I went to a lovely show this past weekend, having just gotten back from vacation. The Deutsche Classic is one of the premiere 'all-emblem' shows on the East Coast, offering anyone with any vehicle from Germany to get together and see what else is going on with other vintage cars from the same era and region. It's fascinating to see how many parts are shared between Mercedes, BMW, VW, Porsche, etc. It also tends to pour cold water on the 'my marque is best' fatheads who believe that if it isn't a Benz (or VW, or Porsche,) it isn't anything. It lets you see other people having equal passion for their hobby, too.
One of the nice parts for me was to see at least two VWs (Vanagon's, I'll grant you) who had experienced engine conversions, one to a Ford Zetec (conversion by Bostig) and one to a Subaru (using SmallCar components.) The Subaru has already had (no joke, though my jaw fell open when I heard it) 140,000 miles on the road pushing the Vanagon around. The owner bloody loves it, though he is dis-satisfied with the quality of the parts from SmallCar. Still, it was nice to see a worked example even if it isn't my model with my additional challenges.
While toodling around, I met Jeff Hickens, one of those 'pillars of the community' who gives freely and has a good time doing it. He donated his old windshield to my Bus project to help get me on the road when he wanted new glass for his 1979 restored beauty, but he saved the old one when it came out and donated it to me. So nice. He was presiding over a stack of literature for the forthcoming All Aircooled Gathering in Flanders, NJ late in September. This is a great bash, and I was planning to make it, because they've got a great swap meet and every year they feature a specific model vintage VW to help encourage preservationists to bring 'their precious' out to share.
Oh dear heavens. This year the feature is the late model T2B Bay Window Bus. In other words, MY model.
10 weeks. 10 ruttin' weeks until the big hooha. If I poured all of the time, effort, money by the metric butt-load necessary into this, could I have it ready to make the 90 minute trip? Just douse myself in gasoline, set myself alight and work like a nutter until I burned down to a small pile of ash.... achievable?
No. Not because I don't have the will, but because I have neither the buffers of cash or time, at least not all at once. This a home shop fabrication project: The dance steps look like this 'one step forward, twelve steps back, twenty steps forward, eight steps back' and that's when not interrupted by family crises, illnesses, frighteningly astronomical doctor's visits, relationship stressors, employment boondoggles, failing appliances and other quotidian chores. Having performed a regular some-assembly-required installation of Commercial Off the Shelf (COTS) parts the way the Big Green Book (Bentley Factory Manual) says to, I'll confess that fab and engineering solutions are a exponentially greater challenge than just assembly. 2014 has not been kind to my family, with fisgigging pops and crackles of radically unanticipated setbacks, and that usually means I come home from work, not so much to relax or retire or even have relationships with my family, but to ride in to the rescue and fix the next thing (or person) that has fallen off the Christmas tree. My wife succinctly (and without humor) refers to this as "Waiting for the other shoe to explode."
So even if I were able to integrate and assemble all of the bits and bobs that I already have at hand, then add everything else I know I need which I haven't sourced yet (fan housings, fans, dual circuit fan power control, preformed coolant hoses, expansion tank, exhaust system, air intake piping, air cleaner solution...) Even if I could make all of that happen, there's still a big, big list of items that are open questions that I have yet to explore their functionality:
Do the brakes even work? Master Cylinder? Calipers? Slave cylinders? Brake Hoses? If I get this thing going, am I going to be able to stop it, or am I going to wind up in the creek at the end of the block? If I turn the steering, will the tie rods move, or just take my suggestion to turn 'under advisement?' Turn indicators? How about that shifter? Or am I going to lose two shocks right off the back after the first pot hole?
This is the vehicle that has been in the worst condition that I've ever purchased (from a neglect standpoint) and it means that even the most mundane element must be validated, including components that are long term consumables (battery, tires, brakes, fluids, shocks, suspension components) to find out if they are even in serviceable order. Tires, batteries, brake fluid are all on 'replace regardless' list. That will be about $500 just there. Brakes? if I do everything from the spindles out (bearings, backing plates, drums, shoes, discs, calipers and dear God please don't let the brake vacuum canister be bad!) that will be another $400 minimum. Essentially...I'm having to plan to build the Bus all over again and hoping that statistics (and blind Providence) will mean that I won't have to replace EVERYTHING.
So full speed ahead on the really important stuff: the work that has to be done before the snow comes. (Do I think this far in advance in August? Hell, yes!) The money comes, the money goes, so I have to grind forward whenever the bucks bob to the surface. It means a fits-and-starts relationship with the project, but the only way to finish is to keep doing it.
Yay, me.
As an example, here's the breakdown of the anticipated "if it all goes wrong" cost of doing the brakes, bumper to bump, every component JUST of the brake system. That will be $1099, thank you. Gawgk!
Rear Wheel Bearing & Seal Kit (#211501287K) Unit Price $39.95 $79.90
Brake Drum (#211609615) Unit Price $55.87 $111.74
Rear Wheel Cylinder (#211611047F) Unit Price $14.95 $29.90
Front Brake Pads (#D195S) Unit Price $24.95 $24.95
Rear Brake Shoes (#421) Unit Price $33.95 $33.95
Front Brake Backing Plate (#211405593) Unit Price $24.95 $24.95
Front Brake Backing Plate (#211405594) Unit Price $24.95 $24.95
Brake Hardware Kit (#17178R) Unit Price $12.95 $12.95
Brake Shoe Adjuster Nut (#113609205A) Unit Price $5.86 $11.72
Bearing (#211405625) Unit Price $8.65 $17.30
Front Wheel Bearing (#211405645D) Unit Price $6.86 $13.72
Brake Backing Plates (#211609425PR) Unit Price $79.95 $79.95
Brake Master Cylinder (#211611021AA) Unit Price $199.95 $199.95
Brake Hose (#281611775BMY) Unit Price $12.77 $25.54
Brake Hose (#211611775BMY) Unit Price $13.16 $26.32
Front Brake Caliper (#251615108X) Unit Price $63.99 $63.99 Deposit: $27.00
Front Brake Caliper (#251615107X) Unit Price $63.99 $63.99 Deposit: $27.00
Power Brake Booster (#211612103AX) Unit Price $199.95
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