What is wrong with you people?

[ftp2leta]

Do you love that square box THAT much???? Invest so much money in a dead van??? Go to work and only think about the gadget you can install???
You van owned you so bad that you can even think about something else????

My customer are like that so I'm sure you are

EX: I have to complete 2 engine conversion for the 14th July, on one of those 2 van (who was NOT suppose to have an engine conversion!!!!!) i also have to rebuilt the entire body (1/2 way there)....

They are like kid who WANT and NEED their toys... I don't get it???? Me I'm stressed out.

My weekly bashing is done, i hope you like it

Ben
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Working with rust, grease, dirt and dust is a sad truth.
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FI part for sale: http://www.benplace.com/parts_sale1.htm
My site: http://www.benplace.com/vw2.htm
Subi conversion: http://www.benplace.com/vanaru_eng.htm
Youtube http://www.youtube.com/user/ftp2leta

[tschroeder0]

Yes I do, and well, yes I am...YES I AM

[purplepeopleeater]

1/2 way done on my resto and then i'll start upgrading the inside.

[Williamtaylor33]

Ben.... Your to stressed. You need to find yourself laying on a nice beach somewhere in Mexico
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89 Bostig powered syncro westy

[BitterBeerFace]

Hey Ben, I totally fell in love with a beautiful ashtray from a Vanagon.

Could you build me a sweet Suby Syncro Adventurewagen around it?



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1980 Full Camper, been in the family since it was brand new!
1989 Full Camper, great-great-aunt's since brand new!

[timbo]

tell us how you really feel Ben..........come on.....let it all out.
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1988 Vanagon GL/ 1991 2.2 Subie power
"Never tell a lie and you'll never have to play dumb" Anthony Kiedis

[danfromsyr]

not really sure why you have to have done by then?
while it's nice, that the customer is always right.
but your time, labor and extensive skill is a precious commodity.
and as it seems so is your sanity.

remember if you let them, you'll always have the customers walking all over you.

Ben, it's your place and while it's your livelyhood, it's YOUR job and sanity.

set a more resonable pace. if you're not getting rich on your bottom line, don't spread yourself thin.. it's not worth it.
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[BillM]

Benny how could one not love you man. Your devotion to these vans is unreal. I have more than once thrown in the vanagon towel. I even about 10 years ago sold everything vw I had. All vans,parts,special tools,got rid of everything. Even let my stash of NOS parts,syncro spares, and rare parts go.
I thought that getting away from these money pits would be the best thing financially for my family.
Well it only lasted about half a year. My kids were mad,the wife was mad,the friends we made in vw circles missed us. I never relized how close we had become to our vw friends. It was a big mistake.
The day I surprised everyone when I woke them all up at 3am to go look at a Westy 8 states away is now referred to as the day ,"daddy came to his senses".
So yes were nuts for loving these square boxes. It's not just a Westy to us anymore that brick shaped beast is a member of our family.

Bill

[Mzwo]

[dobryan]

[edgood1]

yes.

I realize I have a problem. Many times I've wanted to sell of the stock and have come close. It was hard to sell the '74 that I had forever, but it was time.

I wish I could bring myself to only keep one (the red syncro for sure) but I haven't been able to do it yet...
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1987 Syncro Westfalia powered by Subaru
1963 Panel to Deluxe Bus project :::: (photo album)
'65 Westfalia

[silverbulletuk]

Weirdly...yes

x 3
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1986 syncro twin-slider rhd, 3.2S Oettinger wbx6
1990 SA Microbus - Supercharged wbx going in with UN-1 trans.
www.025motorsport.com

[bjrogers86auto]

Without "Us people" what exactly would poor old Ben be up to?

Personally, I don't get stressed very often. If I do, I go for a drive in my van.

Oh Yeah....Ben sold his! So sad.

Brian.
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86 Vanagon GL Westfalia 2.1
18 Nissan Frontier Pro 4X
19 Honda Civic Hatchback

A little rudeness and disrespect can elevate a meaningless interaction to a battle of wills and add drama to an otherwise dull day. Calvin and Hobbes.

[psych-illogical]

I think Ben brings up a good point. WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH US!!! Are we THAT obsessed with these boxes?? I'm afraid some of us are. I'm no exception . It's just a machine. Just an inanimate object. In that grand scheme of things does it really matter? I've been living with/working on mine for 7 years now and it's almost perfect. There's virtually nothing on it that doesn't work. Yet I'm still constantly thinking of things I want to do. Little things. It's like working on a house; you're never really done with it. If you were, there'd be nothing left to live for. You just might die.
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83 1/2 Westy waterboxer
'57 Beetle-sold
Coupla '81 BMW motorcycles (R80G/S; R100RS)
'96 BMW R1100GS

[T3 Pilot]

Drive more; obsess less. Make sure the stereo works well.
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1988 Vanagon

The most important part in every vehicle is the nut behind the wheel......

[Gauche1968]

If were addicts, Ben's our pusha' man.
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1984 Vanagon GL
1984 Vanagon Westy

[whafalia]

My wife and kid have been off vanagoning for 2 weeks. Boy I miss my van. Anxiously waiting for their return so I can install the pop-top shocks, try my hand at a DV awning and figure out how to squeeze in a 15" spare to prevent the old so you have a flat well you have to put the spare on the front and move the front to the rear cause I put discs on the rear and the 14" spare won't fit there anymore phone calls. Oh, you have to find the lug bolts too. Yes honey, lug bolts, not nuts, well they're like nuts, but longer,,,

[stevegibb]

Ben -- you summarize it perfectly. After what I think was a bad gas/fuel filter clog breakdown on way home from camping last weekend I'm as frustrated as ever/pondering small claims court even tho I'm never litigious.

Urgh ! My daughter would never forgive me if we parted with it, it just keeps needing parts !

-SKG
'83 Westy "Manggo"

[[email protected]]

After having owned and sold my bus, and bought it back.. I would have to say I am nuts.. fortunatly I attempt to do all my own fixin, sparing Ben the angst, if we all could just fixed or repair a little more. We could really help Ben Chill..

As for those pushy guy's who just gotta have it, hand em the wrench and hang the gone fishing sign..
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2001 eurovn weekender 207k fresh batteries

[GBA 88West LA]

Ben we love you too. ..sounds like you need more beer & sleep ,,,remember its not greener on the other side of that hill just same old grass on both sides
the work you do is outstanding, if it was easy every hack could do what you do...you are standing on the shoulders of giants my friend...
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88 Westy GL Vanaru 07 2.5 EJ25/AA Trans/oiling plates, 1.14 3rd-.77-4th..solar powered cabin