IAC Visits Gibsonia

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Runamuck Bus
Getting Hooked!
Location: Western PA
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IAC Visits Gibsonia

Post by Runamuck Bus » Fri Oct 03, 2008 10:10 pm

The IAC guy left a little while ago. I rustled the tools, scattered about, back into the garage in no particular order. A few panels, some parts, fragments of hose and some fluffy yellow fiber with German pictograph that says 'don’t' eat this' got stacked left and right of my bus. She was running; that wasn't even on my list, but he wasn't leaving until it did.
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The day starts as they all have with coffee and conversation. Who are you, what are you after? what do you want to get out of this day? And, please tell me that the bus parked across the street is not the one we are working on! With coffee to-go, Colin found his way to the garage as if he had been here before.

After a quick inspection, I briefed him on where I left off. After replacing the fuel lines, I thought I had discovered a leaking fuel tank and my progress was stopped there. The bus had not been run in over a year and the fuel system had not been checked. With a custom made washer and a cleaned 22mm nut, the fuel line was re-attached and a gallon of gas was added. It immediately started raining gas (ah ha!, the gas tank has a hole in it!). The parts bus had already donated a spare tank. The next 2+ hours proved that you can swap out a gas tank without pulling the engine. The fan mount, the carburetor, the charcoal canister, the engine insulation - that all has to come out, the engine can stay. The swap back was much smoother, re-fitting was fine, the filler tube and vent connections were in good shape and could all be reused.
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Colin does not like Weber-like carbs, I don't blame him. One stuck needle valve or a valve that is not seated and there is gas everywhere. With a few well placed taps on the correct spot on the carb, the next fuel pump test produced safer results. Valve adjusting is mechanical science coupled with the sensation of sight, sound and touch. When I failed the audit, I was permitted to try again while verbally recounting each sensation.
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And it's time to try to start the bus, and we did, and it ran, long enough to run out of gas. A gallon of gas is not enough fuel to fill the tank over the tank nipple. I got to ride in Colin’s bus to the gas station, the longest trip I have ever taken in a VW bus (10 minutes round trip). The learning experience never stops. When the time comes, I'll be working on my acceleration, double clutching, evasive handling and braking skills. Let me just say, Colin knows them well and demonstrates them skillfully. Back at the bus, fresh fuel powers the engine that runs OK, smokes a little, knocks some and puts a huge smile on my face.

And he still won't quit... the brakes are hanging, the driver door catches, reverse lights are wired wrong, brake lights barely exist, that steering box has a knock, oh, yeah, check your valve adjustment, you have a tap, shorten the fuel line, keep an eye out for leaks, lubricate the brake pedal (penetrating + engine oil), clean the foam brake booster filter, send that leaking caliber back to the guy that sold it to you and report back later with 'warm engine' compression numbers (#3 isn't pulling it's load).

It's finally time to leave the garage, perhaps get something to eat, pay the bill and send him on his merry way, but he still refuses to quit. There is a test and more theory and to my surprise, he fulfilled my requests made first thing in the morning (I thought we were just having coffee and conversation).
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We laughed, wrenched, theorized, campaigned, laughed some more, reflected on society, people, and machines. Dinner was well deserved and delicious (thanks babe) and over all, I had fun. It was a good day.

I have some direction and motivation now that has been lacking for a while. I have numerous issues to address and some new tasks to undertake. I have a whole lot of bus to put back together. Tomorrow is another day and on that note, I will close. I had my doubts on whether this visit was a good idea or investment. I am glad now that I decided to stick with the original plan (of April) and see where it would take me because now I know where to I can go.
Endeavor to Persevere.
'72 Weekender

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Velokid1
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Post by Velokid1 » Sat Oct 04, 2008 7:45 am

Great to see yet another visit go so well. =D>

Colin is doing such a cool thing... helping people keep their cars running (probably the best engine/car designs ever) AND he also brings us all together; we're all linked, one visit at a time.

Colin's the needle, ACVWs are the thread, and all of us are the fabric. :king:

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Sylvester
Bad Old Puddy Tat.
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Re: Itinerant Air-Cooled Greetings from Gibsonia

Post by Sylvester » Sat Oct 04, 2008 8:37 am

Runamuck Bus wrote: Image
I see Colin doing the double shot, Coke and coffee.
Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue, I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace. Where never lark, or even eagle flew. And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod, The high untrespassed sanctity of space, Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

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static
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Post by static » Sat Oct 04, 2008 8:47 am

Real bus owners have a cabinet full of tchotchkes!

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Birdibus
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Location: Inland SoCal
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Post by Birdibus » Sat Oct 04, 2008 10:00 am

Velokid1 wrote: Colin's the needle, ACVWs are the thread, and all of us are the fabric. :king:
And a mighty fine quilt it is!
71 bus, 74 westy

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Cindy
IAC Addict!
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Post by Cindy » Sat Oct 04, 2008 12:23 pm

static wrote:Real bus owners have a cabinet full of tchotchkes!
i wonder what that photo is, the black and white one? looks like nuns? or brides? or pilgrims? just curious.
cindy
“No one can tell what goes on in between the person you were and the person you become. No one can chart that blue and lonely section of hell. There are no maps of the change. You just come out the other side.
Or you don't.” ― Stephen King, The Stand

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zblair
The Zster
Location: ATX
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Post by zblair » Sat Oct 04, 2008 2:40 pm

Looks like Amish or Mennonites to me :colors:
1974 T1 Super Beetle "Fweem"
2017 Honda HRV "Domina"


"Love something? Serve it."
~Roshni Mitra

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Runamuck Bus
Getting Hooked!
Location: Western PA
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Colonials

Post by Runamuck Bus » Sat Oct 04, 2008 4:05 pm

Thanks, you folks have us L'ingOL (me and the missus). They're Colonists (not colin-ists). Wife and friends went to 'Penn's Colony Festival' recently (while hubby worked on bus for upcoming IAC visit) and someone talked them into a 'group' photo (did they have b&w cameras in colonial America?).
Endeavor to Persevere.
'72 Weekender

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Amskeptic
IAC "Help Desk"
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Post by Amskeptic » Tue Oct 07, 2008 8:51 am

It was a pleasure to get the bus started and incrementially on its way to road adventures. It was also a pleasure to spend a day with a bright engineering-oriented mind, even if he almost did get swallowed up by the gastank monster:
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We got the tank out pretty easily with the engine fully installed, but good grief, the 1972 firewall had these two diabolical screws nestled between the bell housing carrier and the sheetmetal of the gas tank compartment floor. After a brief discussion and signing of the Waiver Of Common Sense, we hacked the firewall off with a chisel and hammer on those two screws. Here are the wounded and the replacement fuel tanks. We earlier bus people get the deluxe 15.9 gallon tanks, and they need to be removed quickly because they start growing as soon as you take the firewall off (they try to convince you that you must remove the engine to clear):
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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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Velokid1
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Post by Velokid1 » Tue Oct 07, 2008 9:24 am

I see Colin doing the double shot, Coke and coffee.
Both room temperature, to boot!

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