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djkeev
Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007
Posts: 32632
Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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Abscate
Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2014
Posts: 22670
Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
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 Posted: Sun Dec 11, 2016 4:28 pm Post subject: Re: Photos not Vanagon but be careful Folks! |
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I think I just died a little bit inside....
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.ssS! |
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dhaavers
Samba Member
Joined: March 19, 2010
Posts: 7757
Location: NE MN (tinyurl.com/dhaaverslocation)
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| Posted: Sun Dec 11, 2016 4:29 pm Post subject: Re: Photos not Vanagon but be careful Folks! |
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Ugh. Sickening. Hope there's good insurance on all that...
So, what sort of heater was he using?
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86 White Wolfsburg Westy Weekender
"The WonderVan"
<EDITED TO PROTECT INNOCENT PIXELS> |
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JudoJeff
Samba Member
Joined: May 24, 2013
Posts: 1179
Location: Near Springfield, MA
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| Posted: Sun Dec 11, 2016 4:34 pm Post subject: Re: Photos not Vanagon but be careful Folks! |
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I feel his pain, sorry this happened.
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________________________________________
1989 Vanagon GL Westfalia Camper, Burned up on 7/31/16.
1987 Vanagon GL Westfalia Camper, Bostig & Rebuilt, sold
1986 Vanagon GL Westfalia Camper, Bostig Sold May 10, 2021
1999 Ford GTRV Westfalia camper (30% bigger Westy layout) |
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djkeev
Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007
Posts: 32632
Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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AndyBees
Samba Member
Joined: January 31, 2008
Posts: 2332
Location: Southeast Kentucky
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| Posted: Sun Dec 11, 2016 4:39 pm Post subject: Re: Photos not Vanagon but be careful Folks! |
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Our house has a two car garage... For that very reason, we've never parked a vehicle of any kind inside of it. We moved into the brand new home on December 27, 1992. And, until the day I die, there will never be a car put in the garage, period!
Sorry to see such a horrible loss!
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'84 Vanagon Tin-top, ALH TDI. 1989 Tin-top
1983 Air-cool, 225k miles, 180k miles mine. Seven trips to Alaska from 1986 thru 2003. |
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levi
Samba Member
Joined: February 11, 2005
Posts: 5522
Location: Las Vegas
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| Posted: Sun Dec 11, 2016 4:45 pm Post subject: Re: Photos not Vanagon but be careful Folks! |
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| Abscate wrote: |
I think I just died a little bit inside....
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Times 2.
Insurance money is just money, can't really replace that.
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One of these days I'm gonna settle down,
but till I do I won't be hangin round.
Going down that long lonesome highway,
gonna see life my way
https://youtu.be/cSrL0BXsO40 |
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Terry Kay
Banned
Joined: June 22, 2003
Posts: 13331
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| Posted: Sun Dec 11, 2016 4:49 pm Post subject: Re: Photos not Vanagon but be careful Folks! |
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Oh man, what a bad deal.
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T.K. |
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vw4life
Samba Member
Joined: May 22, 2005
Posts: 144
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| Posted: Sun Dec 11, 2016 5:22 pm Post subject: Re: Photos not Vanagon but be careful Folks! |
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| Abscate wrote: |
I think I just died a little bit inside....
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Totally agree! Can't imagine.
Sorry for his loss that really sucks |
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Zeitgeist 13
Samba Member
Joined: March 05, 2009
Posts: 12115
Location: Port Manteau
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| Posted: Sun Dec 11, 2016 5:30 pm Post subject: Re: Photos not Vanagon but be careful Folks! |
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| Every time an offbrand engine is crammed into a VW, I feel the exact same way. |
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llilibel03
Samba Member
Joined: February 03, 2008
Posts: 767
Location: Redondo Beach California
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| Posted: Sun Dec 11, 2016 5:34 pm Post subject: Re: Photos not Vanagon but be careful Folks! |
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| Not just a personal loss, but a loss for humanity. There's just not many left... |
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Wellington
Samba Member
Joined: September 21, 2004
Posts: 1890
Location: Montreal
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| Posted: Sun Dec 11, 2016 5:55 pm Post subject: Re: Photos not Vanagon but be careful Folks! |
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Yes, he was insured.......
Money can't buy you the happiness you have, wrenching on your old VW. |
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Merian
Samba Member
Joined: January 04, 2014
Posts: 5212
Location: Orygun
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| Posted: Sun Dec 11, 2016 7:53 pm Post subject: Re: Photos not Vanagon but be careful Folks! |
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I predict a fight with the Insurance Co. over the value of that Samba
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.... |
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RainierSyncro
Samba Member
Joined: February 26, 2013
Posts: 809
Location: Seattle
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| Posted: Sun Dec 11, 2016 9:17 pm Post subject: Re: Photos not Vanagon but be careful Folks! |
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I feel their pain. 30 years ago, my '72 914 suffered the same fate. The fuel pump was mounted under the car to fix the vapor lock problem. Somewhere on the way home from work, the pump fell off and was dragging. Pulled into the garage and went to bed. While we were sleeping, the tank was draining out and at 5am, the furnace kicked on and BOOM! The bedrooms were above the garage and all the heater vent covers popped out of the floor. The door to the garage was pushed out the wall by a couple of inches. Anything plastic 3 feet from the ceiling melted. The fire never got beyond the garage. My dad's 924 while only 3 feet from the 914 suffered no damage other than soot smeared into the paint by firemen pushing the car outside. The '72 was replaced with a '75 which we still have.
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bluebus86
Banned
Joined: September 02, 2010
Posts: 11075
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| Posted: Sun Dec 11, 2016 9:35 pm Post subject: Re: Photos not Vanagon but be careful Folks! |
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what was the car to the right in the second photograph???
maybe if one keeps a nice car, in a garage, a sprinkler system should be installed
the other photo of the 914 is bad, but not as bad, that 914 if not repairable should at least have some salvagable parts. funny I never had a vapour lock problem in my 914, even in desert heat with stock early fuel pump location.
when it is said the pump was relocated under the car, where was it placed, not under the floor boards was it as there is very little ground clearance there????
later 914s, the last couple years I believe had the pump moved to the front trunk area. early cars had the pump under the battery area, below the engine bay, mid production cars moved the pump slightly lower, but still well above the floors. one problem with the 914 for fire was battery acid would eat thru the nylon fuel lines which were right below the battery, and battery was exposed to weather from above, so a leaky battery would have acid spill on the fuel lines when it rained, or car was washed.h
the bright side in both these garage fires is everyone got out ok, and that is more important than all the cars money can buy, so at least that part of the story is happy    , the cars however suck way too bad : 
Last edited by bluebus86 on Sun Dec 11, 2016 10:43 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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ThankYouJerry
Samba Member
Joined: September 01, 2012
Posts: 2271
Location: Shakedown Street
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| Posted: Sun Dec 11, 2016 10:13 pm Post subject: Re: Photos not Vanagon but be careful Folks! |
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Dave... posting photos like that on the Samba should get you banned for life. Ugh. All kidding aside, I'm so sorry for your friend's loss and this is a good reminder about being extra careful in the garage whether it be: heaters, battery chargers, fuel lines, and/or ??? Damn...
Bottomline is that hopefully no one got injured. Things can be replaced but people cannot.
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1990 Multivan - "Ohana"
1.8T, Auto w/3.27 R&P + Peloquin TBD |
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jimf909 
Samba Member
Joined: April 03, 2014
Posts: 7476
Location: WA/ID
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| Posted: Sun Dec 11, 2016 10:17 pm Post subject: Re: Photos not Vanagon but be careful Folks! |
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The Pacer was unscathed? There is no justice.
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- Jim
| Abscate wrote: |
Do not get killed, do not kill others.
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Current: 1990 Westy Camper - Bostig RG4, 2wd, manual trans w/Peloquin, NAHT high-top, 280 ah LFP battery, 160 watts solar, Flash Silver, seam rust, bondo, etc., etc.
Past: 1985 Westy Camper - 1.9 wbx, 2wd, manual trans, Merian Brown, (sold after 17 years to Northwesty who converted it to a Syncro). |
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RainierSyncro
Samba Member
Joined: February 26, 2013
Posts: 809
Location: Seattle
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| Posted: Sun Dec 11, 2016 11:14 pm Post subject: Re: Photos not Vanagon but be careful Folks! |
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| Bluebus86 - This 914 had vapor lock all the time when the temps got into the 80's and we were driving long distances. The pump was mounted under the car on the right side of the engine. It was a mod that others did, so it was done with this car. After the fire, we found the pump hanging off the car nice and toasted. It had scrape marks from dragging. It may have hung low enough to pull one of the fuel lines loose when driving into the garage. The car was serviced days ago with a new fuel filter added which required unbolting the pump to be able to swap the filter. We think they didn't bolt it back on, or didn't tighten it up properly. Got the money from the insurance, bought the '75 and never went back to that shop again. |
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bluebus86
Banned
Joined: September 02, 2010
Posts: 11075
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| Posted: Sun Dec 11, 2016 11:43 pm Post subject: Re: Photos not Vanagon but be careful Folks! |
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| RainierSyncro wrote: |
| Bluebus86 - This 914 had vapor lock all the time when the temps got into the 80's and we were driving long distances. The pump was mounted under the car on the right side of the engine. It was a mod that others did, so it was done with this car. After the fire, we found the pump hanging off the car nice and toasted. It had scrape marks from dragging. It may have hung low enough to pull one of the fuel lines loose when driving into the garage. The car was serviced days ago with a new fuel filter added which required unbolting the pump to be able to swap the filter. We think they didn't bolt it back on, or didn't tighten it up properly. Got the money from the insurance, bought the '75 and never went back to that shop again. |
that is a real shame. circumstantail evidence points to the shop messing up the pump reinstall. I currently have a couple 72 914s and a non runner 70. the pump in the early cars was mointed higher up, then maybe in 73 or 74 they lowered it a bit to get it more cooling air, but still well above the floor boards, finally in 75 I think it went in the frunk (in a twin trunk car like the 914 me and my friends refer to the front trunk as frunk and rear trunk as runk!!!!) some folks aslo add a hose to the heater box on the passenger side to direct the dumped heater air out away from the pump area. again I never had a vapour lockmissue, but have heard of it plenty of times.
one things for sure, these cars handle really nice.
glad you recovered finacially and replaced the 914 with another. it is amazing how they have increased in value over the years.
I lost one aboit 13 or so years ago while waiting at a red light. Ford Explorer rear ended me, bent the car, roof no longer fit!!! got a replacment and put all my good suspension in it, then swapped out a bigger motor, and eventually built it up to 2.1 liter. use it as acommuter, and even have gone on camping treks in it, great on windy roads. but now days it is a bit scarey on the commute, specialy in silicon valley where fhe traffic is horrible and everyone is distracted with electronics, jerks tailgate, roll stops signs etc... no one is carefull anymore, I dont want to get hurt again. some times I wish I had a 1970 four door LTD or some other monster boat of a car. But i really love them little cars (I like my vanagon too)
glad no one was hurt in the garage fire.
you know a sprinker system should not be too hard to install, it is required in many commerical parking garages. most home attached garages have a water supply, so get some pipes, mount on ceiing and some sprinkler heads with the fusable link. shouldnt be too expensive if you do it yourself. it may not save the car from damage, but can prevent thr fires spread or give valuable extra time for escape. when i was a kid, a friends dad was horribly burned when he was working on the fuel system on his station wagon, fuel spilled and the water heater ignited it.
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Help Prevent VW Engine Fires, see this link.....Engine safety wire information
Stop introducing dirt into your oil when adjusting valves ... https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=683022 |
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my59
Samba Member
Joined: August 13, 2003
Posts: 3793
Location: connecting the dots
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| Posted: Mon Dec 12, 2016 3:31 am Post subject: Re: Photos not Vanagon but be careful Folks! |
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| Merian wrote: |
| I predict a fight with the Insurance Co. over the value of that Samba |
Questions like what was the push mower doing on the roof come to mind.
I cannot imagine why anyone would locate their furnace or hot water heater in the garage....
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my59: Well son, my grandfather died before I got to drive it, so does that answer your question?
our79: sunroof bus w/camper interior and 2.0 FI
Other:'12 Jetta, '77 Benz 300D, and a 74 MG Midget. |
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