Re: [T3] looking @ '72 AT Fastback FS

[Greg Merritt <gregm@vwtype3.org>]

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	I had a look at this car today.  Bummer. :(


	It's a '72 AT, and still has (well, *had*) f.i.  Jim, the 
owner got a filler neck overflow hose from you about a year ago.


	Owner was driving on the bay bridge between S.F. and Oakland, 
heard the sound of something metalish falling and dragging, then 
there was smoke, then flames by the time the Treasure Island exit was 
at hand.  For non-locals, this bridge is in two sections, each 
several miles long, with Angel and Treasure Islands in the middle. 
Loads of traffic, and you just Don't Stop in the middle of a span.


	Anyway, Caltrans personnel (folks who tend to the bridge) 
arrived quickly, and were generous with the powder chemical fire 
extinguishers.  They even sprayed the rear of the interior for good 
measure, sigh.


	The good part is that the car was a little-old-lady mobile 
when bought about 3.5 years ago, with about 60k on the clock at that 
time.  No obvious collision damage at all.  Not rusty, save for the 
chrome on at least one of the bumpers.  I'd say it's L30 B Kasan red 
based on Dave H.'s color charts, though resprayed about the same 
shade a couple of years ago.  Seats/carpet/floorpan all looked good 
at a glance.  Black upholstery, regular dash cracks.  Sapphire XV(?), 
AM/FM.  Front trunk is pretty clean, and has the original tool kit 
and jack.


	Something else to add to that "good part" is that the lining 
of the engine lid sure does seem to a good job at blocking fire. :(


	The bad part is that virtually everything plastic or rubber 
that's visible in the engine compartment is melted, cracked, or just 
gone.  The spring of the oil pressure switch is poking up through its 
burnt body, and the throttle return spring looks stretched due to the 
heat.  The thermostat (it's there, as well as stock exhaust) is 
failed in the extended, hot position -- must have burst due to the 
heat, if it was good at the time of the fire.  AT kickdown switch is 
toast, the oil breather cover is all melted in, dizzy cap is messed 
up, wire insulation is missing most places, fuel hose is burned 
open... :(


	Thing is, though, if you were looking to build an engine and 
stick it in, especially a carbed one, your major concern would 
probably just be redoing the ignition, oil sender, and reverse wires, 
and any other part of the main harness (tail lights?) that routes 
through the engine compartment.  If you wanted to stick with the 
f.i., you'd really want to go with a donor f.i. wiring harness and 
have all new f.i. components at hand.


	Overall, it almost seems not too bad -- just imaging opening 
the engine lid and torching everything you can see. :(


	I didn't talk $$$ with the owner.  If the fire incident 
didn't happen, it would probably be a car with an asking price of a 
couple of thousand, give or take.  With the fire, who knows?


	Owner has some digital shots, and will probably be posting to 
thesamba.com.  If anybody non-local wants a solid car sans engine, 
and wants me to look at anything else on it, let me know and I could 
probably make another trip.  If I were still living in the rust belt, 
I'd buy it in a heartbeat.  Somebody save this one from the crusher...

	The owner's e-mail is meilin_c@hotmail.com .

-Greg

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