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1991 Volkswagon Vanagon on 2040-cars

Year:1991 Mileage:178000
Location:

Phoenix, Arizona, United States

Phoenix, Arizona, United States
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1991 Volkswagon Vanagon Carat

I have owned this van for about three years. It was sold new at Volkswagen of Honolulu and spent all but the last year of its life on the island of Oahu. I purchased it from it second owner, a Captian of the Honolulu fire department. He owned the van from 1994 to 2012. 

The van was well cared for over the years, but was in need of some work when I got it. As with nearly all waterboxer VW's it developed a head gasket leak. I removed the engine and replaced the all gaskets. During this process I discovered the original VW heads had been replaced with AMC heads. AMC heads are far superior to the original VW heads. The original head are prone to crack between the valve seats. AMC heads are not cheap! They are about $1000 for the pair.

Since the engine was out I replaced the transmission pump seal as it was leaking too. All new hardware for the exhaust was installed. New O2 sensor and catalytic convertor was was also installed. The water pump was also replaced along with all coolant hoses. (those hoses are VERY expensive, about $250), All new drive belts. Remanufactured distributor along with all plugs and wires. I also installed a new Bosh fuel pump while the engine was out. The fuel pump is not the cheap one, it cost me about $250.

The A/C system does work. I converted it to a R134a system. If you know much about these vans, dont expect the system to work like your newer cars A/C. When the temps get very high over 105-110 the system takes the edge off of the heat. Below 105 if works very well and cools the van great.

The suspension received new ball joints and tie rod ends. New brakes on all four corners were installed. This van does have the big brake kit on it. This is a conversion to the 96 Audi A4 front brakes. When you get from brake parts you must get 96 Audi A4 pads, rotors and calipers. This kit cost around $800-$900, if I recall. ??The van also have VERY RARE South African Rhine wheels on it with newer tires (Sams Club Honolulu). The tires are the correct load rating for the van!! The Rhine wheels were used on the South Africa Vanagons. These wheels are no longer made and are in high demand among Vanagon enthusiast.  ( The wheels are original VW, not cheap imitations) I have been stopped many times by other Vanagon drivers and offered cash for the wheels.

The paint is faded and their is some seam rust on the passenger side. Overall for the age of the van, it is not bad. Remember this van is 23 years old with 178K miles on it so it is not perfect.

I have owned a twin turbo Supra, a Z06 Corvette and some other cool cars. The van get more attention from the ladies than another car I have owned. (The rear seat does fold down into a bed!)

The van is very reliable, but it is not perfect. When we moved to Phoenix from Hawaii last summer I drove it from San Diego to Phoenix in 115 degree heat. I hate to sell it, but it is time. 


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Auto blog

Recharge Wrap-up: Mercedes gets F1 efficiency, EV charging in Vermont, VW e-Golf to use Bosch

Mon, Jul 14 2014

Efficiency equals performance, especially in the case of Formula 1 racing. The Mercedes AMC Petronas team points to several key efficiency technologies it uses to get the most out of its cars. And if their utter dominance so far this season is testament to this relationship, perhaps we should pay attention. Mercedes highlights hybrid tech, turbocharging, aerodynamics, lightweight construction, tribology (both in making internal components and lubricants more slippery) and simulation as crucial to getting around the track faster than anyone else. These just happen to be some of the same things that make the cars we drive on public roads more fuel-efficient. Learn more in the press release below. It's a good read. Brammo, maker of sweet electric motorcycles, is teaming up with TEAM Industries to make drivetrains for electric vehicles. TEAM, which specializes in drivetrain technology, will also become an investor in Brammo as part of the partnership. "The electric vehicle market is a growth market," says TEAM CEO and President David Ricke, "and TEAM and Brammo will be providing a wide range of solutions for OEM manufacturers." Read more over at EV World. Vermont celebrated the installation of a new EV charging station as part of a Green Energy Corridor between Boston and Montreal. When finished, drivers will be able to make the whole trip in an EV with access to charging along the way. For $5, customers can charge their vehicle in about 30 minutes at the Red Hen Baking Company in Middlesex. There are currently only about 700 EVs on the road in Vermont. The state has a goal to get 90 percent of its energy from renewable sources by 2050, and getting more EVs on the road is crucial to that mission. Vermont hopes that expanding the charging infrastructure will convince more people to go electric. Read more at Vermont Public Radio's website. For it's new e-Golf, Volkswagen will use Bosch chargers for home installation and ChargePoint stations at its dealerships. Bosch will have various 240-volt options for the home, and will also provide installation. e-Golf customers will also get a free ChargePoint membership, and will have access to the company's network of charging stations worldwide. The 2015 e-Golf goes on sale in the US later this year. Read more in the press release below. Synergies between F1 and Road Car Development: Efficiency equals performance In Formula 1 Racing, performance is everything.

Giorgetto Giugiaro sells shares in legendary styling house to Audi

Sat, Jul 4 2015

Giorgetto Giugiaro undoubtedly stands among the great automotive designers of the 20th century, having penned the original Volkswagen Golf and Delorean DMC-12, among countless others. However, the great stylist is now longer an employee or even an owner of the company that bears his name. According to Automotive News, Giugiaro and his son, Fabrizio, sold their remaining 9.9 percent of Italdesign Giugiaro to Audi on Sunday, June 28, and the two resigned from the business the following day. The news about this just came out, though. The exact reason that the two men left the company hasn't been made entirely clear. According to Automotive News, a statement said that Giorgetto Giugiaro went "to dedicate more time to his personal interests." Italdesign Giugiaro remains open and intends to keep growing, though, the same announcement asserts. After stints at Bertone and Ghia, Giugiaro founded Italdesign in 1968. He created some masterpieces there, including '70s wedges like Maserati Merak, Lotus Esprit, and much more. The 2000s weren't so kind and 90.1 percent of the company was sold to Volkswagen Group in 2010. Former Audi design boss Wolfgang Egger took over styling duties there in late 2013, but he only lasted for about a year, leaving in late 2014. Since the sale, Italdesign has continued to work, including with the Gea concept at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show and the very mean-looking Parcour in 2013. Giugiaro's designs are still highly prized, as well. On September 5, Bonhams is auctioning the Maserati Boomerang concept by him and expects to get around $4 million for it. The gallery above offers a few more examples of his and Italdesign's concepts for VW Group over the years.

Import pickup truck-killing Chicken Tax to be repealed?

Tue, Jun 30 2015

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