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-   -   Portland OR VW shop/retail? (http://www.autobanter.com/showthread.php?t=438099)

[email protected] March 1st 17 10:14 PM

Portland OR VW shop/retail?
 
On Wednesday, December 15, 1999 at 12:00:00 AM UTC-8, Air-Cooled wrote:
> Always V-dub isn't there anymore, they moved out to 54th (or so says the
> sign). I just discovered this to my horror two weeks ago. Wound up going
> to Halsey, which almost always has what I want in stock. I haven't been out
> to the new place yet. And Jenn, you were right about those two places in
> Vancouver. Haven't been to either in years. Used to live up in
> Battleground, and always used Unlimited. Don't know how I could have
> forgotten them. On a related subject, someone once told me there was a
> place out past the airport that had a bunch of busses and bus stuff. Any
> truth to that, and if so, where is it? Last, but not least, Frank and Lori
> (the poor saps who started this whole mess, I mean thread) If you're ever
> looking for someone to rebuild your engine, don't use Ross Graves. He goes
> around to all the other mechanics, buys the parts they pull out of dead
> engines, and sorts through them until he finds useable stuff, slaps the
> engine together, and tells you to use 20-50 oil. Strange, but true.
>
> --
> --Glenn Roesener
> Air-cooled, as God intended
>
> Tony W > wrote in message
> ...
> > I forgot always V-Dub off Union Av.
> >
> > Tony
> >
> > Jenn wrote in message >...
> > >In Vancouver, there are two places that sell parts.
> > >
> > >AutoSport seems to be the one you're thinking of, it's on Highway 99, a

> bit
> > >past 72nd, though, I'm thinking it's around 82nd.
> > >
> > >Unlimited V-Dub is offa SR 500 (off of I-205), their prices tend to be a

> > bit
> > >higher, but they have a lot more o.e.m. stuff...
> > >
> > >Jenn
> >
> > >http://www.geocities.com/audacity242e


I realize this thread is totally ancient, but do know that Ross DID DO some pretty good work out of his shop years ago. He used an abundance of discretion when qualifying parts for rebuilds, and didn't just "slap" anything together. I worked for him on and off for about eight years, built hundreds of engines with him (I did top end), and I personally saw THREE of my engines come back that were faulty due to my work. Ross did great work on the cases, sure, he bent the rules, got creative, and even did some crazy (genius?) tricks that worked, most people would not approve...but I never saw that stuff come back either. And, he/we threw out WAY MORE borderline cases/heads/valves/etc. than we re-used. and most of his parts came in from people bringing in their cores right there where we'd drop their engines and figure things out. Ross was a hard worker (he required six day work week from us), and definitely cared about people and quality...but if you came in blazin'and blamin' him because you fried a valve or whatever? Ross had a seriously short-fuse temper. And WTF is wrong with 20-50? Castrol to be exact. Nothing.

And one more thing on builds. Ross required his top end guys to do everything by hand, like lapping valves, cylinders, etc. And he'd double/triple/quadruple check their work. The lazy *******s who worked for h im caused him much trouble by doing everything with power tools when he wasn't looking, or not really doing the work right AT ALL! They are the ones who had engines come back. Okay, one last thing. Ross' prices? Were killer! Most of the reason people (competition) talked **** about his work is that he could do it for so cheap! He paid top end guy 100-150 which took a very full day work, and sometimes a day and a half. Of course, some salvage parts off core, but you could get a decent engine off him for 300-400 bucks. And what's absolutely HILARIOUS is that all the other folks mentioned to "go to" in this thread, all bought engines off ROSS GRAVES when they couldn't produce one themselves, or needed something right away. And he did tough fixes and adapts for them as well. LofknLLL!

Ross was and is a good guy with a gold heart and a short temper. He disappeared with his cat, "The Bum" back maybe 16 or so years ago...both at the wheel of a packed semi truck. They disappeared into the land of Arizona owing me a thousand bucks - the money I handed them to get themeew there. I have no doubt I'll see that money again, but have no clue how to find him. Will report when that day comes.

Good Day,

Lake Li Sun


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