It was a nice reading to bring back some youth into you.
Would be a nice gesture to put a radio in there and fix the tank breathing
hose to the right side.  Really no big deal.
Have more fun with simplicity.
Zoltan

----- Original Message -----
From: "Max Wellhouse" <dimwittedmoose@CFU.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Monday, April 14, 2008 2:19 AM
Subject: Miles in a borrowed AC Vanagon

> Troops:  With the Haltech ECU now firmly in the hands of the repair
> folks in AUS, one of our local Vanagon folks has been nice enough to
> let me drive his 80 westy until i get the Millennium Falcon III back
> on the road.  It goes without saying that this was a wonderful
> gesture on his part, but it's also given me a chance to experience
> the air cooled life for a few weeks.  Naturally, he says I'm doing
> him a favor by driving it since it's averaged about 50 miles a year
> over the last 3 or 4 years.  I might have 300 miles on it so far.
>
> He claims it is the 4th oldest Vanagon westy in the United
> States(most likely the 4th rustiest one also, but we're not dissing
> the gift horse here).  Just driving it around town brings back some
> memories of my 79 loaf I put so many miles in.  The motor starts
> right up every morning, the lifters are about as noise free as they
> get, the difference between 1st and 3rd gear is about a 1/16" when
> shifting, the "flow through" ventilation assures me that as long as
> I'm moving, there's air circulating and the few rain events I've
> driven it in make it sound like I'm driving with all the doors
> open.  The Westy stove unit rattles away and the new and old pot
> holes don't help, but I don't remember my old loaf being able to
> start out in 2nd gear as easily as this one does/can.
>
> I did take one trip to a meeting in it with a solid hour on the 4
> lane each way, and the 25mph crosswinds brought back "memories" of my
> old 71 loaf prior to my discovery of the reinforced tire and what it
> does for handling.  60 mph was pushing it for sure, but I refuse to
> kick that gift horse. Will likely flush the brake lines for him and
> prolly change the oil too and maybe adjust the rear brakes while I'm
> at it.  My thighs don't fit so well between the larger steering wheel
> and the higher westy driver's seat, but it's a small price to
> pay.  Don't have any mpg figures to brag or complain about as the
> passenger side vapor tank is toast and the recommendation was to not
> fill the tank over 1/2 full.  No radio in the dash, so I either have
> to sing to myself, or bring along a CD player and spare AA's.
>
> This experience will go down as a typical gesture  from one Vanagon
> owner to another and I am grateful.
>
> DM&FS
>
>
> --
> No virus found in this incoming message.
> Checked by AVG. Version: 7.5.519 / Virus Database: 269.22.13/1375 -
> Release Date: 4/12/2008 11:32 AM
>
>