TheSamba.com :: View topic

Wed Apr 18, 2007 9:49 pm

Finally, after 10 months of waiting, I picked up my 1989 Syncro Tristar today! :D

It runs great, and handles great, as well. It's 112 HP and weighs in at 3600 lb, so the power to weight ratio is way, way better than for my Westy. I can go up hills in 4th gear! Anyway, I'll be at Syncro-de-Mayo soon. See some of you there.

My biggest complaint with the Samba is how hard it is to post pictures for the likes of me. I tried, but... It's way easier on a Porsche site I freqent, so here's the link for pics. If anyone can figure out how to move the pics over to here, I'd apprciate it.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=342049

Wed Apr 18, 2007 9:58 pm

Nice truck. =P~ I'll keep an eye out for ya around the bay.

Lundy

Wed Apr 18, 2007 9:59 pm

I have just one question at this time. When making a tight turn on pavement, at parking-lot speed, should you feel the front wheels sort of fighting each other slightly, as you would expect while in 4WD? I do, so do I need to have the VC looked at?

I'm taking it to the local VW dealer tomorrow to have the whole car checked out. I'll ask them about this, too. I know, I know, but my father owns the dealership - has been a VW dealer since 1955. Hence my VW mania.

Wed Apr 18, 2007 10:18 pm

Congratulations on your TriStar ... a tangent to the post ... the fender flares seen on this (and other TriStars) ... will they fit on GL/CARAT vanagons ... and where can a person buy a set?

Wed Apr 18, 2007 10:33 pm

Love the Tristar in White !

Wed Apr 18, 2007 11:02 pm

very nice 8)

are those washer jets below the lights :shock:

i think the flares wont work with the slider :cry:

Thu Apr 19, 2007 4:05 am

some people have all the fun. mind telling what the final cost of getting it imported was?

Thu Apr 19, 2007 5:27 am

please post from start to finish a lessons learned from the day you started the process, to getting it here.

I want one, but I'm afraid of taking a bath on the learning curve.

Congrads, and I'm jealous!

Thu Apr 19, 2007 6:05 am

your vc is becoming aggressive from use.
time to replace or get a decoupler.
the transmission does not like the binding and will wear quickly if not worked out.

dylan

Thu Apr 19, 2007 7:19 am

I have heard this becomes common on Syncros over the years, I think a decoupler would be the cheaper way out and probly not a bad idea anyway. I love the tristars! Looks great in white too! Congrats and have fun. :D

This should get you pumped! 8)

Thu Apr 19, 2007 7:50 am

magician wrote: Congratulations on your TriStar ... a tangent to the post ... the fender flares seen on this (and other TriStars) ... will they fit on GL/CARAT vanagons ... and where can a person buy a set?

BIG BIG $$$$$ for what they are. Like $1200 for the set, if you can get them.

Van Cafe has European repros, though.

Thu Apr 19, 2007 7:54 am

ckissick wrote: I'm taking it to the local VW dealer tomorrow to have the whole car checked out. I'll ask them about this, too. I know, I know, but my father owns the dealership - has been a VW dealer since 1955. Hence my VW mania.
And he lets you buy such "old junk" as my old German dad says? Along that vein, he would buy several to have the guys have something to work on during the quiet times in the shop and then sell them on the lot!!!!

Thu Apr 19, 2007 7:55 am

ckissick wrote: I have just one question at this time. When making a tight turn on pavement, at parking-lot speed, should you feel the front wheels sort of fighting each other slightly.....

Sounds like an OK VC doing its job, to me ...

Thu Apr 19, 2007 7:59 am

ckissick wrote: Finally, after 10 months of waiting, I picked up my 1989 Syncro Tristar today! :D

It runs great, and handles great, as well. It's 112 HP and weighs in at 3600 lb, so the power to weight ratio is way, way better than for my Westy. I can go up hills in 4th gear! Anyway, I'll be at Syncro-de-Mayo soon. See some of you there.

My biggest complaint with the Samba is how hard it is to post pictures for the likes of me. I tried, but... It's way easier on a Porsche site I freqent, so here's the link for pics. If anyone can figure out how to move the pics over to here, I'd apprciate it.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=342049

So how did the whole emissions/smog thing work out?

Thu Apr 19, 2007 3:09 pm

To answer two questions on registering/smogging the vehicle, it worked this way:

I paid a dealer in Germany (Tristar-connection) in late June or ealy July last year. (about $10,500.) It was shipped in August. It arrived at the port at Pt. Hueneme in September. It was stuck there until late November because of Agricultural Inspection delays. They like to look at the cars to make sure no invasive plants or seeds are hitching a ride on the undercarraige. The whole underside was power washed in this process, so that was nice.

Then it was about a month wait until a car carrier that was going the right direction could be found. Othwise, a special trip would have cost too much. It went to Barry Taylor Enterprizes, in Richmond, CA, a registered importer (RI). There are very few RIs in California, so that was my only real choice.

Once there, they had to get to it after dealing with other cars they already had. In February, they got a smog check, even though it had the Swedish system, with no cat or correct oxy sensor, or anything. It came very close to passing, anyway.

To get it to pass, they had to replace the exhaust system, and install a cat, etc. It took a long time to get parts, for some reason.

Anyway, this last 2 or 3 months took longer than I can account for. I paid B. Taylor $5800 for all shipping costs, plus about $10,000 for all their mechanical and paper work. In all, the car cost me about $26,000. I suspect it's worth more than that now as a fully registered CA car.

Was it worth the wait and the money? You bet. I needed a 4WD pick-up because of my job (geologist) and lifestyle (lots of lumber, etc. for home projects on my mini-farm.) I did not want another crappy Dodge or something for $30K that would be worth $15K as soon as it left the lot. You only live once. I prefer to drive a car that pits a smile on my face. That's why I have the Tristar, the Westy, and a 1970 911E.

One piece of advice. If you are going to buy from someone in Euope, buy the best example you can find for the most money. I got a clean, no-rust car in very good condition, that needs nothing. And it cost me maybe $4000 more than a rust bucket with a tired engine. Which do you think will cost more in the long run?

Thu Apr 19, 2007 3:12 pm

Oh, get this. My Tristar was almost destroyed about an hour ago. I was following a loaded dump truck up a windy road, when a van came barreling down the road, missed the turn, and plowed right into the dump truck at a pretty high speed. 2 seconds later, and it would have been me. The van was totaled, but no one was hurt. That was too close.

Thu Apr 19, 2007 3:26 pm

Close call...

I bought a 60' Impala with 27,000 original miles for $700. Spent all day petting Her. Took Her out on a date and totalled it by 9:30 that night by a drunk driver while I was pulling back into my driveway :cry:
It CAN happen.

That is a great TRI-STAR. Congrates

Thu Apr 19, 2007 3:42 pm

Tri-Stars are amazing 4X4's

One of my colleagues has one of these. They're not as fast though...

I thought it would look cool not so Military looking. Parts are very Expensive too. Just like a Syncro :roll:

Thu Apr 19, 2007 9:22 pm

I put some interior pics on the Porsche website. Go to the top and click on it if you want to see it. I still can't transfer them over to here. It says the files are too big. How'd you do that, Lundy? (and thanks)

Thu Apr 19, 2007 11:10 pm

Just right clicked the image and selected "copy image location." Then just follow the steps for posting on this forum "Img - picture location - Img again" and you're done. Looks great, man! I am truly envious!

What are those vents along the C-pillar in the first picture? Is there a vent on the inside as well?

Lundy