Someone wrote.............

I'm for the split.

Air-cooled's are still in production.  Advances, improvements are continually
being made. My 1965 bus runs better than it did when new.

Water-cooled's are orphans, not even supported by VW any longer, save in the
peripheral sense.  Valient efforts by a few to keep them alive thru engine
transplants generally get short shrift from their peers.  

Over the last couple of years of Vanagon list activity I've gained a strong
impression that the typical owner of a water-cooled VW van is not only less
mechanically adept than air-cooled owners, they seen less willing to acquire
the skills and invest in the tools that would keep their orphaned vehicles
alive, a failure of spirit -- or Fear of Grease -- that virtually assures
such machines will end up on the junk heap.

-Bob
 
 I think that you are forgetting that the watercooled vanagon is still a
 fairly resent entitity in the grand scheme of the VW enthusiast world and
 that the support and acceptance given to the present "vintage VW" like your
 like your 1965 bus, has developed in the thirty years that have passed
 since it was built. Watercooled vanagons have not been around long enough
 for the same to develop. Another thing to remember is that a good number
 of people who own Vanagons, bought them brand new...and just maybe
 they were inspired by people like you who keep the vintage busses on the
 road...ok, i'm sure for some that this was they're first step into
 becoming a VW enthusiast, the transformation into a VW nut takes
 time and these novice VW owners need time to develop their skills
 In another ten years, many more airheads will begin to pickup newer type II's
 and the future of being a Vw bus enthusiast will have to slowly include
 more and more waterboxers, someday like thirty years from now people
 will be rebuilding and restoring vanagons... you cant say that about
 many vehicles built in the last ten years...i just cant see people
 years from now bragging about they're 86 ford taurus, but i know
 i'll be seeing vanagons for many years to come..... atleast
 we have another twenty years or so of stuff to fix and have fun with....
 
later
patrick
86 crewcab transporter