Re: Re[2]: Squareback heat exchangers?

[Theo Thepen <thepen@pi.net>]

Toby Erkson wrote:
> 
> People, if you're gonna reference something provide detail!  Theo, I don't mean
> to pick on you, but I will use your response as an example (if I make you mad
> feel free to flame me).
> 1. If "VW Scene" has gobs of ads and Pat (or whoever) had the magazine then he
> wouldn't be asking the question -- he'd be on the phone ordering parts.
> 2. The reason we buy in the US is because that's all we know since non-US
> companies rarely (I'm not saying "never") advertise in the US magazines.  I know
> England & Europe get the American periodicals but the US doesn't get the
> over-seas periodicals (I live in a major metropolitan city and I haven't found
> any in the literature arenas).  The fact that we live an ocean away from the
> motherland and our car is the less popular T3 does not help.
> 
> Please, if you would, could you provide us with some more info on the "VW Scene"
> magazine?  Is it all in German, or are we lucky enough for it to be published in
> an English version?  What is their address to order a subscription?  How much is
> it per week/month/year or whatever?
> 
> Sorry for the venting -- I just need to have details.
>      Toby Erkson
>      air_cooled_nut@pobox.com
>      modified '72 Squareback 2.0L
>      stock '75 Porsche 914 1.8L
> G'day Toby,
Don't worry I ain't gonna flame you as you're basically right (might burn ya bum though).
I wrote that message as Patrick lives in 'Suomi'. If my geographical and linguistical 
knowledge doesn't let my down that's Finland in.........Europe !!!! But what the 
heck, the internet is international ain't it. The problem however, is that 80% of 
the people on the net are based in the US and they never put down where they are. 
I've frequently seen things offered for sale on the net I would like to have, but 
almost never any reference to where they are. If I reply, it turns out they live in Upper 
Whoop Whoop, US. You're right in the sense that I maybe should have mailed it to him and 
not the whole group as you probably don't know the mag. I also wasn't picking on the US 
or US suppliers, on the contrary I've been to the states quite a lot and have always been 
surprised about :
a the number of VW's
b the state they're in
c flabbergasted at the prices (low!)
d the number of aftermarket parts available
The situation in Europe and the US are quite opposit. We have a good supply (if you know 
where to look!) of good used and NOS parts. You guys can buy things aftermarket of the 
shelve for which we spent months tracing down. Especially thing like seals, carpets and 
engine parts.
Regarding VW Scene,...sorry that's in German only. There are some quarterly compilation 
editions in Dutch and maybe in English, but I'm not sure about that. Although I'm Dutch 
and speek good German, technical German and VW German are difficult to read.
If you guys like, I can check some editions and select the adds pertaining to type 3 
parts and post them to the mailing list. I know of at least two shops in Germany that 
specialize in type 3. For the type 34 fans (the most beautiful type 3 ;) ), there are 
also two shops in Germany that have virtually everything for these cars. Better check 
your wallet as they both are darn expensive.
Another good, British, VW mag, and one you can read, is 'Volksworld'. You should be able 
to get it in the US as I've seen it in San Francisco and Los Angeles. There are also in 
most European countries clubs for aircooled VW that have type 3 parts for members and are 
very active in buying parts. The Dutch aircooled VW club has a good supply, I bought lots 
of parts there at very reasonable prices. Another source here is surprisingly VW itself. 
If you pester them enough they still have some parts. The funny thing is that some type 3 
parts are still used in modern VW's. A nice example are the springs in the window 
regulator mechanism and the piece of metal that holds the window, both rust and break so 
your window doesn't move anymore. They are still used in the Golf (Rabbit). They have to 
type in the parts number in the computer system and trace the reference(s) the computer 
gives back. The problem is that it takes them half an hour to find a $2 dollar part, thus 
they're not too eager to do this.
So Toby, I'm not mad and I hope you got some more details. As you might have read in 
Pat's reply he knows of the mag and is going to check it out (maybe on the phone ordering 
parts at this very moment).
Let me know if any of you are interested in addresses of type 3 shops in Europe or 
the address of VW Scene and Volksworld.
Cheers,
Theo
thepen@pi.net