

| Subject: | Re: Decisions.. |
| From: | Robert Keezer |
| Date: | Sat, 28 Jul 2007 15:01:16 -0700 |
Ben Hout wrote: > It look like a paid advertisement! funny! > > You are funny Robert, but i like you. No , not paid. I am relieved to hear that you like me , though. I was sweating it out their for a while. Just to make you feel better, I did ride in a SVX. But I was SCARED in that ride. Since I don't like to get my blood pressure up , or set-off Washington State Patrol radar guns, The power in the Zetech Vanagon is just right me and I think for most Vanagon drivers. Note I did'nt say racetrack drivers! Cheers- Robert 1982 Westfalia --- Jim Akiba <syncrolist@BOSTIG.COM> wrote: > Ben, 200 more HP out of the 2.5 without forced > induction? Dude I'd be MAD > impressed if you could, it would be very > difficult, and certianly wouldn't > be a streetable setup anymore. The only way > possible I can think of would > be to either spray it, or build it to wind out > to 11 grand. How were you > thinking? > > Ricardo, a buddy of mine that runs a tuning > outfit in CA has been racing > with a zetec built to do this for the last > year. They are going to compete > in some pri world challenge circuit this year > too.. but they are putting > 280HP to the wheels and winding out to 12K > rpm... it's like a huge > motorcycle engine! Of course not usable for a > van, but pretty sweet > non-the-less. Cosworth sells a race prepped > zetec like that for around $35k, > he can do it for $18k.. of course he doesn't > have the name. > > Jim Akiba > > On 7/28/07, Benny boy <huotb@videotron.ca> > wrote: > > > > It look like a paid advertisement! funny! > > > > You are funny Robert, but i like you. > > > > As for power.... > > > > Do you need a another video, i can make one. > > > > The 2.5 is amlmost scary, at least mine. > > > > As for reliability, well, we are still > driving a 20 year old van, anything > > can go wrong. > > > > Today, i have seen an old 2.2 Subaru > conversion harness, scary, today 2.5 > > harness as nothing to do with the old stuff, > as for the cooling line and > > system, it's simply 10 time better than the > original OEM vw design. This > > is > > normal 20 years later. > > > > The 2.5L at 170hp or so can produce way more > power very easily, it was > > kept > > down for reliability, i can get more than 200 > hp easily out of that > > engine, > > no Turbo, no nothing... > > > > Cheers, Ben > > > > On Fri, 27 Jul 2007 00:45:40 -0700, Robert > Keezer <warmerwagen@YAHOO.COM> > > wrote: > > > > >I think to understand the Zetech > conversion, it > > >is best done by seeing it with your own > eyes, > > >and by your own seat-of-the-pants > experience: > > >driving it. > > > > > >I will not need a dyno test comparison to > help > > >make a decision between Subaru and Zetech. > > > > > >They differ in ways that can't be measured > by > > >dynamometers. And, since they are not equal, > they > > >can't be compared fairly. So what's the > point? > > > > > >Your point of decision for any conversion > must be > > >upon seeing and driving the vanagon and the > > >engine conversion of your choice first , if > you > > >want to be happy with it. Numbers and data > alone > > >aren't enough for me. I got to drive it. > > > > > >The Zetech Ford looks like an inline -four , > > >because it is. Inlines have a bad rap in > some > > >places because of (you know who), and yet my > 2.0 > > >Jetta has not let me down after 216,000 > miles. > > >Gee, I'm on the third water pump already. > > > > > >The inline -four Diesel was an original VW > > >Vanagon engine and most have said that VW > should > > >have did the gas inline too. And noiw many > want a > > >inline Diesel, the TDI etc. > > > > > >One look at the Bostig Zetech conversion up > > >close, and you are curious already. > > > > > >By the time you lay the pedal down flat you > know > > >you don't really need more than this. > > > > > >It was so powerful on ,my test drive that > even if > > >my '95 Jetta engine was brand new I would > have > > >declined to race a Zetech. > > > > > >I was afraid to open it up all the way > because > > >this is urban Boston . I would think the > cops > > >woould take notice of a Vangon defying the > laws > > >of VW Vanagon physics. > > > > > > I won't try to make comparisons. The Zetech > > >engine is something I would have done if > > >1. They were available in 1995 > > >2.I did'nt have a Diesel Vanagon > > >3. I had the money. > > > > > >Albeit the kit is not cheap, but then there > is no > > >reason why you can't do it yourself . It > helps if > > >you can tig weld, and you have engineering > > >skills, as well as the ability to quickly > > >assemble the wiring loom in 15 minutes as I > > >watched Jim Akiba do (ok , maybe a little > longer > > >than that) > > > > > >I think that for the amount of effort they > have > > >put into this unique conversion they > designed, > > >the money spent is not that much if you > consider > > >that it's the cost of about two WBX installs > 3-4 > > >years apart which is not exactly unheard of > in > > >these parts. > > > > > >COst is an issue for many of us but then > this is > > >a fledgling industry only 2 years old. > > > > > >As I mentioned earlier, I am an old VW > skeptic > > >.And I was a Bostig skeptic. > > > > > >How can you not like these guys after you > meet > > >them? And get the t-shirt? > > > > > >If you are also a skeptic, seeing this > conversion > > >first hand will make it hard for you to > resist > > >liking it. Did I forget to say this kit > looks > > >incredibly factory? Factory engine yes, but > the > > >rest of the items that are Bostigs look very > > >factory good indeed. > > > > > > No one accept dukes of hazard types would > say > > >that VW screwed up by not offering a V-8 > engine > > >in the bus. > > > > > >VW dared to be different and got away with > it. > > > > > >Bostig's Zetech has dared to be different > and has > > >designed a conversion motor kit for the > Vanagon > > >that has to be seen and driven to be > appreciated. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >Robert > > > > > >1982 Westfalia > > > > > >Note: this is not a paid advertisement. This > is > > >not even and unpaid advertisement. All > personal > > > experiences described here are mine and not > that > > >of an actor or stunt double. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >--- David Clarkson <Dvdclarksn@AOL.COM> > wrote: > > > > > >> Hey guys the purpose of my post was not > just a > > >> comparison of power between > > >> the Subaru 2.5 and the Bostig Zetech but > more a > > >> comparison of all of the > > >> features for the money invested. Also > important > > >> to me would be the ease of > > >> installation. I work in the service > department > > >> of a Honda dealership and would have > > >> access to a variety of tools lifts etc. I > am > > >> certainly impressed by the power > > >> that the subaru 2.5 has overt the Zetech > (35 hp > > >> difference right) but would > > >> also have to factor in a very useful > upgrade to > > >> the 3rd and 4th gears that > > >> would benefit the Subaru conversion (Daryl > at > > >> AA transmission would be great for > > >> this). Factoring in the cost of this > (shipping > > >> and opening up the case to > > >> swap out 2 gears) might reduce the > difference > > >> in price between the two by > > >> another $500.00-750.00 maybe? Maybe the > only > > >> useful feature that both engines > > >> could provide that is comparable would be > OBD > > >> II capabilities. Both have > > >> relatively easy maintenance (timing belt > > >> replacement in particular) and I don't > know > > >> if I have heard whether or not the Subi > 2.5 is > > >> a noninterference engine like > > >> the zetech or not. I would change the > timing > > >> belt about every 90-100k if it > > >> were an interference engine to avoid > valve > > >> damage if the belt did break to be > > >> safe (BTDT with my Honda customers that > like > > >> to play the odds!-expensive). > > >> The other features that the zetech has > are > > >> niceties that would give peace of > > >> mind and would avoid a total breakdown > but are > > >> they worth the extra bucks? The > > >> supercharger is intriguing but is it worth > the > > >> extra $3,000 which would bring > > >> the uninstalled price to $13,000+ > dollars? It > > >> seems that you could go with > > >> the 6 cylinder 3.3 Subaru that has > slightly > > >> more power for maybe half of what > > >> you would spend on the Zetech but would > still > > >> want to upgrade the tranny and > > >> maybe also the axles as well. I would > need to > > >> go to the Vanaru site for more > > >> info here. Don't get me wrong; I love the > idea > > >> of power for my Westy and will > > >> start a conversion fund now (mayo jar > next to > > >> my mgb 8cyl. conversion mayo > > >> jar!). I just want the best combination > of not > > >> only power but reliability and > > >> other features in an engine that are > important > > >> to me like cost of repair and > > >> availability of parts. I have almost 250k > much > > >> appreciated miles on my 90 > > >> Westfalia now as it's a daily driver and > would > > >> love nothing more than to get > > >> that much again. Why not if you love the > > >> package and have replaced/rebuilt > > >> everything else on the van. It's still > cheaper > > >> than a new car payment/depreciation > > >> and is just much more fun than anything > else > > >> to drive and camp in. Sorry for > > >> the lengthy post but lets all keep it > friendly > > >> and enjoy comparing notes and > > >> thoughts. > > >> > > >> David Clarkson > > >> Loyal fan of the Westfalia/Vanagon > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> ************************************** Get > a > > >> sneak peek of the all-new AOL at > > >> http://discover.aol.com/memed/aolcom30tour > > >> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >____________________________________________________________________________________ > > >Need a vacation? Get great deals > > >to amazing places on Yahoo! Travel. > > >http://travel.yahoo.com/ > > > ____________________________________________________________________________________ Moody friends. Drama queens. Your life? Nope! - their life, your story. Play Sims Stories at Yahoo! Games. http://sims.yahoo.com/
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