EXACTLY !  There is no resource that can accurately predict the hours needed to do ANY job on an old vehicle.  rust, corrosion, broken fasteners, lack of parts, and all sorts of other unexpected roadblocks WILL occur.  The best you will get is times for a vehicle that is in fairly like new condition without any of the hindrances of old rusty corroded parts.  Find a GOOD mechanic willing to work on your van, go watch if he allows, and see what happens along the repair route and then pay him his proper worth.  Last week, changing out an exhaust system on a 2.1 waterboxer I had 10 hours in just removing the old exhaust. Drilling, tapping and inserting helicons in all eight exhaust stud locations PLUS one of the waterpipe to waterpump hex bolts broke and had to be drilled and tapped.  It had to be removed to gain access to the upper rear exhaust stud on the LH side.  Then the four muffler mounting bracket bolts had to be cut off and drilled out.  Just a real hoot of a day !  Shop rate here was $70/hr and now since June 1st $75 and you know some days that's still not enough !

On 2011-06-06, at 10:23 AM, Automatic digest processor wrote:

> How rusty is it?
> I would say 3hours overall if it's not too rusty. 6 or more hours
> easily if it needs new backing plates and has all broken bleeders.
> The condition of the lines is important as well.

Cheers,    

Frank Condelli
Almonte, Ontario, Canada
'87 Westy & Lionel Trains (Collection for sale)
Frank Condelli & Associates - Vanagon/Vanagon Westfalia Service in the Ottawa Valley
Vanagon Stainless Steel Exhaust Systems
BusFusion a VW Camper camping event, Almonte, ON, June 09 ~ 12, 2011