> I drove 500 miles on the recent Canadian Thanksgiving weekend with a
> dropped valve seat on my 73 westy.

That's what made the air cooled so great.  You could almost
always limp home.  I drove my '61 from Socorro, New Mexico,
back to Boulder with a burnt #3 valve.  Slow, but got home.
Standard fare for those engines.

Similarly, when I was climbing Mt Whitney, a strange "slap"
when we got there.  We drove home with care--never exceeding
65 mph.  Turned out to be scuffed pistons due to overheating.
That's why I now point out the importance of the engine-body
sealing.  [251813226A, $160 at the Bus Depot]
http://jones.colorado.edu/jones/Whitney

The air cooled let you travel without paranoia.... I'd jump
in my '81 and head anywhere.  With my '87, I take it to the
mechanic, check it out, head out worrying--but have always
made it home fine.  Maybe I read this list too much!  ;-)

                                Richard A Jones
                                Boulder, Colorado