Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Vanagon Body Restoration Tips
The Vanagon holds its place as the third generation of the Volkswagen Transporter. One major distinction of the Vanagon is that these vehicles were the last Volkswagen to be made with a rear engine instead of a front engine. These large vehicles appear very box-like in appearance and enjoy a large following of do-it-yourself car people who like to work on vehicles.
Replace Fuel Hoses & Fluids
The Vanagon enjoys a wide following, but this vehicle also comes with its fair share of challenges. Many owners who have restored these vehicles rank replacing fuel hoses and all vehicle fluids as one of the most important first steps in restoring a Vanagon vehicle. The fuel hoses in a Vanagon have a reputation for being brittle or wearing over time. Because of this, its extremely important for new owners to replace these parts to make sure theres no catastrophic breakdown in the engine. All the fluids need to be drained, and new fluids added, such as oil, windshield wiper fluid and coolant.
Take Care of CV Joints
This model of Volkswagen requires cleaning and care of all the constant velocity (CV) Joints. This involves not only cleaning out the old grease and checking each one, but also taking care to re-grease all the joints to keep the driveshaft functioning. This is an area that should not be overlooked as this minor bit of maintenance or restoration work will save a lot of money in the long run compared to a damaged driveshaft.
Order an Owners Manual
An extremely good tip for individuals looking to restore a Vanagon is to order the official owners manual. Even though Volkswagen stopped making these vehicles in 1992, because of the popularity of this vehicle the owners manual is still available online from many different sites. Any restoration job is going to be much easier with the actual companys official owners manual than without it.
Caution on Upgrades
Many do-it-yourself Vanagon fans like this vehicle because of the options when it comes to "upgrading" or changing the vehicle. This can run from adding a second engine or battery to making the vehicle more green by using bio fuels. While these upgrades can be done by experienced mechanics, for a pure restoration the best way to go is to restore the vehicle to its original state first. Changes or additions can always be made later, if necessary.
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