You just bought the wrong year....My '71 cost me peanunts to run.  The last
rebuilt 1600 INSTALLED cost $800.  Granted it's not great for long trips(no
power)but for putting around the city on a day to day basis and short day
trips it's wonderful. When I get a little money ahead I'll pull this engine and 
put in a 1776 with weber progressive carb. and then I should have the perfect
bus.

Martin

>I purchased my 84 van from the origanal owner.  He took great care in his
>vehical, as do I.  This van has 164k miles on it.  Between the 2 of us
>(mostly him).  We have over $17,000 in receipts since it was purchased.  If
>it was any other vehical it would be a huge LEMON!.  But instead, everyone
>always says "It's a Vanagon.".  The heads have been replaced twice, 12/92
>and 12/94.  Here I am in 12/95 and I have to spend another $2,000 on
>rebuilding the whole engine, including new heads again.  
>Yes, I love my Van but... Don't it tick you off to think that for over 10
>years in just the "water boxer" alone, VW has been snowing the public with
>an inferior product.  I'm trying to replace my rear heater core for the 3rd
>time in this van.  I called a whole bunch of junk yards to find a used one.
>Every single one of the 19 that was located, leeked.  Ya think there's a bit
>of a poor quality issue here? Of all the people on this group alone.  I
>would say %99 of everyone with a watercooled van has had head problems or is
>anticipating one.  Unless you change your break pads before there's metel on
>metel you'll have to get new roters because there so thin they can't be
>resurfaced safley.  How about the ever-so-popular leaking windshield.  Well
>at least after my rebuild maybe my cooling system will be bled right.
>Thank goodness for AAA.
>As Meatloaf said in, Bat out of Hell II.  "Life is a lemon and I want my
>money back."
>I feel better now.
>
>Fred
>"Looks like I'm fixing my Van-a-gon 
>
>