Welcome (To The Nuts and Bolts)
Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2013 1:14 pm
A) The Welcome: Ten Years Now . . .
Let's see if it is still a viable living for me to help you learn to master your wonderful air-cooled Volkswagen heritage. This latest Volkswagen o' mine, the 1970 bus named Chloe, has reawakened the spirit of what these cars are all about in me. Might seem odd, seeing as I am steeped in them for much of my waking life, but I am continually renewed in my association with the values that made them a phenomenon in the first place. You may already be keenly aware that we are becoming a smaller tribe through each passing year. Every year, I feel a stronger sense of the mission here, to keep these cars happy, healthy, and on the road.
I dearly want to find, to hunt down, to baptize the new owners of old Volkswagens, the young, the old, men, women, bring them my way, prostelytize, refer, write down a napkin for them, my email <78vw2000@earthlink.net> and the address to this site, with a plea for them to email me, or register then PM me, "Amskeptic", so that we all can get them up to speed with clear information, competently pointed out. Can we believe that last sentence had sixteen commas? Can we find these people when their hopes are still high, so we don't have to read those painful stories about VWs burning down or throwing a connecting rod within ten days of purchase, or disastrous soul-sucking sagas at shops that sure can take their money? Can we all get involved in this outreach?
Colin
I make no apologies that I love the stock engineering best. I can back it up with 35 years of on-the-road joy. Stock engineering gives you the most civilized, reliable, and economical experience. We need to get the running Volkswagens that are left, the best original parts we can find as soon as possible for those who want to enjoy the original driving experience. That does not mean I will not work with your center-mount progressive carb, or dualing Kadrons, or Ready To Fall Off Again "performance" exhaust system, or lowered into the curb suspension. Raby engines and their attendant engineering get a free pass for the simple reason that they work and are beautifully crafted, values that are within the original Volkswagen mystique but at a higher velocity.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
B) The Nuts and Bolts:
Welcome to Itinerant Air-Cooled's tenth lap of America to help you keep your air-cooled VW in good shape.
THE WHY
There are some good reasons to consider this visit as an investment rather than an "expense". After ten years, I am newly convinced that the best mechanic to work on your beloved Volkswagen is you. Your terror and anxiety are channeled effectively towards careful, clean, thorough work, and the flood of relief when you proudly drive down the road as the master caretaker of an appreciating investment is better than any drug high.
Another advantage of the IAC day is that you are the cheapest option for any maintenance and repair that may be needed. As you become familiar with your VW, you are much more likely to do the work required in a timely fashion, without putting off the little things that can turn into big ($$) things (like the American infrastructure which could be rebuilt now providing jobs while the interests rates are laughably low). The Itinerant Air-Cooled day challenges both your mind and your stamina. Be prepared for nine hours straight.
THE WHAT
Parts needed are your sole responsibility. We can guess mightily as to what you may need, and we will, but surprises come up all the time. You may be disappointed that the lack of a part stops us dead in our tracks. I remain in a good humor however, (there are always more projects to dive into) because it is a pleasure to hand off the final reassembly to you. That is our goal, remember?
THE WHERE
Your work environment needs to be clean and organized. This is your excuse to have a full day off from yard work or shopping or schlepping the kids before our appointment date (heck take two, it's on me). Please have paper towels, suitable solvent/oil drain container, a couple of cans of carb spray available at WalMart for $2.97 a can or $4.99 at Advance or whatever. Try to rustle up a container of Valvoline DuraBlend semi-synthetic moly grease. It is the best all-purpose grease that can meet any need we have. If you are in a rain-drenched climate, please try to have a serious weather-proof alternative available. Clean out the garage and put it all in the living room, make a beautiful new friendship with a hitherto unknown neighbor, discover your skills with lean-to carpentry and tarp, whatever it takes. This will help us get to work. I do not do front wheel bearings in the rain, and you will be the sole valve adjustment mechanic if it IS SNOWING, MITCH.
PS> I will happily do test drives in howling gales however, a great opportunity for me to show you how easy it is, right, aopisa?
THE WHEN
We begin at 9:00AM with a good belt of coffee. After greeting the dog and going over the list you have prepared, we tackle the cold-required items like valve adjustments, retorques, and choke checks. If you are a neophyte, we will likely do an entire tune-up together. If you are a repeat old hand IAC Graduate Master Mechanic, we will dive into the project at hand.
Lunch is optional. If you need it, make sure you stand up for yourself. Chances are, I will make it a working lunch with more diagrams for your future reference. A PBJ is perfect.
Work must wind down by 6:00PM with the Final Invoice/Final Exam Combination BrainMelt that leaves all of us punchdrunk fatigued.
THE HOW MUCH
You will have paid your $235.00 deposit if I am standing at your door at 9:00AM. I will not be leaving your door at 7:00PM without a balance of $235.00 either in cash or with a PayPal fired off from your computer. Please don't make us wobble around town looking for an ATM at 9:00PM.
THE HENCEFORTH AND FORTHWITH
I am a consultant. You are paying for my knowledge. I could not and cannot should not and shall not accept liability for any of the work performed on your vehicle nor any incidental consequential coincidental consequent incident outsident accident coincident and subsequent to our visit. In the past ten years, we have never had to talk like that anyways.
IN CONCLUSION
Please PM me with your questions, list of concerns from most-important to least important, a run down of your skills or lack thereof, and a brief description of our work environment. Let me know what your dreams are for your Volkswagen, and pray for less attrition of these fine vehicles in the coming years.
Colin
Let's see if it is still a viable living for me to help you learn to master your wonderful air-cooled Volkswagen heritage. This latest Volkswagen o' mine, the 1970 bus named Chloe, has reawakened the spirit of what these cars are all about in me. Might seem odd, seeing as I am steeped in them for much of my waking life, but I am continually renewed in my association with the values that made them a phenomenon in the first place. You may already be keenly aware that we are becoming a smaller tribe through each passing year. Every year, I feel a stronger sense of the mission here, to keep these cars happy, healthy, and on the road.
I dearly want to find, to hunt down, to baptize the new owners of old Volkswagens, the young, the old, men, women, bring them my way, prostelytize, refer, write down a napkin for them, my email <78vw2000@earthlink.net> and the address to this site, with a plea for them to email me, or register then PM me, "Amskeptic", so that we all can get them up to speed with clear information, competently pointed out. Can we believe that last sentence had sixteen commas? Can we find these people when their hopes are still high, so we don't have to read those painful stories about VWs burning down or throwing a connecting rod within ten days of purchase, or disastrous soul-sucking sagas at shops that sure can take their money? Can we all get involved in this outreach?
Colin
I make no apologies that I love the stock engineering best. I can back it up with 35 years of on-the-road joy. Stock engineering gives you the most civilized, reliable, and economical experience. We need to get the running Volkswagens that are left, the best original parts we can find as soon as possible for those who want to enjoy the original driving experience. That does not mean I will not work with your center-mount progressive carb, or dualing Kadrons, or Ready To Fall Off Again "performance" exhaust system, or lowered into the curb suspension. Raby engines and their attendant engineering get a free pass for the simple reason that they work and are beautifully crafted, values that are within the original Volkswagen mystique but at a higher velocity.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
B) The Nuts and Bolts:
Welcome to Itinerant Air-Cooled's tenth lap of America to help you keep your air-cooled VW in good shape.
THE WHY
There are some good reasons to consider this visit as an investment rather than an "expense". After ten years, I am newly convinced that the best mechanic to work on your beloved Volkswagen is you. Your terror and anxiety are channeled effectively towards careful, clean, thorough work, and the flood of relief when you proudly drive down the road as the master caretaker of an appreciating investment is better than any drug high.
Another advantage of the IAC day is that you are the cheapest option for any maintenance and repair that may be needed. As you become familiar with your VW, you are much more likely to do the work required in a timely fashion, without putting off the little things that can turn into big ($$) things (like the American infrastructure which could be rebuilt now providing jobs while the interests rates are laughably low). The Itinerant Air-Cooled day challenges both your mind and your stamina. Be prepared for nine hours straight.
THE WHAT
Parts needed are your sole responsibility. We can guess mightily as to what you may need, and we will, but surprises come up all the time. You may be disappointed that the lack of a part stops us dead in our tracks. I remain in a good humor however, (there are always more projects to dive into) because it is a pleasure to hand off the final reassembly to you. That is our goal, remember?
THE WHERE
Your work environment needs to be clean and organized. This is your excuse to have a full day off from yard work or shopping or schlepping the kids before our appointment date (heck take two, it's on me). Please have paper towels, suitable solvent/oil drain container, a couple of cans of carb spray available at WalMart for $2.97 a can or $4.99 at Advance or whatever. Try to rustle up a container of Valvoline DuraBlend semi-synthetic moly grease. It is the best all-purpose grease that can meet any need we have. If you are in a rain-drenched climate, please try to have a serious weather-proof alternative available. Clean out the garage and put it all in the living room, make a beautiful new friendship with a hitherto unknown neighbor, discover your skills with lean-to carpentry and tarp, whatever it takes. This will help us get to work. I do not do front wheel bearings in the rain, and you will be the sole valve adjustment mechanic if it IS SNOWING, MITCH.
PS> I will happily do test drives in howling gales however, a great opportunity for me to show you how easy it is, right, aopisa?
THE WHEN
We begin at 9:00AM with a good belt of coffee. After greeting the dog and going over the list you have prepared, we tackle the cold-required items like valve adjustments, retorques, and choke checks. If you are a neophyte, we will likely do an entire tune-up together. If you are a repeat old hand IAC Graduate Master Mechanic, we will dive into the project at hand.
Lunch is optional. If you need it, make sure you stand up for yourself. Chances are, I will make it a working lunch with more diagrams for your future reference. A PBJ is perfect.
Work must wind down by 6:00PM with the Final Invoice/Final Exam Combination BrainMelt that leaves all of us punchdrunk fatigued.
THE HOW MUCH
You will have paid your $235.00 deposit if I am standing at your door at 9:00AM. I will not be leaving your door at 7:00PM without a balance of $235.00 either in cash or with a PayPal fired off from your computer. Please don't make us wobble around town looking for an ATM at 9:00PM.
THE HENCEFORTH AND FORTHWITH
I am a consultant. You are paying for my knowledge. I could not and cannot should not and shall not accept liability for any of the work performed on your vehicle nor any incidental consequential coincidental consequent incident outsident accident coincident and subsequent to our visit. In the past ten years, we have never had to talk like that anyways.
IN CONCLUSION
Please PM me with your questions, list of concerns from most-important to least important, a run down of your skills or lack thereof, and a brief description of our work environment. Let me know what your dreams are for your Volkswagen, and pray for less attrition of these fine vehicles in the coming years.
Colin