My 89 Tristar has one. It is from the cold country (Sweden) .Never
really realized what it was for though .

                                                      Stacy

On Thu, Sep 16, 2010 at 12:27 PM, Scott Daniel - Turbovans
<scottdaniel@turbovans.com> wrote:
> I see no one else commented..
> as far as I know that tube starts after a certain year.
>
> all the 90 and 91 syncro's I have seen have that tube over the shift
> linkage.
>
> another subtle upgrade starting around there sometime,........89 or
> whatever............. is stronger frame rails.
> If you look up into those oval holes on the bottom of the frame ..
> their filled in ....like more metal added inside, to the beam or frame rail
> there, on later model syncro's.
>
> Scott
> www.turbovans.com
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Alistair Bell" <albell@SHAW.CA>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Thursday, September 16, 2010 11:32 AM
> Subject: syncro - shift linkage protective pipe
>
>
>> cross posted from samba...
>>
>>
>> How common is it to have the protective pipe installed in the shift
>> linkage assembly? My van does not have it, and to tell you the truth
>> I can not recall seeing another van around here with it. Shown in
>> image here:
>>
>> http://www.auto-parts.spb.ru/cat/au/pics/vw1_006920059.gif
>>
>>
>> I believe it was part of a "bad weather" or "bad conditions" package,
>> maybe it was offered as a 16" syncro option only?
>>
>> Last I was driving in a combination of snow, slush, then dropping
>> temperatures around zero, and i found that ice / frozen slush build
>> up on the shift linkage made shifting difficult. I was cursing the VW
>> engineers until I found out that there was a solution.
>>
>>
>> cheers
>>
>> alistair
>

-- 
�� 1989 Swedish Tristar with Aluminum gates and Atiwe 16" Wheels.
� � Oldest son is an Eagle scout.