supposed Turbo Diesel sighting in Miami!!

[shanebo]

Ok...Im really really leary of even posting this but here it goes...A girl I know that lives in New Mexico rescently took a trip to Florida for a few weeks...Ive known her and her family since I was a kid and She is well aware of how much of an eagle fan I am...She was telling me about her trip and casually mentioned to me she saw an eagle in Miami that looked alot like the one I just bought except it had black trim instead of bronze and said "turbo diesel or something" on the side... :oI about lost my mind...I was like a hostile police interogator ruthlessly pumping her for more information!!!...All she could tell me was supposedly it was on NW 12th ave near the University of Miami Hospital.

If anyone lives in that area PLEASE keep your eye out!!!

Im trying to think of any other station wagon  that remotly resembles and Eagle that could have had a large turbo Diesel decal on the side...a volkswagon or mercedes possibly??? She DOES NOT know cars so this is my theory.

[maddog]

if she really did see a turbo diesel eagle then would make it three left known to still exist.

[shanebo]

Does anyone know a rough estimate on how many of these things were actually sold...Ive heard everwhere from only 3 to as many as 12 from different sources.

[IowaEagle]

I am thinking 5, maybe 7 were converted.   Did you  show her the picture of the one from the ad we have here, or Rich's?

[rollguy]

Maybe this will jog her memory:

[shanebo]

Ill Email her this picture this morning...We'll see what she says...Im still awful suspicious that it was another type of car, or even maybe a copy cat paint job. Ill keep everyone her posted...Ill let ya know what she says

[ericarmstrong]

This is exciting

[Mavericke]

Nice! It reminds me of one of those stories though about the legendary fish in the lake that the old man has been trying to catch for years and no one has any proof it exists, but everyone has a story about it, LOL! Not saying you're story isn't true. Just what the Turbo Diesel reminds me of.

Has anyone tried converting one on their own? Do we know what Turbo-D was used and all that Jazz? I'm sure it's posted somewhere, but I think it'd be cool to make a replica... though I really hate the lettering on the side, lol! I just like what's inside! Muahaha!

[rollguy]

Has anyone tried converting one on their own? Do we know what Turbo-D was used and all that Jazz? I'm sure it's posted somewhere, but I think it'd be cool to make a replica... though I really hate the lettering on the side, lol! I just like what's inside! Muahaha!

The engine was made by VM Motori in Italy.   I heard that UPS was given about 100 of these engines back in the 90's for testing in their trucks.  UPS did not contract with VM, but went elsewhere for their Diesel engines because the VM was problematic.  There may be a few of these around that are still in usable condition.
The problem with making a replica would be the custom parts needed to make the engine work.  The oil pan, trans adapter, flywheel, thermostat housing, throttle linkage, wire harness, and motor mounts are all custom fabricated (very well I might add), and would be very difficult to reproduce without the existing pieces to copy from.

[shanebo]

I just got an e-mail back from Jess. She says shes pretty sure thats it...Im still leary though...cuz like I said shes not a car person at all. However its the writing on the door that she recognizes. I cant really think of any other car that had anything like that on the lower door panel...I saw an 80's vw wagon once that was a diesel and it did have a big diesel decal on the door similar in size to the Eagle.

Its not impossible but the chances are slim....very slim that what she saw was indeed a genuine eagle TDI. If there were seven actually converted 2 are here and  one was supposedly spotted in a junk yard in california. that leaves only 4 unaccounted  for.

Lets keep our fingers crossed!!

[Mavericke]

Going to shoot you a PM, rollguy... not that I could start a project like this any time in the next year, but it's a fun thought to play with. Even if we didn't go with original... I wonder if we could find a small Cummins to fit in there and fabricate everything like we have to do with everything else, lol!

Shanebo, I agree... chances are slim at best - BUT, you never know man. I don't of any other T-Diesel that's stamped like that, but then again when it comes to cars outside of the "Eagle" models... I'm not too knowledgable. I sure hope thats what she saw. Hopefully our Florida chapter will keep a good eye out for it even if it is a needle in a haystack.... at least it'd be a dimly glowing needle, lol!

[shanebo]

I was realy hesitant about even posting about this...because it is so unlikely...But, If it really is out there, members in that area can keep their eyes peeled....Maybe we'll luck out and it will show up on the Miami Craigslist.

Did yours run when you got it Rollguy?

[rollguy]

Did yours run when you got it Rollguy?

Yes, but not very well, and had no oil pressure.

[shanebo]

Do we have any nest members in the Miami area?