Itinerant Air-Cooled

I was having a boyhood junkyard day just all curious:





So, I was a bit nonplussed to find that this spiderweb infested dusty abandoned boneyard was actually "open for business" as I spied an open door into the office and the receptionist waiting outside to greet visitors:


"Hello? I am trespassing, is that OK?" . . . and the proprietor, Tim who has driven and worked on most of these buses over a 40 year career, playing Solitaire on an old computer that long ago gave up any hope of being in a dust-free air-conditioned office said, "you aren't the first."
Tim had stories:

and more stories:


. . . like how General Motors had terrible problems with the late 50's Greyhound ScenicCruiser collapsing its frames when Greyhound tried to stuff more freight in the holds than the buses were designed for . . . to make more money:


. . . like how today's drivers are getting worse because they don't have to expend any effort to drive so they are losing the concentration that used to be critical and helpful.

. . . like how he misses the stickshift transmissions.

"Well," I replied, "you can drive my bus which requires concentration and shifting if you will let me drive the ScenicCruiser."
Startled, he found the only quick answer he could, "insurance wouldn't let us do that."




So, I drove my little ScenicKruiser back onto the road, no collapsed frames around here:



I am off to Death Valley via Yosemite. It is a gorgeous 102* day and I plan to have a couple of days of utterly ascetic boredom and hunger and marvelling at the stars in the silence. I am bringing only water. I need this.
Colin

Amskeptic wrote:I am off to Death Valley.

Please go visit the Racetrack while you're there.

Hiya Colin,

So..................I'm still wanting a little more information about this place.

I'm guessing by your comment about driving the ScenicCruiser that some of these Busses are still in operating shape?
What is this place? A boneyard? And if so, there is still a market for these parts? Are people restoring these old busses or are some of them still in use?

Bookwus wrote:Hiya Colin,

So..................I'm still wanting a little more information about this place.

I'm guessing by your comment about driving the ScenicCruiser that some of these Busses are still in operating shape?
What is this place? A boneyard? And if so, there is still a market for these parts? Are people restoring these old busses or are some of them still in use?

There is a fairly robust community of people that use them for RV's. Here's one that looks like the one in the movie, "RV" (very funny movie, BTW):






Pretty cheap to buy, but I'm sure it takes a big commitment to keep one running:
http://www.flxibleowners.org/aaf/aaf.htm

Well, whaddyaknow?

Hah! I wasn't aware that restoring fifties and sixties era commercial Busses was such a big deal. I sure have not noticed them out there on the byways, but maybe I wasn't paying attention either. I will now.

Amskeptic wrote: I am bringing only water. I need this.
Colin

What?! No cigs?

I've always wanted to try a fast.

Cool buses.

man, what a great guy. Knows his stuff, too.

thanks Colin.

Colin, what a cool find and stop over. You know how much I liked that trailer you found last trip and pictures. I do love the old stuff and thanks for the story.

Be smart about the heat and your health. This forum needs you at the top of your game.

Welcome to California, going thru to your beloved piano and back.

Barb and Elwood No more Jake --- Sold/traded him last month. Way too much on my plate to do him right and El is my main man I must treat right and on the road.

Cool buses! I'd love to hear the story about how you found that place and that guy. Ah, road trips.

Glad to hear you're heading for your shot of heat. You'll be in the only place in the country that's hotter than where I am right now. Phoenix. 110F. You prolly don' wanna know. Let's just say that sparkplugs are soooo last century.

Paying your respects to one of the continent's neatest landscapes (Death Valley) is a good thing. Onward, O Itinerant One.

Colin, You need to write a book of these adventures. YOU NEED TO WRITE A BOOK OF THESE ADVENTURES!!!

Have you read a Bill Bryson book? Do you realize these stories have a very similar appeal, with the humor and tight prose that makes Bill so popular?

YOU NEED TO WRITE A BOOK OF THESE ADVENTURES!!!

vwlover77 wrote:YOU NEED TO WRITE A BOOK OF THESE ADVENTURES!!!

In the meantime, a book about how to take care of your Volkswagen might be nice. Especially if it had beautiful hand-drawn diagrams of the various systems.

I know, all in due time.

You need to write a book of these adventures.

I've pummelled him with this idea every time we've met. Eventually, he'll succumb.

Dibs on the cover.

"It's a desert topping....
It's a floor wax....
It's both...."


Howzabout a book about VW maintenance zen sprinkled with road adventures. A technical biography of sorts...

I enjoy reading about the adventures as much as I enjoy reading about VW history and technical instruction in Colins words.

Judging from what I read here, there are many other (dorks) folk out there that would slap down some ducats for this.

-Gypsiedork

Gypsie wrote:"It's a desert topping....
It's a floor wax....
It's both...."


Howzabout a book about VW maintenance zen sprinkled with road adventures. A technical biography of sorts...

I enjoy reading about the adventures as much as I enjoy reading about VW history and technical instruction in Colins words.

Judging from what I read here, there are many other (dorks) folk out there that would slap down some ducats for this.

-Gypsiedork

I too would love that book. Each chapter might have a 'foreward' of sorts with a tale and a few pictures from the road.

- dtrumbodork

oh, and maybe a calendar.

dtrumbo wrote: In the meantime, a book about how to take care of your Volkswagen might be nice. Especially if it had beautiful hand-drawn diagrams of the various systems.

That's a good idea, Dick. I'd pay money for one of those.