Dan James wrote, 

"Any good ideas?  I'd love to drag the bus to Portland, where I have a VW
>mechanic, but that's 90 miles.  Meanwhile, it's languishing on the coast
>with a part-time mechanic w/ a long lead time for exotic parts...."
>

Beg, borrow or ... a tow vehicle and a tow dolly or trailer and go retrieve your van.  The amount of trouble that can be created by a non-Vanagon mechanic working on a problem of this magnitude dwarfs the cost and effort of a 90 mile tow.  

If you really want to go cheaply, get a heavy tow line or a good chain, and pull it back home (just stay off the freeways).  If you choose this method, be sure to drive no more than 30-40 mph (daytime hours please) and do it only with a second driver who has some experience with being towed, so that you don't end up being rear ended by your own van ("...that's another fine mess you've got me into...").

Let the List know how you resolve matters.

Good luck.

Budd Premack
86 Syncro, 84 GL, 73 Super
Minneapolis, MN (Land of Frozen Waters)

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