In a message dated 9/9/99 1:20:41 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
bricknord@WEBTV.NET writes:

<< of
 park and rolled about 100 feet across my parking lot, struck a curb hard
 which tore up the front end and proceeded to fly across some grass and
 into the lake near my building.  It ended up in about 4-5 feet of muck
 and water.  The tow guy did a great job but had to drag it over the
 rocks on the lake shore to get it out, doing further but unavoidable
 damage.  It is now sitting in my lot waiting for the insurance adjustor
 tomorrow, front susp mangled, waterlogged with a torn up rear from
 getting it out of the muck with a chain etc.  The damage probably will
 exceed the value of the poor thing.  I have rarely ever seen a Westy in >>

surely now is not the time you want to be reminded of the positive attributes
of a parking brake, but nonetheless, if your ins.co totals out your van - buy
it back.  if it didnt roll, its worth fixing.  i imagine you can probably buy
your van back for under 1000, and get it repaired (some of which im sure you
can do yourself) for under 1000 also.  did you look underneath?  what is
damaged? i have a van that was flooded up to the seats (covering the engine)
and i got it started the first time, after everything thoroughly dried out.
 dont give up just yet..

chris