i know it has been a very long time since i opened this topic. things have not gone well.
i am disabled, unemployed, chronically ill, and homeless. my 82 Westy was my home, until it died.
unfortunately, when i acquired the AAZ long block, the only place i had to work was on a dirt road behind the house of friends.
a thunderstorm with howling winds blew the tarp off the block. the cam chamber was drenched and water got into two or three cylinders.
i will not lift a finger to do anything more on that engine unless i have the use of workspace that has a roof, a solid floor, walls, and clean workbench space. i am too old and too sick to be able to cope with less.
the big sticking point now is rust. the panel behind the sliding door is rusted through. the corner panel behind it is mashed. the foot well on the driver's side is rusted through.
i have replacement metal for all of those.
the thing is, i can't do body work. i have zero experience, no body tools, and no place to work.
i have pledges for up to $10K to repair the machine, but that would have to include any transportation costs getting the body to a shop, and building an engine.
i don't know if this machine is worth saving.
does anyone have any thoughts or opinions on that?
if it is worth restoring, where can i get that done? (all the shops near here are only interested in doing insurance work)
the camper has an AAS 5 speed Diesel transmission that was overhauled by my local VW dealer 4000 miles ago. there is a Canadian high top with my name on it waiting for it up in Canada.
the hulk is sitting in eastern Connecticut about two miles from I 84, if anyone wants to see it.
i could really use some help with this.