Chris,

       I have an aircooled 82 Westy and it has dual airconditioning (two
evaporators) It is a custom built unit. I live in the tropics and have not
not encountered a problem with my engine (recently overhauled at 90K miles).
I thas an aftermarket oil cooler with a aux fan. IMHO, I'd rather buy an
aircooled Vanagon than a watercooled unless it has been converted to an
upright 4 cylinder. (no offense meant to the watercooled) My guess is they
have been using and improving this engine for a long time, most of the
problems have been dealt with and the result is a simple reliable engine.

Steven
82 Westy
Manila Philippines
----- Original Message -----
From: Chris <vw69bus@MINDSPRING.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Monday, May 31, 1999 1:10 PM
Subject: Thinking about Vanagons

> Greetings from the land of the air cooled bus!
>
> Any day now we will be adding another child to our little family:) As of
> late I am faced with purchasing a "family vehicle." Our air cooled VW
buses
> are well loved and will stay in the family but the Honda(like driving a
> go-cart:) has got to go.This may sound silly but vehicle requirements at
> this point seem to center around air condiitioning as much as anything.
> Being a lover of buses my thoughts have turned to the water-cooled Vanagon
> which reportedly has adequate A/C.
>
> Baywindow and even splitscreen buses were sometimes offered with air
> conditioning but it is reputedly lame in its cooling abilities and zaps
some
> of the prescious horsepower that we so dearly need. I have seen some air
> cooled Vanagons that had air conditioning with a better system of ducting
> than the add-on units in bays although I am nut certain if this if factory
> ar a dealer add-on. Any opinions on these early air cooled Vanagons
> regarding air conditioning?
>
> I have done a bit of research and the Vanagon seems to suffer from one
major
> ill: leaking head gaskets and the resultant exspense in correcting the
> problem. Aside from that obvious shortcoming are there any other caveats
> that you can offer?
>
>  I know that is a big question but............ Let's say you came to me
and
> said, "Hey, I have $1500 to buy a bus and I found this really nice 79
> baywindow that runs ok for $1000 and the only problem is it needs an all
new
> exhuast system. And the seller said it is a CA. model whatever that
means."
>
> That means trouble!!!
>
> Thanks
> Chris
> Greensboro, NC ( Man, it is gonna be hot soon!)
> '72 westfakia
> '69 justabus