I actually parked next to an 82 Vanagon diesel today at Home Depot. When I
got back out the owner was getting back into his van. We started chatting as
I claimed that I thought I and one of the last vans left in PA. :)  He said
he had 5 of them, including a Westy Syncro. I asked if he was on the Vanagon
list and he told me no. He says his father was one of the first VW mechanics
in the US and he was also a mechanic that did all his own work.  He says he
still hangs out with a bunch of the older German mechanics (he was German
too) and has a large supply of parts squirreled away. He had never heard of
most names of list members with parts that I mentioned.  He also lives 2
miles from me.  So, 2 miles from me is a cornucopia of German mechanics and
parts hidden in the woods somewhere.

Anyway, he told me I had a special sticker (no longer readable) on the side
of the van next to the gas tank that he claims is from Germany and means my
van was driven in Germany at one time then was exported. Is this correct?

Thanks,
Bryan