RVEECO, grampa's company need info

[Fish]

First thing I ever bought and mounted in my Ghia was the bright orange oil cooler kit.

I was so smart at 20. Had some cool sideburns too.
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Prosit!

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# 303 and #156

Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!

[daml58]

After reading some posts.....I seen that you have been in contact with Howard Palmer, i'm sure he was able to give you all the info you needed......Prior to my dad opening a shop (Speciality Auto Body) across the street from RVEECO, He raced in the Baja 1000 and also in the Mint 400 in the late 60's and early 70's......I believe this is how RVEECO became a big part of of our lives when I was a kid.....RVEECO displayed all his trophies......So if you are still looking for pictures let me know and I'll see what I can find....

[Dauz]

This is my favorite thread amongst this entire collection of forums.

[woofyo]

I have unearthed an original Rveeco rebuilt 1500 in the back of my barn. Never used. Just sat for 25 years. Seems to be frozen up. Been treating it with Marvel and Kroil to see if it will loosen up. I have another thread going about this engine and would like more information about what all the RVEECO rebuilt engine had going.

[bns]

I got to Berkeley in '73 and, while going to graduate school at UC, repaired VWs in my driveway. I don't recall when I first found RVEECO, but they became my standard source for parts. I bought a '68 van in 1976 and, having burned up a rebuilt a bug several times, and noting the infamous cylinder 3 syndrome, installed a RVEECO oil cooler. RVEECO had the best and most reliable deal on cylinder kits, as I recall. The van with cooler made it to Washington, D.C., fully loaded in summer, 1978, and then here to Ohio the next year. No overheating, no leaking hoses. It was great. I only got rid of the van because it was impossible in the wind on icy roads in the winter (and my wife of the time hated it -- she and I parted ways too, but the van was already sold). Great product, fine people.

[shortride]

Firebug, have you found this website? It talks about Rveeco. http://www.natesgreengarage.com/about/our-team/
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[draginwagen]

Came across this old picture.

[tewfiks]

I purchased our second bus last fall and I am just getting around to it now. I was going through the glove box and found a neatly organized folder of service receipts and literature that pertains to this bus. It is a 1972 Westy. I bought it because I did not want to see it parted out. Currently in the middle of rebuilding the engine and was curious about the external oil cooler it came with. In the stack of papers I found a letter from rveeco that must have been a sales letter describing the oil cooler and what not.

I was planning on removing the cooler and repairing the holes on the sheetmetal. If you would like I would be glad to send you the documentation and cooler from your grandfather.

[kradel]

I think I had the last rebuild that Karl Hudson ever did in my 1971 VW bus. I was just writing a story about how I found my bus and wanted to put an addendum about my being told that it was the last engine that the Berkeley master rebuilder whose name started with an "H" made. So I was googling around to try and find his name because I couldn't remember it and I found this thread.

Yes, it was RVEECO cooled.

I bought it in 1996 from the original owners. That bus ran like a charm for ten years. I only ever had to do tune-ups every 3,000 miles as it never broke down - and then one day, out of the blue the compression check dropped. I drove it a little while longer and finally did another rebuild. I didn't have the new engine hooked up to the external RVEECO cooler because I didn't quite trust the mechanics to do that precise work - but the bus has not been the same since.

I miss my Hudson/RVEECO engine!

[kradel]

Here's the finished story:

http://artist-at-large.com/2016/04/15/the-escape-pod-has-most-of-its-original-swag/

I still have the RVEECO on the side of the pod - I painted flowers all over it, but they are fading and the RVEECO is showing through the paint. I get a lot of young dudes coming by asking about how I like having the suburu engine - because they think that oil cooler is a water cooler ...

[JimB2]

Here's what I have in the way of RVEECO literature. The sales sheet explains the RVEECO oil cooler concept. I threw in the receipt for an oil change gasket set and distributor cap just to show people what prices used to be. I think I was making about $5.00/hr. back then, so that might help put things into perspective.

[kradel]

I just took this one on the side of my 1971 VW:

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[JimB2]

That's the style of decal that I had on the back window of my KG. I can't remember if the decals came with the coolers or they gave them away to anybody who wanted them.

[kradel]

Those aren't decals - I painted the whole panel to hide the fiberglass and the type - it's just now the paint is wearing off.

I was kind of waiting for a new body paint job before I painted that panel again ...

But it's kind of funny that I tapped into that and painted that panel with flowers if they were actually giving them away as decals back in the day!

[JimB2]

Sorry, I should have been clearer. I was referring to the black lettering, that's a decal.

[kradel]

Ah!

[Busfixer]

I may have purchased one of the last RVEECO oil coolers in the early 90’s based on reading these posts. I mounted it on the left rear corner of my 1973 Bus with genuine VW Canadian rebuilt 1700cc Type IV engine. Had 2 lines that ran underneath the left heater box to the oil filter adapter. I faintly remember screwing a thin block off plate on the oil filter housing which ingeniously made the RVEECO oil cooler cool 100% of oil flow. The oil filter had a pressure bypass which kept pressures lower during cold starts.

My wife and I were discussing the other day that the orange & white 1973 Bus was the most reliable I ever owned. 2 bbl center mount carb, RVEECO oil cooler, and new Western Auto 14” tires. Drove it for 8 years starting at 175,000 miles and sold it with 230,000 running perfect for $1200. Could have sold 10 of them the first day it was advertised. Maybe I underpriced it?

Engine rebuild was at 150K and used transmission at 170K. Ran it 80 mph in 100 degree heat. Had a great service history from the previous owner who bought it new -Mom & Dad. Those were the days - I’m sure the oil cooler I found by reading John Muir’s Idiot Manual made all the difference in reliability.

There’s my 2 cents on RVEECO. Wish they were still around. Cheers, Busfixer

[donnyl543]

I just noticed this post from years ago while looking for links to the Howard Palmers family.
I was the service manager for RVEECO from 1981 to 1987. Howard Palmer was the owner, not partner but full owner. His brother Irv was involved mainly as sale manager and was in and out of the company. Howards son David was involved all the years I was there.
I can assure you Howard designed and held the patent for the cooler as well as the heat sensor that shut the engine down when overheated which caused 90% of the "break downs" mentioned in the comments.
Howard his wife Barbara and Son David lived in Moraga CA just east of Oakland.
Hope this helps.

Donny Larsen