There are quite a number of you who have helped me along the way to 
self-sufficiency in my VW repairs.  So, I thought I would let you all 
know how it is going.

I took Friday afternoon off to run some parts around town.  I had to 
get my brand new intake manifold drilled and tapped for the brake 
vacuum port.  I figured that for $15 I would save myself the price of 
one big tap that I would use once.  Also, the thought of messing up a 
$90 part did not appeal to me.  For another $3 they faced the carb 
mounting surface.  The casting on this thing was not the best so it is
sitting on my bench partly sanded.  I will finish that this 
evening and give it a shot of paint.

I took the end castings and the generator stand to be tanked.  I feel 
like a got a deal here for $10.  They literally look brand new.  They 
will not get painted.  The guy at the counter was mildly amused by 
these strange looking pieces, as was the guy at the machine shop who 
worked on the manifold.

I have all of the old stuff off of the old engine now.  Not much is 
being reused on the new motor.  My spider filled garage looks very 
nice with two vw motors sitting on the floor.  I still have about 3 
pieces of tin and the fan housing to paint.  I need to clean up my 
'new' generator (thanks John) and put in some brushes.  Hopefully the
last couple of things I have ordered will be here by Friday.  Maybe 
this beast will breath (and not catch) fire this weekend!  And just in
time for one small camping trip before fall.  Oh well, I will kill all
the rust this winter and hit the ground running in the spring.

It has been said many times before but I will echo:  None of this would
have been possible without the fine folks of this list.  I know I would 
have sold it when it died.  The mistakes I have avoided and the tips I
have read, that will add miles of use to my new motor, have been 
simply amazing.  I know that most of my knowledge of VW wrenching is 
still in the books.  I have, however, been talking locally with 
several VW types.  I have been able to give them tips and advice that 
they have never heard.  I just have smile and tell them I have several
friends who have owned them for years.  Thanks, Jim
-- 
James A. Brill Jr.         \\  //
jbrill@unlinfo.unl.edu   \\ \\// //      If you're not outraged
University of Nebraska    \\//\\//     you're not paying attention.
free-lance homo sapien     \/  \/