At 12:36 PM 12/8/97 -0800, Sam Scholten wrote:

>I pested the Bus Depot for some cooling hose prices when I decided it
>was time to rehose my '84. Due to time constraints, I havent had the
>time for web surfing so I don't know if Herr Salmon put up a list or
>not, but just to be safe, check it out at www.busdepot.com and see. I
>ought to take my own advice here- coulda, shoulda, woulda.
>
>Some caveats on sourcing hoses:
>
>DON'T be fooled by the wall full of radiator hoses on the wall of your
>local auto parts store; the only Vgon hoses I could find for mine were
>from NAPA and they went from front to rear. It is easier to find '86
>and up hoses, though; so you may luck out.
>
>DON'T go to the dealer; my pitiful heater hose cost $40 and I had to
>wait for the damn thing to take three weeks to come all the way von
>Deutschland. Seriously! To be fair, the staff were really cool and did
>the best they could to be helpful.

Sam & the list -

I'm not sure if Ron is having any better luck than I am, but I have
uploaded to my website all of the factory diagrams and part numbers for all
of Vanagon Wasserboxer Models for everyone's viewing pleasure.

I deal with 3 direct importers, one of them being part of the
Beck/Arnley/Worldparts organization which is HUGE (possibly the biggest in
the world due to various mergers over the past 6 years).  None of them have
expressed a desire to import & stock these hoses for a variety of excuses,
such as cost, slow movement, limited market, too high of minimum orders out
of Europe, etc., the typical propaganda garbage of outfits that just wanna
make a buck quicker on faster moving stock.  While I realize it does cost
money to inventory, surely something else in their product line that sells
better/faster can help subsidize this cost.  I know it can be done, because
I have worked at an importer's/first line warehouse level to know what can
and cannot be done.  They've got the bucks, they just don't wanna spend it
for us Wasser Volks.

I'd love to bring them in direct - but it's that Italian disease called
"myfunsalow" :-) that currently prevents my doing this.

To see the diagrams, go to the index on my site:

http://www.oldvolkshome.com/121wbndx.html

Jim Thompson
Check out our latest cool stuff at:
http://www.oldvolkshome.com
jim@oldvolkshome.com
Sherwood Automotive * The Old Volks Home
PO Box 176 * Palo Cedro, CA  96073-0176
(530) 221-5342 (Voice or Fax)

84 Westy 2.1 * 62 Beetle * 90 Fox Wagon