In a message dated 96-09-04 11:27:26 EDT, you write:

<<  How did you that? >>
Todd, it is sort of a little complex custom project.Here we go....Well I was
living in SoCal(recently relocated to PDX) and was concerned about the high
opening temp of the stock VW tstat.Soooooooooooo, I pulled out the stock
Wahler unit and took a look in my parts books and found out a MBZ 450se
vintage 1973 used a 70C or 165degF tstat in the same size as the VW
wahler.The only difference was the little flapper on the rear which closes
off the bypass on the VW which the MBZ had, I believe, a smaller
one.Sooooooooo, I ground off the VW flapper and soldered it to the MBZ stat
and it has worked fabulously for 12 years.My 84 has orig heads, head gskts,
hoses(except fuel)and rad.I have never once encountered overheating and the
only drawback is in the winter ,in Canada, in 30 below zero F it takes a good
while to warm up and then only lukewarm air out of the heater.But Id rather
wear extra long johns than ohaul my engine! Ive got 220k mi and travelling
top speed 24 hrs I  dont even burn 1 drop of oil.
I feel ,IMHO VW compromised the durability of the engine design for emissions
certification.In order to get that clean burn, they needed to keep that
engine right near the overheat point(212 F) which kills the components over
the long run.( i also reset the timing, co% and idle to euro spec and have
run  open loop and cat free since new.When necessary my van will pass CA
smog.Everyone has their own opinion on this...this is mine.Let the engine
live as the engineers designed it to.Ive suffered all the other vanagon
maladies save the engine.

PS: I see you're in Vancouver.Im over in Hoodland.Id love to see your new
TriStar.

Ed 
84 Westy wolf
87 Stinkcrow