About "I am somewhat embarrassed to admit these things, .... but because
these fixes weren't done right. "   Never!!!!

It depends on what "right" means, what are the criteria for "fix it right"?
 It is not absolute, depends on:

   - Location: if broke down while off-roading, "fix it right" means get
   the thing going again (not make it "correct").  [That tin-can exhaust
   repair we did in the desert lasted longer than the exhaust system itself.]
   - Budget: sometimes it means make a slight improvement within your
   budget, not an expensive maximal repair.  Righteousness means within budget.
   - Degree of rightness:  sometimes it means make it better than stock.
    One guy will say "fix it right" means stock, another guy will say it means
   make it better than stock.
   - Time:  sometimes we don't know how to fix it right, and try something
   novel.  At first it wasn't "right", then it becomes "right"!

At this point with Vanagons it is clearly personal preference
and individual style.  Take a look at Rat Rods,  is it possible that
everyone unanimously agrees that they have been "fixed right"?

"The race is long and, in the end, it's only with yourself.
...
Be careful whose advice you buy, but be patient with those who supply
it.  Advice
is a form of nostalgia. Dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the
disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for
more than it's worth.

But trust me on the sunscreen."
Mary Schmich

On Fri, Feb 1, 2013 at 7:45 AM, Ben T <syncro@gmail.com> wrote:

> Now you've gone done it. If the phrase wasn't there before, it's there
> now. Thanks to JK. No kidding!
> :-)
>
> BenT
>
> sent from my electronic leash
>
> On Feb 1, 2013, at 7:18 AM, Jarrett Kupcinski <kupcinski@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
>
> > For the record, the phrase "fix it right" doesn�t (or didn�t) appear
> once in the history of the List Archives according to Google. That might
> say something about the tolerance of the list community, and possibly
> indicate why I generally enjoy hanging out here.
>