Hi Vangoneers,
  I have been a member of this list for about 9 or 10 months, and this is my
first post.  I currently am a graduate student at the Medical University of
South Carolina in sunny (usually relatively warm, but not this week!)
Charleston.  I dont have a bus right now, thanks to one of the local dentists,
who T-boned my 74 kombi.  It was in pretty decent shape, very minor surface
rust.  The guys insurance company ended up giving me $1700 for it because I
convinced them that it was in very good condition, which it was, body and
interior wise.  What I did not tell the guy was the fact that the engine was
on its last leg, that the transmission was completely shot (would jump out of
1st gear), it needed 4 new CV joints, the steering box needed replacing, and
some other "minor" stuff.  This happened in July '95, and I was in the process
of saving money to fix the thing up, planning to keep it (Bob Hoover style)
forever.  I haven't replaced the bus, and since I have gotten married in the
interum, havent really been looking.  My wife is almost a much of a VW fanatic
as I am.  We have an ongoing competition to be the first to spot VW's on the
road.  I am driving an 88 Golf (140k miles) that I bought new in 88 when I
went to college, and Jennifer is driving an 82 Rabbit that I recently
converted from auto to 5sp (the tranny was on its last leg as well).  Anyway,
I guess that you would classify me as a "wannabusser", and I am, I am just
waiting until I get my Ph.D. before I get into another one, unless, of course,
a deal comes along that I simply cant pass up.
  I really enjoy this list, and have not posted because I have not yet felt
that I could add anything that others didnt already know.  I have been
following the sage advice of one Samuel Clemmons (aka Mark Twain), which
is,"it is better to remain quite and be thought a fool, than to open mouth and
remove all doubt."  
  Well, I guess I should wrap this up.  There, I am not an unknown anymore, of
course, to me, I have never been an unknown.  :^>
Ben Pender