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DanHoug
Samba Member
Joined: December 05, 2016
Posts: 5787
Location: Bemidji, MN
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 Posted: Sat Jul 19, 2025 6:31 am Post subject: Re: No, I'm not dead.......and THANK YOU ALL!!!!! |
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congrats on a long and successful trip in an old vehicle. and i can appreciate not doing a real-time blog during the trip... nice to get into your own head space to process things.
when you get time, it would be interesting to dive into the ignition coils that you went thru. brand + part numbers, ohm measurements on the primary and secondary windings, and some photos.
_________________
-dan
60% of what you find on the internet is wrong, including this post.
'87 Westy & '89 Westy both 2.1 4spd
Past projects can be found at--
www.thefixitworkshop.com |
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calsurf
Samba Member
Joined: June 28, 2022
Posts: 189
Location: SoCal
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| Posted: Sat Jul 19, 2025 9:12 am Post subject: Re: No, I'm not dead.......and THANK YOU ALL!!!!! |
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| Glad your trip went well. I love the GNW in the summer. Take care. |
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AndyBees
Samba Member
Joined: January 31, 2008
Posts: 2648
Location: Southeast Kentucky
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| Posted: Sat Jul 19, 2025 10:10 am Post subject: Re: No, I'm not dead.......and THANK YOU ALL!!!!! |
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Welcome back Dave........ I'm glad all went well with only a few hiccups.
Looking forward to some pics and narrative about your awesome journey.
_________________
'84 Vanagon Tin-top, ALH TDI, two trips to Alaska, 2014 & 16. 1989 Tin-top unmolested.
1983 Air-cool, 225k miles, 180k miles mine, seven trips to Alaska from 1986 thru 2003. 1975 Bay hopeful. |
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djkeev
Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007
Posts: 32989
Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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ALIKA T3
Samba Member
Joined: July 30, 2009
Posts: 7230
Location: Honolulu,Hawaii and France
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| Posted: Sat Jul 19, 2025 11:25 am Post subject: Re: No, I'm not dead....... |
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Hi Dave!
I'm glad to hear it all worked out and that our generosity was well received 
What an endearing trip, which I'm sure had some heavy meaning for you, it warms the heart to read the report!
Regarding the coils, the new Bosch coils have a high failure rate.
For brake shoes, I get the ones from Napa, house brand box, I forgot who makes them for Napa. Cheap and good, like 25 bucks a set, much cheaper than any store online.
| plummerdesign wrote: |
The new coils have a small protrusion that works well with a Digifant distributor cap but is not suitable for the Digijet cap, which is used on 1983.5-1985 Vanagons. [/i]
So, what's the solution? Simply pinch the end of the wire ferrule just a bit to ensure a better connection with the nipple inside the coil.
...
Jeffery : ) |
Jeffery, better than that, install a Digifant distributor cap to match wires and coil, just the rotor differs on a Digijet (bigger rotor shaft diameter)
_________________
Silicone Steering Boots and 930 Cv boots for sale in the classifieds.
Syncro transmission upgrade parts in the Classifieds.
Subaru EJ22+UN1 5 speed transmission
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=416343
Syncro http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4...num+gadget |
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shadetreemech
Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2005
Posts: 818
Location: Claremont, CA
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| Posted: Sat Jul 19, 2025 3:04 pm Post subject: Re: No, I'm not dead.......and THANK YOU ALL!!!!! |
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Life does, truly, go on.
All's well that ends well.
Welcome home.
Dan
_________________
'84 GL 1.9
'01 Volvo V70 T5
'88 Westy - "MZDRTHY" |
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THE KESZTHELY KID
Samba Member
Joined: August 24, 2022
Posts: 68
Location: West Yorkshire
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| Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2025 5:36 am Post subject: Re: No, I'm not dead.......and THANK YOU ALL!!!!! |
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All Respect to Dave !
Good to hear you had an amazing trip and are back home safe.
My late lamented English Grandfather often said as one door closes, another opens.
(I never met my Hungarian Granddad as those damned Ruskies got him in 1946!)
Since the passing of my father last year I have been pondering about life and at 63 years old the need of a good woman beside me. I cannot stay single forever.
Said woman I know lives in Holland and next year I will be visiting with Bezza my  .
Has anyone proposed to a good lady in a Vanagon??
_________________
Current owner of 1980 T25 Westphalia Joker.
1973 Karmann Ghia Coupe - Semi-automatic!!
1983 Trabant 601S Sedan
Daily Driver - 2024 Dacia Duster Journey - Automatic |
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joetiger 
Samba Member
Joined: January 27, 2005
Posts: 5266
Location: denver
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| Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2025 11:09 am Post subject: Re: No, I'm not dead.......and THANK YOU ALL!!!!! |
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Congratulations on a successful sojourn, Dave. Very inspiring.
_________________
Joe T.
'86 NAHT Vanagon GL Syncro/ supercharged ABA 2.0 "Pigpen"
'91 Wolfsburg Carat "Barchetta"
'02 Baja-ish Beetle "Bubbles"
"get metaphysical with it. if it's simply a means to get to and from places, it will let you down. if it becomes your zen, it can't fail you." -dabaron
"Still, it's good to be afield."--VWagabond
Justice for Megan: https://linktr.ee/justiceformegantrussell |
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Abscate
Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2014
Posts: 24077
Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
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| Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2025 11:13 am Post subject: Re: No, I'm not dead.......and THANK YOU ALL!!!!! |
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| THE KESZTHELY KID wrote: |
All Respect to Dave !
Good to hear you had an amazing trip and are back home safe.
My late lamented English Grandfather often said as one door closes, another opens.
(I never met my Hungarian Granddad as those damned Ruskies got him in 1946!)
Since the passing of my father last year I have been pondering about life and at 63 years old the need of a good woman beside me. I cannot stay single forever.
Said woman I know lives in Holland and next year I will be visiting with Bezza my .
Has anyone proposed to a good lady in a Vanagon?? |
Yea, but she asked me to check her fuel lines,and then drove away. It was humiliating
_________________
🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🍊 🍊 🍊 |
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E1
Samba Member
Joined: January 21, 2013
Posts: 8343
Location: Westfalia, Earth
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| Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2025 7:48 am Post subject: Re: No, I'm not dead.......and THANK YOU ALL!!!!! |
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Dear Dave:
Thanks for coming to visit, it was a pleasure to finally meet!
We hesitated asking you to double back up here when my plan changes kept a couple key members from attending. Apologies again to them for that… 
You knew nothing in advance, and that made your coming “just to meet” all the better. How dozens of Samba members kept this quiet for four months was a bit miraculous. Everyone was eager to help, you are indeed loved here, and it was heartwarming to witness that from so many.
What started in the bleak days of Winter finished at the first greens of Spring, and that seemed symbolically appropriate.
You never knew the backstory of course, so I’m personally thanking Everett for making it all possible. He was absolutely all-in from the first mention, very attentive and enthusiastic throughout, and none of this could have happened without him.
It has to be good to know that all your efforts here are indeed appreciated, and that they have been all along. You deserve that and your story touched a ton of people.
See you next time, the summer heat will soon subside.
E+S
_________________
1984 Westfailure/2.1 Digijet/5.43 Ring & Pinion/Peloquin/D-rated BFG KO2s
AI has spoken to further illiteracy, to steal, to cheat, and to replace humans
"Adding power makes you faster on the straights.
Subtracting weight makes you faster everywhere." — Colin Chapman
Jonathan Weisheit, Race in Peace:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3dS7xiFn7I&t=500s |
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Xevin
Samba Member
Joined: January 08, 2014
Posts: 8752
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| Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2025 8:12 am Post subject: Re: No, I'm not dead.......and THANK YOU ALL!!!!! |
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| E1 wrote: |
Dear Dave:
Thanks for coming to visit, it was a pleasure to finally meet!
We hesitated asking you to double back up here when plan changes kept a couple key members from attending. Apologies again to them for that…
You knew nothing in advance, and that made your coming “just to meet” all the better. How dozens of Samba members kept this quiet for months was a bit miraculous. Everyone was very eager to help over four months, you are indeed loved here, and it was heartwarming to witness that from so many.
What started in the bleak days of Winter finished at the first greens of Spring, and that seemed symbolically appropriate.
You never knew the backstory of course, so I’m personally thanking Everett for making it all possible. He was absolutely all-in from the first mention, very attentive and enthusiastic throughout, and none of this could have happened without him.
It has to be good to know that all your efforts here are indeed appreciated, and that they have been all along. You deserve that and your story touched a ton of people.
See you next time, the summer heat will soon subside.
E+S |
Kudos to E1 and S for their act of kindness and compassion. You put this together E1. Big thanks to all in the community and Everett for assisting. A lot of good people on The Samba. Be well djkeev.
_________________
Keep on Busin'
| 67rustavenger wrote: |
GFY's Xevin and VW_Jimbo!  |
| Clatter wrote: |
| Damn that Xevin... |
| skills@eurocarsplus wrote: |
I respect Xevin and he's a turd  |
| SGKent wrote: |
My God! Xevin and I 100% agree  |
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dhaavers
Samba Member
Joined: March 19, 2010
Posts: 8438
Location: NE MN (tinyurl.com/dhaaverslocation)
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| Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2025 8:35 am Post subject: Re: No, I'm not dead.......and THANK YOU ALL!!!!! |
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That’s our djkeev, the “Timex of Samba”…just keeps ticking…
Everyone deserves the best coming to them, and you’ve earned plenty. Keep checking in here…people like you, and appreciate your expertise and perspective.
Love from here… 
- Dave
_________________
86 White Wolfsburg Westy Weekender
"The WonderVan"
<EDITED TO PROTECT INNOCENT PIXELS> |
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IdahoDoug
Samba Member
Joined: June 12, 2010
Posts: 10357
Location: N. Idaho
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| Posted: Sat Aug 09, 2025 8:04 am Post subject: Re: No, I'm not dead.......and THANK YOU ALL!!!!! |
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Dave,
You got good advice to make that loop up into BC. Once you leave Vancouver, it feels like life's annoyances were stripped away, leaving the good stuff to see by Vanagon, eh?
_________________
1987 2WD Wolfsburg Vanagon Weekender "Mango", two fully locked 80 Series LandCruisers. 2017 Subaru Outback boxer. 1990 Audi 90 Quattro 20V with rear locking differential, 1990 burgundy parts Vanagon. 1984 Porsche 944, 1993 Toyota LandCruiser, 2002 BMW 325iX, 1982 Toyota Sunrader |
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tdivan82
Samba Member
Joined: September 17, 2023
Posts: 339
Location: USA
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| Posted: Sun Aug 10, 2025 7:45 am Post subject: Re: No, I'm not dead.......and THANK YOU ALL!!!!! |
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Thanks for sharing, reading road trip stories is always enjoyable.
_________________
82 Westy TDI (ahu)
See my Classified ad for a super deal on a Burley Motorsport Front Disc Brake Kit! |
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