I took a buddy of mine to an auction.
There was a very solid '82 vanagon diesel there. At least the metal was solid. Grabbed the rear view mirror and it kinda crumbled, the seats were crumbly too. It had seen lots of sun.
The guy had a small used car lot, with a few VWs and we were told he removed the engine so no one would steal it. So the van didn't have an engine but we snooped around and saw it through the shop window, on an engine stand... with stuff that would be sold the next day.
Bill ended up getting the van for $150 and went back the next day and got the engine for $30 and had to buy a bunch of stuff next to the engine, that went with it, for another $35.
He also picked up a nice little 2 door Rabbit diesel for $200.
Looks like I might get a chance to work on a diesel Vanagon and the stuff I've learned here might actually do me some good, ha.
I found a vanagon to work on
Moderator: Fatmobile
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danfromsyr
- Glow Plug
- Posts: 20
- Joined: Tue Oct 18, 2005 9:08 am
D@MN good price for a diesel van and parts.. hate to see any go to the crusher.. as Emissions exempt chassis are getting rare..
Diesel rabbits are $$ these days too..
one thing you'll learn soon.. is that vanagons are WAY EASIER to work on and service then rabbits.. or any other car for that matter really..
people dread and put off the dash removal and repairs in vanagons.. but let me tell you, it's soo much harder to R&R a dsh in a rabbit, quantum, or other foreign make for that matter.. just make sure you have a HIGH quality #3 long shank phillips for heaterbox removal, makes all of the differance in the world.. proper grip, proper bite. and proper fit.
Diesel rabbits are $$ these days too..
one thing you'll learn soon.. is that vanagons are WAY EASIER to work on and service then rabbits.. or any other car for that matter really..
people dread and put off the dash removal and repairs in vanagons.. but let me tell you, it's soo much harder to R&R a dsh in a rabbit, quantum, or other foreign make for that matter.. just make sure you have a HIGH quality #3 long shank phillips for heaterbox removal, makes all of the differance in the world.. proper grip, proper bite. and proper fit.
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stopping
- Diesel Freak
- Posts: 199
- Joined: Sun Nov 13, 2005 2:53 pm
- Location: Montreal, QC, and StJohn's, Nfld, Canada
whoa la!
I am moving to Iowa!
Even here in Quebec the supposed diesel capital of North America you can't find em that cheap.
Congratulations.. I guess I can say that.
If you need any help I am ready and able sir FattyM.
True these vans are great to work on but I wouldn't know..... how do you compare.... I have only ever owned a Vanagon. When I work on other vehicules I an usually disapointed by the repair ablity of the design. Having said that the van is easy to work on I should also say this design is needed since I somehow allways need to fix it.
Even here in Quebec the supposed diesel capital of North America you can't find em that cheap.
Congratulations.. I guess I can say that.
If you need any help I am ready and able sir FattyM.
True these vans are great to work on but I wouldn't know..... how do you compare.... I have only ever owned a Vanagon. When I work on other vehicules I an usually disapointed by the repair ablity of the design. Having said that the van is easy to work on I should also say this design is needed since I somehow allways need to fix it.
I wouldn't even bother with installing the original engine in the vanagon. Get a used (or rebuilt) TD. If you go with a TD then the original diesel vanagon tranny will be very poorly geared. That's a great price just for the diesel vanagon specific bits (inline-4 mounting kit), not to mention the rest of the van. Congrats.
Andrew
Andrew
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stopping
- Diesel Freak
- Posts: 199
- Joined: Sun Nov 13, 2005 2:53 pm
- Location: Montreal, QC, and StJohn's, Nfld, Canada
aaz
Yes Fatmobile
If you want I could call around for an AAZ. That would be the best.
Apparently you can just strap it to a skid and cover it with card board; cheap , acessable to customs and truckable.
The trany would be the question.
If you want I could call around for an AAZ. That would be the best.
Apparently you can just strap it to a skid and cover it with card board; cheap , acessable to customs and truckable.
The trany would be the question.
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Fatmobile
- Global Moderator
- Posts: 7577
- Joined: Wed Oct 30, 2002 10:28 pm
- Location: north central Iowa
van
See I'm learning already.
I think there was some trany info on here.
I think there is a good trany to look for and from what I've seen on ebay, the bell housing will help bolt up to one.
I'll see how much he wants to invest in this.
He buys these things to sell them. but he really did light up in the seat of this van and I know he wants to drive it around for awhile before he sells it.
We'll just have to see what happens.
I think there was some trany info on here.
I think there is a good trany to look for and from what I've seen on ebay, the bell housing will help bolt up to one.
I'll see how much he wants to invest in this.
He buys these things to sell them. but he really did light up in the seat of this van and I know he wants to drive it around for awhile before he sells it.
We'll just have to see what happens.
If you keep the n/a diesel engine then keep the tranny. Bear in mind that the n/a diesel vanagon was probably the slowest production vehicle sold in the US in the last 50 years. Yes, it was slower than the 1.6L air-cooled buses. If on the other hand you do swap for a TD, the easy swap for the 82 is to go for a tranny from one of the air-cooled vanagons (80-83). The code would be DK and the linkage and mounts all swap directly as does the diesel bell housing and input shaft (yes, it can be a pain). The later trannies have a different linkage and mounting arrangement.
Andrew
Andrew