We're Back . . .

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Amskeptic
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We're Back . . .

Post by Amskeptic » Fri Apr 04, 2014 7:24 pm

. . . in the saddle:

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We had quite the Winter-to-Summer Transfer:

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Each air-cooled Volkswagen started like I was just coming out of the 7-11. Barely an oil drip under Chloe, no oil under the BobD. I drove Chloe around the automotive jogging lap, about four miles, and recalled little details . . . "hey now, no power brakes, you know," and "remember how there is no power?" Plucky little thing though, I remembered that:

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The BobD . . . cleaner than I remembered, dang this is like brand new or something.
It brings a pang to my heart to be surrounded by all of these original parts . . . :

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. . . asking these original parts to march bravely towards the end of their service life, to perform to deliver to execute to serve, with no hope of like-quality replacement:

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I am hit with pangs of regret to subject them to such a barrage of miles. God forbid if I should Succumb To A Hurry Or Rush, I must not. Help me not rush, oh esteemed customers.

The plates are on the BobD this northeast lap.
I have the Volvo tachometer, the Dakota Digital, the LM-1, the new EGR filter, and I will give what is likely to be my last testing of a factory original engine.
I will be tearing the heads down at some point because I promised that if the compression numbers leave the factory recommended spread of 15%, I would go in and check it out.

I have such a nervousness about my fellow distracted motorists that it is distracting ME. Stated value replacement comprehensive insurance is $600.00 for the summer from Progressive. Hmmm,

Alexus is safely back in the storage unit with 1" to spare on each sideview mirror. It is now at 135,135 miles with just mounted Michelin Harmony tires, the X-Ice winter tires were down to the wear bars after five years of decidely Not Winter driving interspersed with horrendous snow and ice. I recommend them.

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Will report back after my first full day of driving with the BobD, tomorrow. Perhaps I can write cogently when American Idol is no longer blaring my brain cells.
Colin

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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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glasseye
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Re: We're Back . . .

Post by glasseye » Fri Apr 04, 2014 10:49 pm

There are a few tasks as sweet as preparing for an extended road trip. Too bad you can't drive all those vehicles around North America this summer.
"This war will pay for itself."
Paul Wolfowitz, speaking of Iraq.

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Re: We're Back . . .

Post by Boxcar » Sat Apr 05, 2014 3:21 am

was it 70s Peaches and Herb which made (in)famous,the droner,"Reunited and it feels so Good"
let the BobD song expunge any dissonant popular nonsense, and fare thee well..
fmi, whats the ticket on car winter storage cost?

Sorry you reminded me of that song . . .
1975 003 Auto Westy L90D

repair!!!!aug2015
Jan/16 Bumped mixture a few notches richer. finally developing HP.


1.8L/LJet/Pertron DVDA+PertronixCompufire 42/36Ham Heads/AA 93mm pistons/barrels.Porsc.Swiv.Adjusters/CromoSteel pushrds/ Web 9550Cam/55cc chmbr.,035 squish,8.6:1CR/German Supply VWCanadaReman Rods/Schadek 26mmPump/vdo dualOP8/10#low sender/Quart Deep Sump
Backdate Htr bxs,reflanged 914 4into1. Two and three eighths inch collector,magniflow*muffler

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Bleyseng
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Re: We're Back . . .

Post by Bleyseng » Sat Apr 05, 2014 5:43 am

Nice to see them in the light of day again. Only one little spot of oil under Cloe? Not bad.

I can't wait to return to Seattle in a month or so to start up my three aircooled cars. The Ghia is in the prime garage (a friend's) that's heated and he starts it up every couple of weeks. The westy and 914 are in my two garages stored with gas stabil and batteries disconnected. The westy finally doesn't leave a oil spot but the 914 needs to have a new flywheel oil seal installed. That last trip in it covered the bottom of the engine/tranny with lots of oily grime, yuck. Same seal needs to be changed on the ghia plus oil cooler seals, etc as I don't know when it was rebuilt ( no full engine number just a "B" engine code).
Geoff
77 Sage Green Westy- CS 2.0L-160,000 miles
70 Ghia vert, black, stock 1600SP,- 139,000 miles,
76 914 2.1L-Nepal Orange- 160,000+ miles
http://bleysengaway.blogspot.com/

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Re: We're Back . . .

Post by Boxcar » Sun Apr 06, 2014 12:09 am

Bleyseng, "B engine code."
much more ive never heard of than what limited experience has afforded me.. Go Ghia, Yeay Teener...

shamefully I am eager to have an aircooled break and get my post 914 era substitute: 87 n/a 944 !with a thread compliant oil spot/drip or two per park! out of the bank's garage tomorrow..no radio there so Peaches and Herb will have to be hummed.
1975 003 Auto Westy L90D

repair!!!!aug2015
Jan/16 Bumped mixture a few notches richer. finally developing HP.


1.8L/LJet/Pertron DVDA+PertronixCompufire 42/36Ham Heads/AA 93mm pistons/barrels.Porsc.Swiv.Adjusters/CromoSteel pushrds/ Web 9550Cam/55cc chmbr.,035 squish,8.6:1CR/German Supply VWCanadaReman Rods/Schadek 26mmPump/vdo dualOP8/10#low sender/Quart Deep Sump
Backdate Htr bxs,reflanged 914 4into1. Two and three eighths inch collector,magniflow*muffler

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Bleyseng
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Re: We're Back . . .

Post by Bleyseng » Sun Apr 06, 2014 2:00 am

A "B" engine code is a 1600 single port with no fancy doghouse fan with the oil cooler. Love those 944's but I got the chance once to ride around for the day in a 924 Turbo Carrera in Holland. That was a fun machine!
Geoff
77 Sage Green Westy- CS 2.0L-160,000 miles
70 Ghia vert, black, stock 1600SP,- 139,000 miles,
76 914 2.1L-Nepal Orange- 160,000+ miles
http://bleysengaway.blogspot.com/

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Amskeptic
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Re: We're Back . . .

Post by Amskeptic » Sun Apr 06, 2014 6:16 am

Bleyseng wrote:A "B" engine code is a 1600 single port with no fancy doghouse fan with the oil cooler. Love those 944's but I got the chance once to ride around for the day in a 924 Turbo Carrera in Holland. That was a fun machine!
In the same way that I am loyal to Ferdinand Porsche's brilliant mind where it shows up in the air-cooled Volkswagens, I am loyal to the brilliant engineering in the air-cooled Porsches. The 924/944/928 cars leave me cold.

Like I am this morning in rainy Alabama.

The BobD is saddling me with lousy fuel economy and head temps that hit 405* on the hills, but man, it is tight and responsive.
I don't think I had gotten two hundred yards out of the storage unit when I was being accosted by cars swerving towards me and honking thumbs-up. The cashier at Raceway got lost in a loop, "that is cool, it's a scooby doo van! Isn't that a scooby doo van? I loved scooby doo! Hey Lashanda, look at that scooby doo van." My gritted smile didn't unlock until I got outside.
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

Boxcar
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Re: We're Back . . .

Post by Boxcar » Sun Apr 06, 2014 7:33 am

Amskeptic wrote:
Bleyseng wrote:A "B" engine code is a 1600 single port with no fancy doghouse fan with the oil cooler. Love those 944's but I got the chance once to ride around for the day in a 924 Turbo Carrera in Holland. That was a fun machine!
In the same way that I am loyal to Ferdinand Porsche's brilliant mind where it shows up in the air-cooled Volkswagens, I am loyal to the brilliant engineering in the air-cooled Porsches. The 924/944/928 cars leave me cold.

Like I am this morning in rainy Alabama.

The BobD is saddling me with lousy fuel economy and head temps that hit 405* on the hills, but man, it is tight and responsive.
I don't think I had gotten two hundred yards out of the storage unit when I was being accosted by cars swerving towards me and honking thumbs-up. The cashier at Raceway got lost in a loop, "that is cool, it's a scooby doo van! Isn't that a scooby doo van? I loved scooby doo! Hey Lashanda, look at that scooby doo van." My gritted smile didn't unlock until I got outside.
Colin
Yep, the 9~24,44,28 watercooled stuff, is much about other stuff . The sense missed once those cylinders got transfered up front, and waterstraight jacketed.Maybe I do not miss Scooby Do comments either, cause I'm not a nice guy?

Yeah quite the alter ego.. No brand or model recognition save from other '44 drivers-but I have no need to be in another interest group. I am just in for the drive.Development as a driver is the focus. It is still a momentum management car,like the 914, though nowhere 2000#. tisk.
Development mechanically was complete in my particular 44 when it fell in my lap.except or thanks to the plucking of the a/c stuff its kind of a mongrel as resale chances go, and hot days are HOT.
Galvanized '44 body pcs are big after living with the sense of mere ambient air continuing a catabolic strucural decay of the 914 loadpaths.
My missed 1.8 914 was a enduringly soft saggy charming driving experience. Terminal suspension console,hhole,innerwheelhouse rocker decay....I temp welded flange bolted in stopsign stantion to firm up that passenger side area.The two trunks, targa roof, and great styling. Great mileage&range,320/tank.gearbox! bulletproof though ouijilike till bushed and adjusted. light on its narrow stance. Straight rack and pinion...Desperate twitchy low polar moment fun in snow. Took it skiing, and still keep the Factory Rack in case I find another suitable example.
As a 600$ trailer home wonder I had a blast, fettled, and righted, drove all over..but it became time to draw conclusions, and it just was still too rough to be pleasing. No way to make track worthy.
To turn over to the used car market seemed a tough but most worthy lesson. I spooled up on type four strengths, came to love LJet FI, and the visceral thrill of having engine just behind the cabin...mmm yes nothing like it.
A brainchild of the sixties that made the seventies great..for sure.
Selling which in the car world is an important skill to learn too I think. Getting IN a self seduction girded by some rationality, and Getting OUT an emancipation spearheaded by rationality hamstrung and slidetackled by emotion appealing for the romance, but it happens lots of ways.
Hope the BobD straightens its manners up..High temps and low mileage # how low?
You say Alabama cool and damp..flumuxxing as reunions go no?
1975 003 Auto Westy L90D

repair!!!!aug2015
Jan/16 Bumped mixture a few notches richer. finally developing HP.


1.8L/LJet/Pertron DVDA+PertronixCompufire 42/36Ham Heads/AA 93mm pistons/barrels.Porsc.Swiv.Adjusters/CromoSteel pushrds/ Web 9550Cam/55cc chmbr.,035 squish,8.6:1CR/German Supply VWCanadaReman Rods/Schadek 26mmPump/vdo dualOP8/10#low sender/Quart Deep Sump
Backdate Htr bxs,reflanged 914 4into1. Two and three eighths inch collector,magniflow*muffler

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Bleyseng
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Re: We're Back . . .

Post by Bleyseng » Sun Apr 06, 2014 2:39 pm

I completely relearned Djet for my 914 as I had a 69 Fastback in the early 70's that I cut my teeth on Djet. I put Djet back in my 914 with minimum info and learned slowly to tune it. Finding good correct used parts was a problem including learning how to rebuild/repair a MPS. Still love the little mid-engine car especially on a trip where I can stretch it's leg and go 90-100mph as it's soo smooth at that speed.
The longest I have driven the Ghia is about an hour as I don't trust the rear wheel bearings at all since they are sloppy.
Geoff
77 Sage Green Westy- CS 2.0L-160,000 miles
70 Ghia vert, black, stock 1600SP,- 139,000 miles,
76 914 2.1L-Nepal Orange- 160,000+ miles
http://bleysengaway.blogspot.com/

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Amskeptic
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Re: We're Back . . .

Post by Amskeptic » Sun Apr 06, 2014 3:02 pm

Boxcar wrote:
A) Selling which in the car world is an important skill to learn too I think.

B) Getting IN a self seduction girded by some rationality, and

Aa) Getting OUT an emancipation spearheaded by rationality hamstrung and slidetackled by emotion appealing for the romance,
You remind me of James Carville. If you listen (read) too hard, you can't understand a damn thing he is saying (writing), but if you back up a bit and just let the words hit occasionally, it is more comprehensible.

A) Selling is a skill I have strived mightily never to learn. Selling a car, I don't have to say a thing to the seller, except "look at it" and "drive it" and "no discount".

B) It is all seduction for me, and the only rationality that has saved me is that my own sense of romance/seduction happens to agree with the market. The BobD has appreciated past my purchase price, the Lexus surprisingly has tripled in market value since I have owned it, and the Squareback could fetch almost ten times my purchase price once I finish the headliner.
Boxcar wrote:
Hope the BobD straightens its manners up..High temps and low mileage # how low?
Maximum temperature hit was 410* at 67 mph 3/4 throttle at ambient of *68.
Fuel mileage, hang on a sec, I'll get my calculator . . . . 16.8 mpg at an average speed of 68mph.
That means it is in the middle of my fleet:
Squareback is my fuel economy champ (?) at 26 mpg
Alexus is pretty much tied at 26 mpg when it is warm outside (24 mpg below freezing).
Chloe is a solid 20-22 mpg.
BobD hangs close to 17 mpg.
Mercedes is 13-15 mpg
Lincoln can hit 12 mpg.
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

Boxcar
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Re: We're Back . . .

Post by Boxcar » Sun Apr 06, 2014 6:47 pm

yeah, oh I can be wordy.
but thanks for chewing through.
I vow to edit more and confuse less..but also kind to liken it to James.Carville..

nice numbers on mileages...and BobD is poor mpg @17?.ok.then.
1975 003 Auto Westy L90D

repair!!!!aug2015
Jan/16 Bumped mixture a few notches richer. finally developing HP.


1.8L/LJet/Pertron DVDA+PertronixCompufire 42/36Ham Heads/AA 93mm pistons/barrels.Porsc.Swiv.Adjusters/CromoSteel pushrds/ Web 9550Cam/55cc chmbr.,035 squish,8.6:1CR/German Supply VWCanadaReman Rods/Schadek 26mmPump/vdo dualOP8/10#low sender/Quart Deep Sump
Backdate Htr bxs,reflanged 914 4into1. Two and three eighths inch collector,magniflow*muffler

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Amskeptic
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Re: We're Back . . .

Post by Amskeptic » Mon Apr 07, 2014 8:57 am

Boxcar wrote:BobD is poor mpg @17?
ok.then.
I don't want to diss it too much. The factory fuel economy figures were not much better, and if anyone tries to improve it too much by lean running, there is a risk of overheating the combustion chambers.

I say "poor" because I was just in a V8 car beating it at fuel economy . . . little grumpy am I.
Colin
( I am shooting for an overall of 18 with the BobD)
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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sped372
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Re: We're Back . . .

Post by sped372 » Mon Apr 07, 2014 9:21 am

Amskeptic wrote:
Boxcar wrote:BobD is poor mpg @17?
ok.then.
I don't want to diss it too much. The factory fuel economy figures were not much better, and if anyone tries to improve it too much by lean running, there is a risk of overheating the combustion chambers.

I say "poor" because I was just in a V8 car beating it at fuel economy . . . little grumpy am I.
Colin
( I am shooting for an overall of 18 with the BobD)
At what speed? Just curious.
1971 Karmann Ghia - 1600 DP
1984 Westfalia - 1.9 WBX

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Re: We're Back . . .

Post by Amskeptic » Mon Apr 07, 2014 9:52 am

sped372 wrote:
Amskeptic wrote:
Boxcar wrote:BobD is poor mpg @17?
ok.then.
I don't want to diss it too much. The factory fuel economy figures were not much better, and if anyone tries to improve it too much by lean running, there is a risk of overheating the combustion chambers.

I say "poor" because I was just in a V8 car beating it at fuel economy . . . little grumpy am I.
Colin
( I am shooting for an overall of 18 with the BobD)
At what speed? Just curious.
Actually, you bring up a good point. I go too fast for a legitimate comparison.
The fuel consumption figures when new allege 20 mpg at 55 mph/ 17mpg city.
If I can bear it, I should run a tank at 55 mph.
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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sped372
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Re: We're Back . . .

Post by sped372 » Mon Apr 07, 2014 10:55 am

Would be an interesting test. I have to surmise that's a big reason I get 23mpg all day at 55-60, just the decreased wind resistance. Otherwise the load on the engine shouldn't be any different from early bus to late. Work is work and power is power no matter how you slice it and rearrange it rpm-wise so the trans ratios shouldn't make an appreciable difference.
1971 Karmann Ghia - 1600 DP
1984 Westfalia - 1.9 WBX

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