vengence.  Goes to show that the
>> Type 1
>>> isn't all that wonderful after all.  There was a reason why the Type 4
>> engine
>>> was developed.  But that's a different subject....
>>>
>>> This long response is case in point why we probably should have a AC
>> Vanagon
>>> list IMO.
>>>
>>> Mike
>>>
>>> Wil Haslup <whaslup@GMAIL.COM> wrote: Nathaniel Poole wrote:
>>>> So there's a diesel vanagon list. I see there's also a syncro list, a
>> wet
>>>> westies list, a subaru vanagon list, a type 2 list... How come there
>> ain't
>>>> no aircooled vanagon list, the *elite* of the bunch? Somebody said we
>> were
>>>> the orphans of the vanagon world - I prefer to think we are the
>> misfits, the
>>>> rebels, the vanagons you don't want dating your daughters.
>> Spit-in-yer-eye
>>>> vanagons. SO how come there ain't a list?
>>>
>>>> Nathaniel
>>>
>>> 3 years worth of production, problems with heat and comfort in cold
>>> climates, lower HP = fewer folks are willing to deal.
>>>
>>> Probably just hasn't been anyone interested enough to start a Yahoo
>> group.
>>>
>>> You asked the question...sounds like you might have found your next
>>> challenge.  ...yet another VW group to join, c'est la vie!
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>>
>>> Wil
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> ---------------------------------
>>> Want to start your own business? Learn how on Yahoo! Small Business.
>>
>
>
>
> --
> Jake
> 1984 Vanagon GL
> 1986 Westy Weekender "Dixie"
> www.crescentbeachguitar.com