Re: Itinerant Air-Cooled Last California Post

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Amskeptic
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Re: Itinerant Air-Cooled Last California Post

Post by Amskeptic » Tue Jun 12, 2018 10:47 am

This whole 2018 Itinerary thing is like tripping down the stairs this year. It is only early June, and it feels like the whole thing is almost done. No more southwest desert. No more California. No more exquisite eye-watering heat and desert vistas? Say it ain't so.

We left off with a quick engine pull to replace a toasted pilot bearing at SG Kent's Itinerary Urgent Care Hospital and a Whole Day To Discover A Loose Ground Terminal in the San Francisco bay area. Then NaranjaWesty went all misbehavin' immediately after that visit. Because I was tuckered out, I pulled off the 101 northbound somewhere and zonked out in my misbehavin Rotten Tangerine. I was pretty sure that I was in a coastal California urban setting. The friggen crow of a rooster at the crack of dawn, then, disoriented me and made no sense. Well, it was a rooster. It was urban. It was a gaggle of thug chickens loitering in a menacing way:

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The look-out eyed me, and I him, in a suspicious way:

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Stupidly, I had forgotten about last night's misbehavior, and hit the 101 northbound for less than a mile when the car started bucking. Pulled off in a big mall parking lot. Here, I discovered that the condensor was loose on the distributor, and therefore, so was the vacuum advance can. Fine, checked points (gap was fine), timed it after painting the clamp bolt with sparkly "cherry delight" fingernail polish for easier sighting with a flashlight, and then decided to get rid of the "tick" in the clutch pedal:

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Public Service Announcement: If your clutch ticks, squeaks, clicks, thumps, you MUST investigate.
(it is almost never benign)

My brand new bowden tube from Bus Depot had just decided to collapse its damn cheap flexible metal conduit under the shiny new vinyl. It is supposed to handle compressive forces AND flex. Look at this on the right side, the shadow really brings it out:

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That displacement had sawed through three strands of cheap new cable. In this photograph, the fatal displacement is now visible on the left side. I had a replacement Bowden tube thankfully:

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Yeah, when I peeled the label off the new "Made In Germany" Bowden tube, I discovered this (hooray for deceit!):

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Gave the splintering cable strands a haircut after unraveling them from the cable to make sure that they did not bunch up inside of the new Bowden tube. We are currently a four strand clutch . . . :geek:

Got back on the 101 northbound and enjoyed a smooth-once-more engine (that is noisier after the engine pull than I have ever experienced with this car) and a tick-free clutch pedal. We call this "progress":

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Modesto area, where all your wine is made:

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Was stuck behind this ugly van (painted to elicit the emotion of "carefree" no doubt) for far too long.
"Rent me!" it said. "Escape!"
"Well, no thank-you!" said I, and I escaped it on a long downhill.

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Ended up driving all the way to Eureka, where it was, as ever, 56* and chillyish. Showed up at pdlrofdrms, one of my favorite Can-Do customers. "What shall we Do?":

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We did it. Replaced the sliding door. Damndest thing too, the new one required no adjustment whatsoever. It just fit and worked. Then we checked the air filter. This side is the pre-filtered side, it is allowed to be dusty:

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But this side, folks, must be immaculate. This one isn't. Track down the reasons, pleeeaaasse . . . your engine depends on it. In our case, the filter had a distorted foam seal:

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We caravanned to her shop at the end of the day:

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. . . , then met up with airkooledchris for pizza:

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After my stern air filter admonishments, I think pdlrofdrms didn't like me any more:

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FINE! She still has airkooledchris to light up her visage:

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I am in Oregon. Good-bye California!
Colin
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

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airkooledchris
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Re: Itinerant Air-Cooled Last California Post

Post by airkooledchris » Tue Jun 12, 2018 11:10 am

I have to admit, the next time I check my air filter housing, I may have to take a post-cleanse photo of it to show off.


Glad you made it back inland for a quick warmup before the trek back to the coast.
1979 California Transporter

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tristessa
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Re: Itinerant Air-Cooled Last California Post

Post by tristessa » Tue Jun 12, 2018 1:03 pm

You went from Richmond to Eureka by way of Modesto? A bit roundabout, donchathink?
Remember, only YOU can prevent narcissism!

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static
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Re: Itinerant Air-Cooled Last California Post

Post by static » Tue Jun 12, 2018 2:06 pm

Will you be coming to Maupin?

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Re: Itinerant Air-Cooled Last California Post

Post by misszora » Tue Jun 12, 2018 2:27 pm

Drat!
I had TWO bowden tubes!!!!
The good kind!
Miss Zora - '77 VW Riviera Hard Top Campmobile
Dharma Bug - '69 VW Bug
The Vandejo - '74 VW Westfalia Poptop (former mom)

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Re: Itinerant Air-Cooled Last California Post

Post by Amskeptic » Tue Jun 12, 2018 3:49 pm

tristessa wrote:
Tue Jun 12, 2018 1:03 pm
A) You went from Richmond to Eureka by way of Modesto?
B) A bit roundabout, donchathink?
a) Heck yeah.
b) Heck yeah.

.. .. .. and do you think I went from Eureka to Coos Bay via Redding, Yreka, Ashland, Medford, Grants Pass?
Heck yeah.
Colin Redding was 104* today yay
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

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Re: Itinerant Air-Cooled Last California Post

Post by wcfvw69 » Tue Jun 12, 2018 6:45 pm

That Bus Depot bowden tube looked like a real POS. I'm surprised your OCD self hadn't ditched it long ago! :)

The German (cough) I mean Poland made one looked much better!
1970 Westfalia bus. Stock 1776 dual port type 1 engine. Restored German Solex 34-3. Restored 205Q distributor, restored to factory appearance engine.

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Re: Itinerant Air-Cooled Last California Post

Post by pdlrofdrms » Fri Jun 15, 2018 8:45 am

What ! That is just a terrible picture. LOL. I still love you Colin.

Colin and I met a few years back when I acquired my first bus. I have owned Bugs since I was old enough to drive and unfortunately I was in a serious car accident that totaled my VW, Walter.

I was out looking for a small toyota truck when I stumbled upon my current 78 bus.

Its a long story but I ended up having to rebuild the motor myself. I had no idea what I was doing it took me 6 months and someone on the Samba as I was combing through threads and posting for help said...Sounds like you need to see Colin.

And the rest is History.

Every year he comes now and I look forward to it.

Sometimes I am filled with energy and have been tinkering on my bus all year and some years like this year my poor bus has been neglected.
As Colin pointed out when we pulled my air filter.

I said " Your so Judgy Colin" then reminded him he was warned about the state of care of my bus and my energy for it this year.


What I love the most about Colins visits because there are many things I do love, is the drive I gain after he leaves. Hes like a VW fairy god father for me. Up rolls Colin in the most beautiful VW bus and for a day give you all he has give to help you and your bus stay on the road and then sprinkles all the confidence on you as he leaves that demands you stop prioritizing other things.

I had no vision for his visit this year. I just let the day dictate what we tackled.

My engine was running pretty great. So we were lucky enough to work on other things. Those nagging stresses I have been looking at for years.

After his visit, I ordered the sheet metal pieces I need, I made contact with local community members to guide me in the DIY process of starting over with my bus.

instead of this summer camping and ignoring my bus for another year, I will spend it welding, paint stripping, and doing my best to tackle the body work and interior and kill the rust the best I can. My bus leakes so bad it practically gave Colin an indoor shower.

I think what Colin appreciates about me is that I will just tackle something , because I have no idea what I am doing I tend to tackle things with no fear because I have no idea what the consequences are.
I took my whole transmission apart, cleaned the interior and exterior. I took out all the clips springs etc,... and put it all back together.

He said WHY DID YOU DO THAT?

Because it was dirty.

He shakes his head almost in disbelief and probably thinking.. Shes lucky I guess.


But it also drives him nuts. Because when he takes things apart like my air filter and sees all that dust and says "JENNIFER why is this so dirty!" and the internet shame example goes up for all to learn. Do not let your air filter look like this!

I say that is not even bad Colin.
He says" ITS suppose to be sealed! no dirt any dirt is bad. "

I say "oh..I had no idea.I will make sure I check that now."

Poor Colin.
Visits with me must be like a double edge sword.
I love my bus and I love my visits with Colin.
And Every year I learn something new, and every year I dread if this is the year Colin retires because I don't feel ready to tackle everything on my own yet.

Thank you Colin, I do not have a lot of people to turn to when It comes to my bus and I am eternally grateful for your guidance.

Cross your fingers for me as I begin the stripping down the layers of paint and looking at the true damage I need to address under it all.

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Re: Itinerant Air-Cooled Last California Post

Post by tommu » Fri Jun 15, 2018 4:32 pm

pdlrofdrms wrote:
Fri Jun 15, 2018 8:45 am
think what Colin appreciates about me is that I will just tackle something , because I have no idea what I am doing I tend to tackle things with no fear because I have no idea what the consequences are.
I took my whole transmission apart, cleaned the interior and exterior. I took out all the clips springs etc,... and put it all back together.

He said WHY DID YOU DO THAT?

Because it was dirty.
I did exactly the same thing with my my Suzuki GS 125 when I first had it. For the same reason. A little less complicated but still some nice memories of trying to reassemble it while referring to my hastily made pencil drawings! I am laughing. Thank you. :-)

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Re: Itinerant Air-Cooled Last California Post

Post by 71whitewesty » Fri Jun 15, 2018 6:36 pm

Great recap and I feel the same way about his visits. I still have a lot to learn too. :scratch:

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