that was the stock cap on diesel vannies jeff also the early bars can be
fabbed to work.  later  md

In a message dated 5/15/2013 2:54:21 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
fonman4277@COMCAST.NET writes:

Had me  wondering, just where DO you get these diesel carrier bars-other
than a  wrecked/junked diesel Vanagon of course. I've seen ads on Samba, but
always  the "less desirable" early ones ('81-'82?) Then just this morning
right  outside Leesburg, VA. is a white Vanagon Westy sitting on the shoulder,
with  two guys standing behind it. I, of course, had to pull over to see if
I could  help (although I was in my Chevy Astro). Turns out it was a diesel,
and it was  overheating. I'd never really seen a diesel Vanagon engine bay
up close before  ( seriously) and it was the first time I saw how the engine
carrier bars  mount-now it all makes sense in my feeble mind! I have no
idea what year this  Vanagon is. Anyway, the only suspicious thing I noticed
was the coolant tank  had a regular metal radiator cap on it-I don't know
diesels, but I'd bet money  that ain't the original cap! Every time the guy
would start it, it would force  coolant out from around that cap. I told the guy
that I didn't think that was  the proper cap, and he replied "Yeah, but
it's been running like that for a  couple of days" Hmmmm, ok, but it's not now,
right? When I first pulled up he  was adding Marvel Mystery Oil to it, I
don't know why/how he thought that was  going to help. Hate to say it, but
there could be my diesel donor right there.  I had to go, but I drove back by
1/2 hour later and the van was sit sitting  there, the two guys were gone. I
drove around Leesburg a bit trying find them  to offer them a lift to where
ever they could get some help/parts, whatever,  but I didn't see them.

Jeff  Stewart