Almost 30 years ago! He had lock-ups and garages all over Birmingham stuffed with parts. He was OK. He must be getting on a bit by now, I reckon he had a good 10-15 years on me and I'm in my 60's.
Reason I ask is he is on Facebook, and says he has 75% of the parts. So I checked out google, and wasn't really impressed enough to send him wads of cash. So i might try nearer home for the parts first.
You'd probably want to inspect, I actually went there and we bobbed about between his parts stashes so I could get good "whatever it was "s. H did have a lot of poor condition stuff too.
Obviously inspection is a non runner for me, as I am here in Ireland, and he is based in the UK as far as I know. But I have a few irons in the fire here anyway. I do have a 1600 engine that came out of a bay that needs rebuilding, if all else fails. But I'll get the body right first.
Usually if I find myself buying odds and sods like the fan, tinware and even heat exchangers via Ebay and haven't had a problem, but I wouldn't buy precision engine parts there. You just have to keep an eye out, a quick look sees a fan for £90 odd and a fan housing described as for a bay but not (no heater outlets) for £150. Outrageous. Keep your eye out and you'd get those for £25 each. Long game for the win. Same with the tins, occasionally you'll see pretty well complete sets for £100-£150. I just look for fun. I missed a pair of unused big valve heads cut for the barrel size I would want a few years ago from a known seller. I ummed and ahhhed because I didn't really need them. Now they are 5x the price. That sort of thing keeps me looking.
True enough. As I am in no rush, I have all the time in the world to buy wisely. I have a good few contacts in the vw scene here, so I dont foresee a problem in getting what I need. I already have some contacts to see this weekend, so I am hopeful that I will get put onto the right track. At least now , thanks to latebay.com I know better what I am looking for. Prior to that I was pulling the last of my hair out
Great source of information and pictures as well thats right on topic, https://ratwell.com/dotmac/Sites/78_Westy/PhotoAlbum9.html
There was a time when Ratwell was pretty much the only source for type-4 info. He used to scour the forums threatening people who pinched his photos even if they also directed to his site. He put a lot into his site so I get that, I think he's given up trying to protect it now the web has evolved into such a free-for-all.
Oops....i never knew that, sorry. If the mods need to remove it I understand. Looks like a good source of info for sure. Every day is a school day
He'd be very happy with a link to his site as you have done I think, if he still gives a monkeys. What he didn't want was people taking his content and posting it elsewhere.
Just wanted ask, is this the correct shroud i have been offered. Is there additional alternator mountings that i need.
Looks ok but that alternator bracket is about 1/3 as long as it should be, it bends downwards and bolts to the heat exchanger
I don't know about the casting number but that looks right to me. The bottom alternator mount it there, enough of the top one to "work" but it should continue on and bolt to the heat exchanger. Flakey beat me to it.
Good start for the weekend so. The brackets, once i know what they look like and where they bolt to, I can always make them if i have to. Is the alternator totally different to the one I have already thats fitted to the T 25 shroud i have. I will post up a pic later. Thanks gents.
This is what I have, not sure what its off, but according to the previous owner it was on the engine.
If it has a Bosch number somewhere you could google it, but it's going to come up T25. I don't think you could use it, of course where there's a will there might be a way. A T2 one... if they span it round 135 degs clockwise on it's axis it would be the right way round.
Perfect, thats all i need to know. I dont want to be messing around with paper weights. I done the deal for the shroud so pick taht up tomorrow. Luvvly jubbly.