TheSamba.com :: View topic - Any Tencent/Vanistan Engine owners in the Bay area?

Sat Dec 04, 2010 11:40 am

That would be the one. Tell me that isn't a nice truck!

Brian.

Sat Dec 04, 2010 2:19 pm

Wow, a worthy home indeed. Have not seen
that Doka on the road, it is quite a distinctive
paint job, and it must have a distinctive sound
as well.

Nice work on everyone's part.

Did he do the resto himself? Maybe
he can be encouraged to post a build thread?

Sun Dec 05, 2010 12:42 am

Tom Powell wrote: tencentlife wrote: ... Taiwan ... I ship one there next month.

And pretty soon we'll be getting Chinese counterfeit TCL engines shipped here.

Aloha
tp

I highly doubt it since nobody gets rich making money off Vanagon owners as we are all too poor from having already spent most of our money trying to fix the van before coming to the final conclusion that a new engine is needed.

Sun Dec 05, 2010 1:25 am

That first doka looks like it was done by werke1 in Richmond BC. I stopped by there one day this spring to check out a Bostig engine and saw about the sweetest restored Syncro I've ever seen. Wish I could show pics, but I've been sworn to secrecy. :wink:

(and no, it wasn't the yellow beauty in the background of that shot)

Sun Dec 05, 2010 2:43 am

tencentlife wrote: None of my engines live in the great state of Kalifornia as of yet. I have more engines in foreign countries than there (although some would argue that the Golden State is a foreign country!). I have one each in OR, WA, AZ, and NV, so all the neighboring states are covered, but no one smart enough in CA to buy one yet. If one of them has moved to CA I am not aware of it.

Just think, you could be the first.

Uh, Chris....where in OR????? And WA???? I was just gonna buy one sight unseen, but, now I am curious to see one first 8) Post up! :wink:

Of course, still waiting for mine to exibit first symptoms of failure so I can place my order well enough in advance to anticipate your delivery time needed :)

Sun Dec 05, 2010 5:49 am

tencentlife wrote:
I am no longer doing installs

Lazy....

Sweet exhaust system.

Sun Dec 05, 2010 8:53 am

Lazy...sure, I'll take that.

Jeff: Walla Walla and somewhere around Roseburg.

If you want to know what one feels like, drive someone's Zetec. Now imagine much more torque and it sounding like a VW.

Sun Dec 05, 2010 10:18 am

tencentlife wrote:

If you want to know what one feels like, drive someone's Zetec. Now imagine much more torque and it sounding like a VW.

Impressive sir, what are the approximate #, especially torque.

Sun Dec 05, 2010 11:48 am

PM sent, BB.

Sun Dec 05, 2010 4:06 pm

What, no numbers to share with us mere mortals? ...PLEASE?

<weeps>

Sun Dec 05, 2010 10:20 pm

dhaavers wrote: What, no numbers to share with us mere mortals? ...PLEASE?

<weeps>

I have seen the # and they are amazing. I will rephrase, who care about the #. All we all want is reliability. Those are not race van. Tenc is not pushing to much (like others), that is why I would have no problem putting one of his engine in my own van... after mine of course :-)

Tenc is to humble. Artist are always to humble.

he is afraid that people would not understand the #, he is so right.

If I had to choose a stock VW re-builder in this continent, it would be him.
No need for number. Passion is enough for me.

The honorable B.bob would also be on my list, sadly he is gone to a better place, I do hope.

Passion is a killer.

Cheers.

Sun Dec 05, 2010 10:58 pm

ftp2leta wrote: dhaavers wrote: What, no numbers to share with us mere mortals? ...PLEASE?

<weeps>

I have seen the # and they are amazing. I will rephrase, who care about the #. All we all want is reliability. Those are not race van. Tenc is not pushing to much (like others), that is why I would have no problem putting one of his engine in my own van... after mine of course :-)

Tenc is to humble. Artist are always to humble.

he is afraid that people would not understand the #, he is so right.

If I had to choose a stock VW re-builder in this continent, it would be him.
No need for number. Passion is enough for me.

The honorable B.bob would also be on my list, sadly he is gone to a better place, I do hope.

Passion is a killer.

Cheers. Well said Ben. thanks Chris. I will check out a Zetec at our PDX Westravaganza on the 19th.....I will have to request the drivers seat 8)

Sun Dec 05, 2010 11:10 pm

tencentlife wrote: This one:

Oh, and this was my contribution:

:shock: what color is that? I'm guessing it's not a stock color.

Sun Dec 05, 2010 11:20 pm

nelinor wrote: tencentlife wrote: This one:

Oh, and this was my contribution:

:shock: what color is that? I'm guessing it's not a stock color.

I saw this truck at what I think was its' unveiling, at the Great Canadian VW Show in 2009. I was certainly the second nicest Syncro there - by a long shot. Dude said it was a stock colour, and by looking at behind the seats etc., I'd have to agree...

I thought I took more pics, but this is the only one I can find:

Cheers!

Mon Dec 06, 2010 9:00 am

That sure looks like it. The guy's name is Jason, and he was getting it together for a show last year, I shipped him the engine in June. It having my exhaust would be a sure way to confirm.

dhaavers, I don't like to put up numbers because, like Ben said so well, it's not about numbers. But numbers attract bench racers like garbage attracts rats, and I'm not sure which I dislike more.

Ben has one thing wrong, because he's too kind, and that is that I'm too humble. No, I'm damn proud of what I do, and I don't like it being picked apart by self-important people who will never be my customers.

But, I have published my dyno chart and peak numbers a couple times here already, so it would be unfair if I didn't admit that. Here are 2 links to threads that I think contained useful discussions (and not just because I come off looking good!) where you can read the info. A quick search would turn these up for you but I'll do you the favor:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=383201

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=421679

Any prospective customer is welcome to ask me for that info any time they want. The OP had already asked and I had sent him the dyno chart before he even began this thread. I think he's smart to ask if someone can let him test-drive one, I'm only sorry there's no one near him that can oblige. Reviewing my PM's just now I realise that I neglected to answer his followup question about owners in the bay area, had I done so this thread might not be here.

My smug comparison to Zetec above is based on info Jim used to have on his site, and also on the impression of one of my customers who test-drove a local NA Zetec Vanagon and mine, by the time he shifted mine into third gear he was saying how much more torque it had. The numbers supported his impressions, I wouldn't say anything based on just a seat-of-the-pants. That said, I have to reiterate how much admiration I have for Jim and his crew and what they are doing, I think it's fantastic and no one else has developed such a complex and complete systems approach to the conversion question. Kudos to them. Once again, it's not only about power, their passion and dedication shines.

Mon Dec 06, 2010 10:05 am

That pop top camper is ingenious. sorry for the continuation of hijack

Sun Aug 12, 2012 11:30 pm

Quote: If one of them has moved to CA I am not aware of it.

Coming soon to the Bay Area. God it's like waiting for Xmas morning!

Mon Aug 13, 2012 12:50 am

wow, this is a great looking WBX !

Mon Aug 13, 2012 9:10 am

BetaVan wrote: Quote: If one of them has moved to CA I am not aware of it.

Coming soon to the Bay Area. God it's like waiting for Xmas morning!

...would love to check out the vanistan in person. Can you keep me posted?

Mon Aug 13, 2012 9:32 am

They are smooth runners from my personal experience.