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Welcome To The 2018 Itinerary Lap

Posted: Sat Feb 10, 2018 7:57 pm
by Amskeptic
Welcome to Itinerant Air-Cooled's sixteenth lap of America to help you keep your air-cooled VW alive.

It will be helpful to follow the instructions so we can catch the myriad of amazing errors that you all have proffered over the years. A couple of points right here that may be repeated further below.

a) if we met on theSamba, please PM provide your Samba username and your real name and your IAC username to help me synchronize our earlier correspondences!
All future correspondence must occur via PM here. No more change of plans hidden in the Preliminary Interest Gauge thread, or email or wherever else we may meet across the internet.

b) You MUST provide your user name, your real name, your address, your contact number on your PayPal deposit in the comment box. It is my free "cloud storage" of your information should my laptop decide to kick the bucket.


WHY THIS APPOINTMENT IS GOOD FOR YOUR VOLKSWAGEN
This visit is an investment, not an "expense". The best mechanic to work on your beloved Volkswagen is you. My goal is to make you the final authority, the best caretaker of your Volkswagen.

You are the cheapest maintenance/repair for your car. 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. And that is the most critical reason that this appointment is good for you and your Volkswagen. The little things, the little things, the little stupid oversights that kill these cars every day, like the substandard fuel hose on the expensive engine overhaul you paid good money for .... we've seen it, haven't we, Jivermo? Or the incorrectly assembled rocker assembly, or the vacuum hoses that went to the wrong destinations, on and on.

THE WHAT
We need you to answer the following questions in a PM:

a) year and model of Volkswagen, any modifications?
b) List of Concerns from most-important to least-important
(every one of them, we'll edit later).
c) rundown of your mechanical aptitude, things you'd like to learn.
d) work environment, either rain-proof or plan b for a rainy day.
e) is this a Road Warrior or a weekend putterer? What are your dreams and hopes for this car?

Guestimated parts need to be at your house before I get there. We will guess mightily as to what you may need, but we could get caught by surprises. You may be disappointed that some 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 yardwork or shopping or schlepping the kids before our appointment date (heck, take two, it's on me).
Please have paper towels, a suitable solvent/oil drain container, a couple of cans of GumOut carb spray
(that's GumOut, not Berrymans or ChemTool or the other formulations that strip paint)
still available at WalMart for $2.97 a can or $4.99 at Advance or whatever.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Gumout-Carb- ... W/17128883

Google search Valvoline DuraBlend semi-synthetic molybdenum disulfide grease. Punch in your location and take it from there.

https://www.valvoline.com/our-products/ ... nd-grease


We want a tub of grease for front wheel bearings, buy two if we are doing CVs. Add to that a cartridge of the same stuff for full-size grease gun so we can do front suspension/center pin and even ball joints if you have custom-installed zerk fittings on your ball joints.
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. 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, just ask whc03grady.

THE WHEN
We begin at 9:00AM coffee, paper, pen. Real paper 81/2" x11" NOT a page from your little log book!
We will then tackle the cold-required items like valve adjustments, retorques, and choke checks. If you are a neophyte, let's 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 usually a working lunch with morning review and more diagrams for your future reference.
Work must wind down by 6:00PM. Final Invoice/Final Exam needs to be wrapped no later than 7:00PM.

THE HOW MUCH
3/23/18 *Price Increase!* Good grief! We have inflation! down here at daily expenses level, and questions about fuel costs going up over the summer. Prices are now back up to 2017 level!

As per theSamba classified ad:
Nationwide Air-Cooled VW Consultant
Price : $320 for a 4.5 hr Half Day : $590 Full Day

You will have paid your $295.00 ($160.00 half day) deposit if I am standing at your door at 9:00AM.

You send in your PayPal deposit to:

< 78vw2000@earthlink.net >

heed the below warning:

In the comment box of your PayPal payment window, you SHALL provide your username, real name, address, phone number.

I will not be leaving your door at 7:00PM without a balance of $295.00 ($160.00 half day).
I strongly suggest cash for the balance. PayPal fired off from your computer, is a poor second option if some dreadfully good reason comes up.
Do NOT make us wander around town looking for an ATM at 9:00PM.

THE HENCEFORTH AND FORTHWITH
I am a consultant. You are paying for my knowledge. If I pick up a tool, it is to hand it to you. 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 either presequent or subsequent to our visit.
Note that we interact with chemicals and materials "known to the state of California to cause cancer and hideous birth defects".

IN CONCLUSION
These cars are getting more worn in the deep ways each year we progress into the future. It does not matter if you have a stunning garage queen with 40 coats of gorgeous lacquer, or a patina-riddled primer princess, the deep parts like crankcases and transaxle castings and wheel bearing housings are all getting more and more worn. The difficult-to-find parts are also wearing out inexorably. Our day shall include a review of the ways for you to slow the deterioration.
We shall all more fervently pray for less attrition of these fine vehicles in the coming years.
Check your fuel hoses (or we you I will), stay out of stupid accidents (you can see the morons coming in most cases if you pay attention), and gracefully accept my greatest gift, a driving lesson that helps keep your VW happy.
Colin

Re: Welcome To The 2018 Itinerary Lap

Posted: Sat Feb 10, 2018 10:39 pm
by wcfvw69
I'm looking forward as always to seeing your updates as you tour starts and progresses. I always appreciate and admire your photos, your writing of the tour and the success stories of your work with your happy clients. Bonus points are awarded when you disassemble and do preventative maintenance work in a field or behind an abandoned Sears location.

If I may, it "felt" like there were not the usual amount of updates, roadside services of the bus you're running nor many pictures of the work being done on the clients visits last year. I will be so bold as to lay the vast amount of blame on your clients for not taking a moment to post of their experiences.

I happened to talk to and catch up with Robbie today. He's going on a road/business trip in his bus back east when the weather warms. I let him know us less adventurous, 9-5 working stiffs on the interweb enjoy road trip photo's, write ups and pictures of our beloved VW's out on the open road.

Have you made the decision of which bus you will be using? While I don't have a need for a visit this year, Eva and I would love to throw a steak on the BBQ for ya if you're in the area.

Re: Welcome To The 2018 Itinerary Lap

Posted: Sun Feb 11, 2018 6:28 pm
by Amskeptic
wcfvw69 wrote:
Sat Feb 10, 2018 10:39 pm
If I may, it "felt" like there were not the usual amount of updates, roadside services of the bus you're running nor many pictures of the work being done on the clients visits last year.

* Eva and I would love to throw a steak on the BBQ for ya if you're in the area.

Well, let's look:

A DECADE AGO
2007 Itinerary Schedule no. of views 29,210

2007 Itinerary no. of topics......................... 37
2007 Itinerary no. of posts........................ 549
2007 average reads per topic................ 4,770


**********************************************

2016 Welcome To The Itinerary views 3,351
2016 Itinerary Schedule no. of views 22,155

2016 Itinerary no. of topics......................... 63
2016 Itinerary no. of posts..................... 1,132
2016 average reads per topic................ 2,328

**********************************************

2017 Welcome To The Itinerary views 1,266 ( -63% )
2017 Itinerary Schedule no. of views 11,283 ( -49% )

2017 Itinerary no. of topics......................... 47 ( - 26% )
2017 Itinerary no. of posts........................ 991 ( - 13% )
2017 average reads per topic................ 1,908 ( - 18% )

***********************************************

There is a synergy, like a comedy club, where audience numbers help the performing artist.

* After all of this math . . . I'm starving for a Phoenix Barbecue.
Colin

Re: Welcome To The 2018 Itinerary Lap

Posted: Mon Feb 12, 2018 1:01 am
by asiab3
At least a few hundred views on the older chapters are me reading about the Road Warrior.

As always, I'll continue to write and post about whatever experience we have, be it a full-on work day, me auditing someone else in the name of pedagogy, or us drooling on marshmallows until 3am.

Robbie

Re: Welcome To The 2018 Itinerary Lap

Posted: Mon Feb 12, 2018 6:34 am
by Mr Blotto
Whenever I hired you, I felt like it was part of the "deal" to post up a synopsis of what occurred during the day - partly to give some instant feedback to potential new customers, and partly as a way for me to comprehend/remember what we accomplished. I know you can't make it mandatory for your customers to post up reviews of the day, but can you give them a gentile nudge? It helps you, it helps the customer (especially when you correct/edit their synopses), and it helps the readers learn diagnosis/repair.

Re: Welcome To The 2018 Itinerary Lap

Posted: Mon Feb 12, 2018 8:35 am
by zabo
Amskeptic wrote:There is a synergy, like a comedy club, where audience numbers help the performing artist.
Yes I think this is the main reason for people not posting more.
I know I have spent the time to document an entire trip with tons of photos and commentary only to have no one comment on it.
I deleted the topic 2 months later because it felt weird having it just hanging out there.

I havent made a post like that since.

Look here:
search.php?search_id=unanswered

Re: Welcome To The 2018 Itinerary Lap

Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2018 11:01 am
by Amskeptic
zabo wrote:
Mon Feb 12, 2018 8:35 am
Amskeptic wrote:There is a synergy, like a comedy club, where audience numbers help the performing artist.
Yes I think this is the main reason for people not posting more.
I know I have spent the time to document an entire trip with tons of photos and commentary only to have no one comment on it.
I deleted the topic 2 months later because it felt weird having it just hanging out there.

I havent made a post like that since.

Look here:
search.php?search_id=unanswered
Some people just do not want to muck up an outstanding example of first-class writing . . .
Randy-In-Maine got 6,500+ reads on his AFM write-up? Good enough.
I am appalled that nobody responded to my Pennsylvania post of 2013, but 4,500 views? Good enough.

I am going to read your Wall of Wallflowers later, thanks for the link. Must install my exhaust . . .
Colin

Re: Welcome To The 2018 Itinerary Lap

Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2018 3:36 pm
by airkooledchris
Mr Blotto wrote:
Mon Feb 12, 2018 6:34 am
Whenever I hired you, I felt like it was part of the "deal" to post up a synopsis of what occurred during the day - partly to give some instant feedback to potential new customers, and partly as a way for me to comprehend/remember what we accomplished. I know you can't make it mandatory for your customers to post up reviews of the day, but can you give them a gentile nudge? It helps you, it helps the customer (especially when you correct/edit their synopses), and it helps the readers learn diagnosis/repair.
I agree with this 100%. I LOVE the post-visit posts from both Colin and the visitee - get someone to help with pictures along the way. I am not great at this myself in that I usually forget to take even one picture, but I do strive to at least report back on how it went.

Re: Welcome To The 2018 Itinerary Lap

Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2018 9:56 am
by Amskeptic
airkooledchris wrote:
Wed Mar 21, 2018 3:36 pm
Mr Blotto wrote:
Mon Feb 12, 2018 6:34 am
Whenever I hired you, I felt like it was part of the "deal" to post up a synopsis of what occurred during the day - partly to give some instant feedback to potential new customers, and partly as a way for me to comprehend/remember what we accomplished. I know you can't make it mandatory for your customers to post up reviews of the day, but can you give them a gentile nudge? It helps you, it helps the customer (especially when you correct/edit their synopses), and it helps the readers learn diagnosis/repair.
I agree with this 100%. I LOVE the post-visit posts from both Colin and the visitee - get someone to help with pictures along the way. I am not great at this myself in that I usually forget to take even one picture, but I do strive to at least report back on how it went.
This 2018 Itinerary is going to have a number of assists in the way of "gentle nudges" . . .
a) a gentle nudge to keep up with your Volkswagen's upkeep - they don't make them any more!
b) a gentle nudge to participate in the community of remaining VW owners, including here.
c) a gentle nudge to indeed post of your appointment day.
d) a gentle nudge to consider how you are going to help save this terribly abused gift of participatory democracy known as these them here United States of America.
Colin

Re: Welcome To The 2018 Itinerary Lap

Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2018 7:21 pm
by Mr Blotto
I edited b) for you :joker:
Amskeptic wrote:
Fri Mar 23, 2018 9:56 am
This 2018 Itinerary is going to have a number of assists in the way of "gentle nudges" . . .
a) a gentle nudge to keep up with your Volkswagen's upkeep - they don't make them any more!
b) a gentle nudge to participate in the community of remaining VW owners and ex-owners, including here.
c) a gentle nudge to indeed post of your appointment day.
d) a gentle nudge to consider how you are going to help save this terribly abused gift of participatory democracy known as these them here United States of America.
Colin

Re: Welcome To The 2018 Itinerary Lap

Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2018 7:31 pm
by Amskeptic
Mr Blotto wrote:
Fri Mar 23, 2018 7:21 pm
I edited b) for you :joker:
b) a gentle nudge to participate in the community of remaining VW owners and ex-owners, including here.
You still looking for a Westy?
Colin

Re: Welcome To The 2018 Itinerary Lap

Posted: Mon Mar 26, 2018 7:03 am
by Mr Blotto
Amskeptic wrote:
Fri Mar 23, 2018 7:31 pm
Mr Blotto wrote:
Fri Mar 23, 2018 7:21 pm
I edited b) for you :joker:
b) a gentle nudge to participate in the community of remaining VW owners and ex-owners, including here.
You still looking for a Westy?
Colin
I am.

It is so depressing. I am going to start a new online support group for dolts that sold their bus and now want to get it back. Perhaps a manned 24-hr hotline for people on the verge of selling to call so they can be talked into keeping it. You don't know how good you have it until you are without.

I have looked at a couple in the $10-12k range, and they have been shit (glossy paint over gallons of bondo, hacked carb conversions, "customized" westfalia cabinetry, etc.).

I would long to sit in my old drivers seat with most of the horsehair gone and that broken spring that used to poke me in the ass.

Re: Welcome To The 2018 Itinerary Lap

Posted: Mon Mar 26, 2018 10:25 am
by tommu
Do you have wanted ads posted in all the forums - and on Craigslists? Seems to be an avenue to for would be sellers to reach you. It worked for me :)

Re: Welcome To The 2018 Itinerary Lap

Posted: Mon Mar 26, 2018 5:47 pm
by Amskeptic
Mr Blotto wrote:
Mon Mar 26, 2018 7:03 am
Amskeptic wrote:
Fri Mar 23, 2018 7:31 pm
You still looking for a Westy?
Colin
I am.

I would love to show some personal discipline and get rid of NaranjaWesty like I had originally planned, but my God, the numbers keep going up.

1977 VW Westy Pricing

MSRP $5,299 ...... Low ...... Average ...... High

10/28/15 ............. $6,850 ... $11,100 ... $23,200
( * that is $1,000 below my purchase price)
09/21/16 ............. $7,350 ... $12,250 ... $25,800 + 11 %

09/23/17 ............. $9,250 ... $15,300 ... $31,500 + 27 %

03/26/18 .............. $9,700 ... $16,200 ... $33,400 + 18 %

It is a better car in many ways now than it was just last fall. Fresh tires, newly painted wheels, a rescued exhaust system that can now be disassembled at will, it is getting a new late VW black face tachometer (yeah, the white plastic coffee cup lid light diffuser finally pissed me off), and though I am sorry to say good-bye to the original CV boots, they will also be replaced.

I love this car for autistic reasons, it sounds more perfectly like a late model Volkswagen bus than any other I have driven. I would want you to have it because you still have a chance to save your daughter's dreams and you clearly seem to like these cars.

I would have to say good-bye to future appreciation and lock myself into a retirement under the leaky Pulaski Skyway Bridge in New Jersey under a cardboard box instead of my planned gaudy mansion in Puerto Vallarta.
Colin

Re: Welcome To The 2018 Itinerary Lap

Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2018 8:02 am
by Mr Blotto
Amskeptic wrote:
Mon Mar 26, 2018 5:47 pm
Mr Blotto wrote:
Mon Mar 26, 2018 7:03 am
Amskeptic wrote:
Fri Mar 23, 2018 7:31 pm
You still looking for a Westy?
Colin
I am.

I would love to show some personal discipline and get rid of NaranjaWesty like I had originally planned, but my God, the numbers keep going up.
.
.
.
.
I love this car for autistic reasons, it sounds more perfectly like a late model Volkswagen bus than any other I have driven. I would want you to have it because you still have a chance to save your daughter's dreams and you clearly seem to like these cars.

I would have to say good-bye to future appreciation and lock myself into a retirement under the leaky Pulaski Skyway Bridge in New Jersey under a cardboard box instead of my planned gaudy mansion in Puerto Vallarta.
Colin
I understand.

I have drooled over Naranja since you got it.....every post you made regarding her improvements along the way are bookmarked on my laptop. While I was ready to pull the trigger for it last year, a new house dictates otherwise. When I was 4, my neighbor had a '69 Westy. From my bedroom window I would watch him tinker with it on the weekends - always thought they were the neatest vehicles. When I got my own, I was like a kid in a candy shop...every time I got in it, it felt like Christmas morning. Every time you post a pic of Naranja all gussied up, I get that tingly feeling all over again.

I have come to the realization that I need to lower my expectations (and keep looking at bastardized Westies), or wait until things settle down for me.

Have fun in Puerto Villarta...just don't drink the water (don't ask me how I know).

I am driving from the Midwest to Flagler Beach FL next week, and hoping to run across a rust free late 70's barn find Westy with 40k on the clock (and no gunk in the tank) in the $10-15k range along the way! A guy can dream, right? :flower: