I'll have to stop in sometime when I'm heading South and say hi.

 *Annie Anderson* Blogger, Designer, Thinker & Mom
web: annieandersonblog.com email: lsandrsn@gmail.com
twitter: silverlunace <http://twitter.com/silverlunace> facebook:
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*Blazin' a trail where there is no path.*

On Sat, Sep 25, 2010 at 5:34 PM, Zolly <zolo@foxinternet.net> wrote:

> Hi to all, Zoltan here.
>
> I think, the best is if you come and see this Westy "new again" in my
> humble
> shop.  The pictures would never show it the same as you would see it with
> the naked eye.  The preparation and practically all the work is done by me,
> only the finish paint is done next door in the body shop.
> Of course, because it is not like a car, the work is specially done as the
> Vanagon needs it.  Lots of seams.  About 43 feet.  Plus the inside seams
> where the rotting is the worst.
> Once it leaves the shop, it is difficult to find it to look at.   The last
> one I've done before this, is getting so much compliments that the guy is
> tickled to death.  But, because most of the people I have done the work are
> not members of this list, they would not write such info as Brandon did
> earlier today.
>
> But I did write a short info about the work I do to save the Vanagons.
> Mostly the seam rust elimination and the fuel line change.  A full
> restoration is really affordable and the quality is the highest.  The same
> job would cost at least twice as much or three times at a bigger place
> where
> they are struggling to keep up with the bills.
>
> And because I am doing all kind of repairs on the Vanagons, all the small
> items get attended the same time too.
> Right now, I'm dressing the van up with all the fittings, like door
> handles,
> locks, wipers, grills, lights, etc.
> I work every day.  Weekends more than week days.  Only darkness stops me.
>
> It's nice to work on what you like to do.
>
> Zoltan
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Michael Sullivan" <sandwichhead@GMAIL.COM>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Saturday, September 25, 2010 4:11 PM
> Subject: Re: Simply Stunning....
>
>
>  Sorry...meant WEST coast where ALL the Vanagons live...except the highly
>> desired and Un-importable Canadian models.  ;-)
>> Michael in San Antonio
>> 91GL Weekender AT 2.1L 'Gringo'
>>
>>
>>
>> On Sat, Sep 25, 2010 at 5:32 PM, Jake de Villiers <
>> crescentbeachguitar@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>  Zoltan is in Lynnwood,Washington - near the Pacific Ocean?  ;)
>>>
>>>
>>> On Sat, Sep 25, 2010 at 2:41 PM, Michael Sullivan
>>> <sandwichhead@gmail.com>wrote:
>>>
>>>  Bravo---East Coast to the rescue.
>>>> Michael in San Antonio
>>>> 91GL Weekender AT 2.1L 'Gringo'
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Sat, Sep 25, 2010 at 4:04 PM, Brandon Christophel <
>>>> bchristophel@gmail.com
>>>> > wrote:
>>>>
>>>> > I had beed doing small projects on my 1987 Westy for a few months.
>>>> > As
>>>> you
>>>> > do van research, you can't help but run across peoples experiences
>>>> > with
>>>> > rust.  I could see where my seams were showing a tinge of rust color.
>>>> > I
>>>> > sense of dread sunk in.  Rust is like an iceberg they say.  If you can
>>>> see
>>>> > the tip, then whats underneath is huge.  This is what started the
>>>> > sense
>>>> of
>>>> > dread that I carried while finishing up small projects.  Pretty soon
>>>> > it
>>>> > became the monkey on my back and I couldn't take it anymore.  I
>>>> > finished
>>>> up
>>>> > the projects and began to seek out a doctor for my baby.  Not just any
>>>> > doctor, I wanted a specialist.
>>>> >
>>>> > I put out some feelers.  The name that came back was "Zoltan".  He's
>>>> > had
>>>> my
>>>> > van for awhile now.  He sent me a mail saying, "its out of paint and
>>>> > it
>>>> > looks beautiful".  You have to know the man but, he usually doesn't
>>>> > use
>>>> > decorative words like that.  He'll say, "and it's fine" or "that's
>>>> > ok".
>>>>  So,
>>>> > I was *very* curious what I was to see.
>>>> >
>>>> > Getting the van to this point is the culmination of a lot of hard
>>>> > work.
>>>> >  Zoltan has been like the conductor of an orchestra.  Doing the tear
>>>> down of
>>>> > *everything*, noting items to be replaced or fixed and giving me
>>>> > options
>>>> > along the way, getting the sanding done and bringing the body metal
>>>> > back
>>>> to
>>>> > trueness,  attacking rust and going through the procedures he has to
>>>> > get
>>>> rid
>>>> > of it and probably a hundred other things I'll never know he did.
>>>> >
>>>> > Today I get to see it.  The results of all this work so far.  So, in
>>>> > my
>>>> car
>>>> > and off to Lynnwood I go.  I saw Zoltan and waved hello.  He was
>>>> > moving
>>>> cars
>>>> > around among the fleet of Westys that are his domain.   We greeted and
>>>> > walked as we were chatting.  We rounded the corner of one of the other
>>>> > Westys and suddenly, I looked up and there it was, my baby... it was
>>>> simply
>>>> > STUNNING...  I think I clapped my hands and yelped.  I turned to
>>>> > Zoltan
>>>> and
>>>> > shook his hand.  "It's fantastic!" I said.  All his preparation work
>>>> > had
>>>> > paid off.  The van is incredible looking and yet, it doesn't even have
>>>> it's
>>>> > trim put back on it yet.  Zoltan took me around the vehicle and led me
>>>> > through pieces of the the work and how it was done.  I just couldn't
>>>> stop
>>>> > looking.  It's gorgeous!  We still have a ways to go but, man it's
>>>> > going
>>>> > well.  It is a work of art already.
>>>> >
>>>> > Zoltan won't brag so, I felt it necessary to send this mail.  He may
>>>> > not
>>>> > like it but, the way I see it, If I don't inform the community of the
>>>> > availability of a master craftsman and the fine work he is doing then,
>>>> > I
>>>> am
>>>> > doing a disservice to all all those van owners who were like me and
>>>> > had
>>>> a
>>>> > monkey on their back but, didn't know who to trust.
>>>> >
>>>> > Get rid of your monkey.  Call Zoltan.
>>>> >
>>>> > -Brandon
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> Jake
>>>
>>> 1984 Vanagon GL 1.9 WBX 'The Grey Van'
>>> 1986 Westy Weekender/2.5 SOHC Suby 'Dixie'
>>>
>>> Crescent Beach, BC
>>>
>>> www.thebassspa.com
>>> www.crescentbeachguitar.com
>>> http://subyjake.googlepages.com/mydixiedarlin%27
>>>
>>>
>>>
>
>
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