'69 Squareback update

[Greg Merritt <gregm@umich.edu>]

                            '69 Squareback update
                                     or
                             "Grammy's Revenge"

Hi all,

	as many of you know, our "new" '69 Squareback had a serious engine
failure an hour into its (very) long journey from L.A. to Michigan.  Dad
was headed up a steep grade with high temperatures outside, and he lost
power w/ oil spewing forth from all parts of the engine.

	We were able to have the car (54k miles, fuel injection, fully
automatic transmission) towed on a trailer (free :) to their home outside
of Phoenix.  Thanks to the recommendation of AZ locals Steven Ayres, Rusty
van Bondo and (of course!) Uncle Jerry Jess, the Squareback was taken to
Carroll's Foreign Cars in Glendale.

	Diagnosis?  Hole in piston.  Ugh.  The folks at Carroll's have been
really great with my folks in person & with me via fax & over the phone.
The folks there are clearly knowledgeable about VWs, and even Type
IIIs---and even the automatic transmission!  Cool.  Bill, the manager
there, insisted that I feel free to send down any part that I already had
or could get cheaper than his quoted price.  Excellent!

	When it's all said & done, the Squareback (originally named
"Grammy's Cruiser" by the first owner's grandkids, and aptly re-named
"Grammy's Revenge" by Bill C.) will get:

	o  rebuilt engine (align bore, new P&C's, etc.) w/ new heads
	o  engine balance, flex plate to pulley
	o  Berg full-flow oil filter w/ pressure relief cover
	o  powder coating on virtually every piece of powder-coatable steel
engine accessory (tin, intake runners, oil sump plate, valve covers...) at
60% gloss black, which is supposed to be the finish which best matches the
stock black paint
	o  a NOS stock muffler, damper & tip
	o  new KYB GR-2 shocks
	o  a complete thermostat & warm-up flap system :)
	o  various odds & ends (rubber bits, etc.)

	As you can see, the philosophy is not to build a bigger engine, but
perhaps a slightly *better* and more durable one.  Cleaner oil, smoother
running, less corrosion in this harsh environment.

	I'm bummed that I didn't have the time to pop down to the Sonoran
desert to do as much work as possible myself, but, alas, that is the case.
Seems like we're in good hands with the folks at Carroll's, and I've let
them know that Steven, Rusty (Jim) and Uncle Jerry said that we can expect
first-class work from them. :)  Total damage is expected to hit just around
the $2k mark--perhaps a tad under w/ the various parts I already had
[shocks, warm-up flaps, etc.] & shipped down there.  Taken as a whole, and
considering we're somewhat at their mercy, :)  it seems to be fairly
reasonable overall.

	The engine was getting yanked on Thursday.  With the balancing &
powder coating to be farmed out, the job should get wrapped up in the next
couple of weeks.  My folks were going to drive the car up to Michigan, but
it really looks like having it sent by truck will be the most sensible way
to do it.  Hope to lay eyes on it before the end of September. :)

	Thanks to all who offered advice!  You can be sure to hear a full &
final report when I finally take Grammy's Revenge on my first test drive.
(Oh--and you can be sure we'll be renaming it.:)

-Greg
'69 & '71 Squarebacks
'63 Beetle