Purdue University

[LO-vw]

Spotted on eBay, but right here local in WL: A perfectly presentable-looking '85 Westmoreland diesel with new t-belt and coilovers.

That was mine! Just sold it today
Looking for a mk6 if anyone has any hookups.

[blue70beetle]

I spent the afternoon making the Cadillac pretty today...clay bar and wax. It's shiny!

In other news, my IPA got its yeast about 2:00, and now I have tiny bubbles starting to come up. By morning it should be basically erupting.

Also, the Munchner Rauchbier from People's does not disappoint. Then again, nothing from People's disappoints.

[OstTrefftWest]

Then again, nothing from People's disappoints.

Troof.

[OstTrefftWest]

Hummmmmmmmmmm.... do want! http://tippecanoe.craigslist.org/mcy/3296871958.html

[blue70beetle]

High mileage, but that's no surprise...you can't find an older BMW with fewer than about 40k! I like the price, though...seems reasonable, for as nice as it appears to be.

[Foxtrot]

Nice bike.. The one issue I've always had with old BMWs (and I guess this goes for MotoGuzzis and the like as well) is that I've always thought boxer engines on bikes were a bit odd. They are not exactly space efficient, in a vehicle that "should" be extremely space efficient.

Now, having said that, I wouldn't say no

Especially with the potential there..

[blue70beetle]

Shouldn't they have a lower CG than an upright engine? FWIW, Moto Guzzi is a V, but sideways. Honda did the same with the CX500/650s in the early '80s.

Speaking of opposed engines with a low CG, want:

[Foxtrot]

yeah I wasn't saying that Moto Guzzi's were boxers. Just that they weren't space effecient...

[OstTrefftWest]

Speaking of opposed engines with a low CG, want:

WTF? A GL1500 chopped into a quasi-dirtbike? Or an XR hacked to the nines to cram in a GL1500 motor?

For my tastes, the Valkyrie was a pretty sweet boxer six — though the old KZ1300s' and CBXs' inline six was a hoot for a bike, too....

Back to VWs, I replaced the HVAC blower on the GTI tonight — the bearings have been noisy through several winters, though quiet in the summer. Took two hours, and I'm still not sure it's in quite right, plus I broke a couple trim tabs for the glovebox and center console.

What is it with VW and blower fans that don't last for jack?! The old black Jetta needed a replacement, too — and even though it was a trickier job, at least there weren't so stinkin' many little plastic tabs to break when you pulled the relevant part of the dash....

[Foxtrot]

WTF? A GL1500 chopped into a quasi-dirtbike? Or an XR hacked to the nines to cram in a GL1500 motor?

For my tastes, the Valkyrie was a pretty sweet boxer six — though the old KZ1300s' and CBXs' inline six was a hoot for a bike, too....

Back to VWs, I replaced the HVAC blower on the GTI tonight — the bearings have been noisy through several winters, though quiet in the summer. Took two hours, and I'm still not sure it's in quite right, plus I broke a couple trim tabs for the glovebox and center console.

What is it with VW and blower fans that don't last for jack?! The old black Jetta needed a replacement, too — and even though it was a trickier job, at least there weren't so stinkin' many little plastic tabs to break when you pulled the relevant part of the dash....

Haven't had to change one in my VW's yet. Knock on wood. But I feel for you because I've done a heater core in the Mk2 before and that wasn't fun. And if it makes you feel better it always seems like I break something in the process as well.

[Foxtrot]

A little work on the B4 today.

Inner and outer tie rods, plus lower ball joints all changed out. The steering rack boots are both ripped though, so new ones on order. Now I have to hold out for alignment till they arrive since the outer tie rods will have to come back off. And even though I tried to match the old tie rods for length, I can visually see that the wheels are toed out a bit.

Yay...

EDIT: Oh and I've been doing a bit of poking around. Actually as Jason can attest for quite some time, trying to find someone who has stock of the seat cloth in the harlequin for a Recaro project. Well I've called and emailed dozens of places at this point with no luck. I might have found an alternate. I have a place in the Netherlands sending a sample to me. Its actually material for an Opel Astra/Corsa. What do ya'll think?

New material...


vs. Factory Joker fabric pattern...


May be a serviceable replacement. My only concern is it may be too "grey"...

[OstTrefftWest]

Interesting alternative. There's something to be said for keeping the OEM party seats for a concours event thirty years from now, and going "just a little different" than OEM for the Recaros. I see what you mean about potentially too grey, but it's sure worth checking in person....

[Foxtrot]

Steering rack bellows installed, now all I need is the alignment. Not bad for ordering about 3pm yesterday and them showing up at my door by 10:30 this morning.

[LO-vw]

Yummm
http://indianapolis.craigslist.org/cto/3297558052.html

[blue70beetle]

I'd love to buy that...just need some extra cash sitting around...

A clean Fastback and a clean, fast Ghia are both on my short list of cars to own.

[LO-vw]

[OstTrefftWest]

Hummmmmmmmmmm.... do want! http://tippecanoe.craigslist.org/mcy/3296871958.html

And the proud new owner of this bike is...

No, not me, but an old friend of mine's husband. He's adding it to his stable, which also includes an RT touring rig and a Suzuki Boulevard for around-town hops. Bike looks clean, but will need some TLC — carb jetting, perhaps (though they've been recently rebuilt by Bing). Still, glad to see it go to a good home!

[Foxtrot]

What a load of grade "A" bull ****!!!! I just took my '97 Passat to Tire Barn to get the alignment done after my front end work. The front desk clerk asked the alignment guy if that would be an issue, and they turned me away. He said the alignment job was "too complicated of a job."

What a load of crap. I pointed out the fact that they had aligned my Mk3 Golf twice and my Mk2 Jetta once and that they have the same suspension setup, he just said "Nope. We can't do it and recommended I go to Dubbers."

So, apparently front end allignments on "ALL" FWD Volkswagen's from 1975 up (a '75 Rabbit has the same basic suspension setup as my B4 Passat) is too "hard" a job for Tire Barn. Just thought I would share.

[Foxtrot]

Well as much as it pains me. I did it. The Mustang is up for sale. It kind of makes be a bit sick to my stomach to sell something that has such sentimental value to me, but it has to be done. Here is a link the craigslist posting...

http://tippecanoe.craigslist.org/cto/3328871548.html

Asking $3200 officially. If a local vortexer wants it I might be willing to deal a bit.

[zellers88]

What's the best place to get an exhaust done around here? Becks wants 500+ to install a downpipe and make a cat back.

[heysuperman]

I heard mike used Midas in W Lafayette and got a good deal

[Foxtrot]

I don't have a good exhaust shop anymore. My goto place closed...

Here's one for you guys. I was doing a fluid change in my 02A. I know that it takes 2.1qts. I had 2 old bottles of Redline MT-90 on the shelf from oh I don't 7 years ago that I bought when I rebuilt my 020 in my mk2 and maybe from when I rebuilt Jason's 020. But there was only about 1 and half quarts there, so I ordered another quart off of Amazon.

OK, here's the question. The other 2 bottles were open, but the fluid in them was new. And the fluid was about the color of fresh motor oil. You know that nice light brown/straw color. The new bottle this stuff is a light pink.

Did they change the color of MT90 at some point?



Also, the old bottle had residue in the bottom of the bottle, like something had settled out of it.



I don't know guys, I've got 1.5qts of this stuff in my trans now, and I'm thinking about draining it back out, and going with all new. What do y'all think?

[blue70beetle]

If it shifts ok, run it.

[LO-vw]

Ya I just got my gti aligned at car x in west laf.
Well they "align it" and then ran out of gas on the test drive it after the alignment.

so that pissed me off, they also charged me for them running out of gas :\

Well I drive home and it STILL pulls to the left.
After all the hoopla they say the car is too wide and hard to align because its wide, low, and on bags.... it was at a ride height slightly higher then a 60/40 drop so it could fit on their lift.

They say its my camber they cant adjust ( i know you cant adjust it much) so now going to get camber bolts and have them do it again.

[n0rdicalex.]

try Tire Barn in Lafayette. they have an in-ground rack, and i had decent luck there. only other place i can recommend, would be Fox & Fox in Ft.Wayne. it's a drive, but they do alignments on all sorts of lowered cars and hotrods. i've used them before, and i really prefer them (good price and great to deal with).

car for reference:

[blue70beetle]

Tire Barn is the place that claims they're unable to do it...

[Foxtrot]

try Tire Barn in Lafayette. they have an in-ground rack, and i had decent luck there. only other place i can recommend, would be Fox & Fox in Ft.Wayne. it's a drive, but they do alignments on all sorts of lowered cars and hotrods. i've used them before, and i really prefer them (good price and great to deal with).

Look halfway up the page dude at the experience I just had with Tire Barn. They refused to align my B4 Passat. They also refused to do an alignment on Jason's B5 Audi as well.

[n0rdicalex.]

eh, i never had any issues with them. i went in with the specs i wanted, and they matched them as close as possible without camber bolts or any other bs. this was also several years ago though.

[zellers88]

Tire Barn wouldn't align my mk4 either. The only places I found that would do it are Dubbers or Mike Raisor.

[Foxtrot]

Tire Barn wouldn't align my mk4 either. The only places I found that would do it are Dubbers or Mike Raisor.

That's bull****! I'm still pissed about it, especially since I've used Tire Barn so much in the past.

On another pisser of a note. UPS denied my damage claim on the sunroof that was shipped to me. (shocker I know). I knew they would after reading about their policies and denied claims all over the net. Plus, they shipped the item back to the guy in PA, so now I don't have the money or the broken part. WTF!!!!!!!

We'll see what the guy in PA decides to do, I messaged him this morning.

[OstTrefftWest]

Today's eBay do-want items:

'79 Bunny diesel, looks squeaky clean, has cracked block; in Indiana: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1979-...#ht_878wt_1006

'91 Jetta diesel coupe, looks minty: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1991-...ht_1082wt_1006

Bad thoughts. Bad, BAD thoughts about those cars....

[Foxtrot]

Well I got my cloth sample from West Trading. I dunno I'm not 100% sold on putting this on the Recaros. If it weren't so washed out looking and the colors were a bit brighter maybe. But it's so much more subtle than the factory VW Joker pattern.

What do you guys think?

[zellers88]

So I went and talked to the guys at Midas on 52 in Lafayette about doing an exhaust for my car and the guy said they could only put on another oem system or install a system if I bought it online. Any other places that would confidentlymake an exhaust for a reasonable price around here?

[OstTrefftWest]

Tough call, Bill. With deep jet-black side bolsters for contrast, it might be a good look -- but yeah, definitely not the kind of boldness you were looking for....

EDIT: Or on second thought, what about using all four Harlequin colors for side and thigh bolsters, so that maybe you'd want the inserts to be more subtle by comparison?

[Foxtrot]

So I went and talked to the guys at Midas on 52 in Lafayette about doing an exhaust for my car and the guy said they could only put on another oem system or install a system if I bought it online. Any other places that would confidentlymake an exhaust for a reasonable price around here?

That sucks. It seems like fewer and fewer shops these days can or are willing to actually fabricate anything. It feels like to me that auto industry is just dying from the inside out. Where's the crusty old guy with a cigar and the 5 o'clock shadow who can make exhaust for anything.

Sorry dude. I don't have a good suggestion. My go to guy who made the 2.5" system for my mk2 went out of business around 2004.