1991 Multivan TDI build

[Farfromslow]

What is this trim shine product your using? We got pretty beat up here in Brewster with storm to, we suffered some serious tree damage to our boat, hopefully you guys made out better.

[Multiman mv]

[Multiman mv]

[Multiman mv]

I replaced my old stock shift knob with a new leather wrapped knob from T3 Tenchnique. It does have a nice, leather wrap around the outside and nice stitching at the seam. A little touch of class up front to match the leather recaros that I plan on adding in the near future.

[Multiman mv]

Roads were free of salt and we have been “vanning” around the island quite a bit lately. Last Sunday we had a great time on the beach, enjoying the unseasonably warm temperatures. Good old New England threw us a late season curve ball. Power has been out for almost 24 hours on our end of the island. Guess I’ll just have to put the van into dry dock until after the next big rain. Can’t wait for the street sweepers to show up in April.

[Multiman mv]

Before the storm I had the opportunity to complete a small project. I finally got around to replacing the original single nozzle windshield sprayers with dual nozzle sprayers from Gowesty. From what I could gather, my old sprayers were original to the van and I was amazed at how there was barely enough slack in the original tubing to get the old ones off and the new ones on. I had to cut the old tubes below the original sprayers in order to get the new ones on. I attempted to heat up the tubing but it had been heated before and became brittle when attempting to do it a second time. I was lucky not to have lost the tubing down in the hole. I had just enough room to attach a pair of needle nose vise grips to the tubing (ever so gently) so as not to lose the tubing. I had to heat the non brittle section of tubing up carefully with a torch in order to get the new ones on. I made a little heat shield out of some scrap sheet metal so I didn’t do anything stupid like melt my windshield gasket or torch my paint.

I have to say that I’m loving the action of the dual nozzles though it must have taken me 20 attempts with a pin, making micro adjustments of the nozzles to get them properly aimed. Well worth the effort though. Now I just have to repaint my van so I don’t see the outlines to the original nozzle bases.

[Multiman mv]

I’m not sure I’ve posted a close up of my solar setup before. I have a small Gary Lee luggage rack running lengthwise mounted on Yakima bars and I’ve mounted a 100 watt flexible panel to the underside of the rack with zip ties. The set up works well. Of course the panel does get shaded out when the rack is loaded but I find that I mostly need the power from the panel when my van is parked and we are unpacked and setup to camp. I didn’t want to penetrate my pop top just to mount a panel. I was able to route the wire through a small hole I drilled through the metal edge that holds the rear hatch gasket. I used a rubber grommet and some 5200. There is plenty of space around the rear hatch. I utilized that gap to route the wire.

[gchristensen]

Bad news about that seafoam green van in Florida... That WAS Jimmy Buffets and it suffered the ultimate vanagon disaster......it burned up and was a total loss
_________________
Joining now is our new 1982 diesel. This is an ongoing project under construction.

[Multiman mv]

[Multiman mv]

I should probably give some credit to the fine write up on Texas Vanagons where the author mounted a battery voltage display in the steering column cover. The article inspired me to find my own use for the space.

I finally got around to installing my outdoor thermometer in the steering column cover with factory cutout. I was able to find a perfect little unit that fit in the cutout with only a slight bit of filing of the edges. The unit only reads outside temps and not indoor/outdoor. I kind of like the slight retro digital look of the display. I think it fits well with my blue led dash lights. It kind brings my Vanagon closer to a late 90s early 2000 styling (or my idea of what a late 90s Vanagon would have looked like if they continued to make them for the us market.) It was a fun little project that didn’t take long to do.

Temps are dropping and they’re calling for more snow tonight on this first full day of spring! We are going to load the van and head north for a little ski trip this weekend. It should be fun.

I used the Keynice digital thermometer available on Amazon. Model number AP-185-BK US. I had to modify the steering column cover opening by about 1/16th of an inch in width and height and was able to get a nice,clean pressure fit. Also, the level of brightness of the display is perfect and doesn’t interfere with night time driving.

In case I ever want to drive my van into the center of an active volcano or molten lava field, the thermometer is capable of reading temps above 200 degrees. I think this unit is mainly used for aquariums or even greenhouses, though in the description it was also intended for use in cars.

[GreggK]

COOOOOL....

[Zeitgeist 13]

That's a really attractive gauge. If I hadn't of just bought an auto-dimming mirror with compass and outside temp readout, I'd get one of those for our EV.

Have you installed your A1 PDL kit yet?
_________________
Casey--

'89 Bluestar ALH w/12mm Waldo pump, PP764 and GT2052
'01 Weekender --> full camper
y u rune klassik?

[GreggK]

In my last van I had been using a hazard switch in my cut out. I like your idea Nick. I've been trying to think of a way to work the cruise control into the cut out but think it might be too big.

[Multiman mv]

[Multiman mv]

[GreggK]

I found that switch from a place in the UK named "VW Heritage". Its a little different than the vanagon stock switch.
I also went on Amazon and ordered one of the digital thermometers like you got. I'm sure Ill find a home for it in my dash. Thanks for the lead.

[Multiman mv]

[Multiman mv]

[Multiman mv]

I was able to tackle another project. I installed another 12 V outlet in the dash. A simple project of course but super useful as it seems these days we are always at a shortage for outlets to power our devices. I wired it to the auxiliary battery so that there is power to it at all times and not reliant on the key being in the on position or the engine running.

[GreggK]

Hey Nick,
I was wondering where you mounted your sensor for the digital thermometer?
Thanks!