Vultures!

[Major Woody]

This is part rant and part offer to fellow Westy owners.

Check out this ad. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/index.php?alert+200403121813531430
This guy wants to charge his fellow hobbyists $10 for spice rack measurements. Number one, if someone wanted to charge me $10 for what amounts to a personal favor, I would wonder what this hobby is coming to. Number two, how is someone who buys these plans supposed to come up with the correct laminate (which the spice rack is pretty much made of)? Without the laminate, the rack will still look like shit.

Anyway I am so bothered by this ad that if anybody wants spice rack measurements, PM me and I'll help you for free. The last thing we need is for trends like this to get started.

[SHSC]

[Kaput]

On this note, Is anyone willing to donate some old front interior panels (door and kick) to a VW enthusiast in city of Orange. I have some butcher paper I could trace them on. I have not had any luck tying to make them with cardboard.
-=dan=-

[obus]

good move woody!!!!
_________________
July 1959 Mango Standard Bus aka Obus L346 L347 https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=256592&highlight=
June 1973 Pumpkin Orange Thing aka Othing L30H
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=711775&highlight=
1960 Paprika Red Karmann Ghia Convertible aka Schatze L452 built 5/20/60
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...highlight=
March 1956 Beetle convertible L41 Black

[hazetguy]

well, $10 may not be terrible. if i didn't have one and wanted to have a copy of an original, then i would pay $10 for plans of an original. especially if i had no idea what it should look like. you'd get the laminate from a 68-71 bay window westy closet/long cabinet and peel/trim/cut to shape. not that hard to do.

on a "lighter" note, have you seen this yet?

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/index.php?alert+200403140753336018

that's just fucking ridiculous.

[NAES]

Well, if anyone comes across a spice rack please let me know. My mother-in-law has a '67 and I'm helping her find parts for it.

THanks, NAES
_________________
Barndoor Mafia
Box On Wheels
SBS #00

[faster-laster]

wow. 250 for a spice rack, what a deal

I see people gouging the purist who wants the perfectly restored bus. There are people who pay for this stuff. What I can't see is anyone of these people paying that kinda cash for something that is not perfect. hell, the pics show a few laminate cracks.
_________________
62 Mouse Grey Deluxe
66 Westfalia SO-42 "Tigerbus"

[[email protected]]

Woody,

Since you took such offense to my ad, I have removed it. In my defense, the plans include detailed measurements for those who wish to recreate a spice rack of the same dimensions as the original. It took me over 10 hours to create these plans. The plans include not only detailed dimensions (it took 30 dimensions to accurately layout the curved vertical pieces), but step by step instructions on how to recreate the rack. Granted, finding the correct laminate will be impossible. I was not trying to make a killing on selling these plans, but there are some owners out there who are not willing to pay $250 for an original rack. I never said they were exact reproduction plans, merely a way for those less fortunate than you to have a spice rack that will fit. Perhaps they can recycle the existing laminate they have or other pieces they have.

If there are those on this board who want these plans, you can email me but I will NEVER advertise any of my plans here so I don't offend Woody.

By Woody's definition, anyone selling reproduction parts, plans, etc. is violating the "purist" part of the hobby (watch out Clara Williams). I merely offered the results of my work to replace my interior which is in sad shape.

Frank

[WharfRat]

rock on frank! there is a pre 67 westy that i am currently looking at that is sans spice rack. i am not willing to pay 250 for one. if i get that bus, i will definitely be purchasing your plans! i, for one, don't care if the bus i get is not a 100 point concours restoration, i just want it to look good and be functional. ten bucks, a trip to home depot and a trip to a vw junkyard for a bay westy cabinet and some work with power tools is just fine with me. i personally think you should put your ad back up, or even build some and sell them. i am sure there are hundreds of people who would love to have a new spice rack for their westy. there is no shame in making a few bucks from your hard work, as long as you are being honest and not screwing people out of their hard earned money. ten dollars for plans as detailed as yours is not unreasonable at all.

[[email protected]]

The plans are 13 pages of 8 1/2x11 sheets. They are as close to original as possible. I wouldn't put them up for sale unless I was certain they would work. I doubt anyone would take the time and care I have to make them accurate.

[MrBreeze]

Maybe EB should charge us for all of tech info we get on this site. Maybe Richard Atwell's awesome site http://homepage.mac.com/ratwell/ should charge for each article he put together. Maybe all of the other sites, type2.com, vintagebus, should charge us.


I see nothing wrong with making a few bucks. Build the thing and sell it, don't sell the plans like that, that's not right.

When we start whoring out ideas and tips, the hobby will die.
_________________
-=Rob

WTB: Bay Shore or Queensboro VW Frames

HBB 1984-2009
RW 1943-2011
ER 1964-2023

[[email protected]]

FINE, the plans are no longer available to anyone. Everyone who needs plans will have to recreate their own. I value the tips I get from this group more than any amount of money. I was merely was trying to provide a service that seems unavailable.

What really gets to me is in this country no one is willing to pay for design work. Nobody seems to want to pay for design work, but will pay any jack leg mechanic/carpenter thousands to do the work. How many have paid hundreds for so called "Safari Windows" or "Westfalia Roof Racks" that do not fit? Do you think the cost of creating the drawings is not in the price of the part? Sorry I have pissed so many "purists" off. Count me off this website.

I never thought a group of VW enthusiasts would be so intolerant. Must have learned from VWoA.

[Billet_Bus]

damnit, i needed a rack to hold all of my oregano
_________________
www.Full-Race.com
Anything else is just half fast.


CTD Fabrication

[rizzag]

[[email protected]]

See below

[[email protected]]

Not for "tips" but for my work in developing plans to recreate something that others might find useful. Nobody is forcing them to buy them. If you will look, I have a number of items in the classifieds that are FREE including a set of Westy Louver windows. I just want someone to have them.

I'm sorry if you disagree but I think these plans have some value. I am not trying to dimish the value of owners who have complete Westy interiors. I was trying to give those who are missing this piece the information to make a replacement.

Evidently a majority of the folks here think being able to replace lost parts for their Westy should be limited to those who have have extra pieces. I guess I would have cut into their ability to make some money off their bountiful harvest. Being in Texas, we have limited resources with regards to Westy parts in junk yards.

[Roamingwesty]

i started replying with a longwinded argument but ended up thinking, if you couldn't recognize that you drifted away from the aircooled spirit and started eyeing on the money when you have some info that others would like to share, you're better off silenced.

please do not compare your handy dandy to clara's work. in case you didn't know: clara shares info,findings and tips ALL DAY LONG on the vb list. had you offered it for free you would've been a proven contributor. now you're a profiteer. one less won't hurt us.

hope you have paid thom 10 bucks per download on the wiring diagram if you ever downloaded one. if you haven't, your bus resto is questionable.

what's funny is that instead of recognizing it and changing your approach, you took your documented 13 pages off the table and hurried for the door. if you were a kid you'd just end up with less friends during resess, or the first one taken out at dodgeball.

only you can persuade yourself to change. if you do change your ways i'll be first to buy you a 6pack and say you da man.

[hazetguy]

*disclaimer: i have not seen the diagrams, and i don't know Frank*

this is really ridiculous. the guy takes the time to measure all this stuff, make copies, and mail it, and you're bitching about $10?
how is this different from someone making copies of literature or sales brochures and selling those? if you can't find an original brochure or book you want (or they sell for incredibly ridiculous money your budget can't justify)and someone takes the time and effort to copy (or reproduce) it and offers it for sale, do you buy it and be happy to have something you've been looking for, or do you give them a ration of shit because you think they're only in it for the money?
Frank, i think you should put your ad back up. Westy "spice racks" are not the easiest things to find, in any condition. and you shouldn't be scared off either. i can be a pretty vocal "purist" at times, and i think this is/was a good idea from the beginning. if i had a westy that late and needed a "spice rack", i would have no hesitation paying $10 to get detailed drawings of how to make one.
if someone wants to make a copy of an original rack and can't find one, or someone who has one can't do someone else a "personal favor" by removing theirs and then make detailed measurements of it or decides it's too much hassle to do, then i don't really see many other options. well, you could always pony up and pay this fucking ridiculous amount and make your own measurements:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/index.php?alert+200403140753336018

better yet, why don't you rattle off a nasty letter to Bentley Publishing for making money off reprinting old VW service manuals. surely SOMEONE could take the time to scan and host their originals on the internet somewhere, so everyone else could get a free ride.

[Roamingwesty]

well, jon, that's just it. woody mailed me the eberspacher manual copy for free. almost thick as a book. he did it outside the forum as well, didn't make a splash. i received good will so i in turn donated a small amount to our universe.

yes frank could sell it for sure. but he could also offer it free. all things take time and effort in the end. granted, he's not selling it for 75 bucks. less than a dollar a page actually.

but when it comes to obtainable info, i like it better with just plain sharing.

hope you see this point of view; doesn't have to be agreeable.

ricky

[Amskeptic]