Colin's first visit to the dreadnotmusic house.

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dreadnotmusic
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Colin's first visit to the dreadnotmusic house.

Post by dreadnotmusic » Sun Jun 06, 2010 6:47 pm

After three years of hoping and trying, I finally matched up a schedule that coincided with the Itinerant Air Cooled man himself! I sat watching out the window for a first glimpse of the BobD coming around the corner. I could babble on for several paragraphs about the number of systems we inspected and repairs we made. But I'll sum it up with this: My bus has never ran so well, and perhaps more importantly, I've never been so proud and enamored with this vehicle.

The new feel of driving this bus is only paralleled by the experience of spending a day with Colin talking about subjects far beyond what I expected. I thoroughly enjoyed taking my brain up to operating temp first thing in the morning and keeping it there all day long!

I'm looking forward to next year already. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

oh.....Colin, I have a bottle of talc on my bench that belongs to you. Want me to send it to a future visit location?
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Happily Nomadic
66 Split Riviera Camper
73 Westfalia Camper

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Re: Colin's first visit to the dreadnotmusic house.

Post by Amskeptic » Sun Jun 06, 2010 9:39 pm

dreadnotmusic wrote:I have a bottle of talc on my bench that belongs to you. Want me to send it to a future visit location?
Naw, I'll just buy some more. I have another spring plate bushing job tomorrow.

That was the rainiest night preceding our visit I have ever camped in. Thunder and lightning and sheets of rain pelting the roof, and I felt snug as a bug in my fresh new VW with its reputation for excellent weather-proofing. So it sprang a windshield leak to commemorate.

I had visions of showing up at a Mississippi dockside warehouse in the grey rain, but it turns out that DreadNotMusic has a definitely DreadNot Garage, heck no, it has multiple rooms and lofts and lights and compressed air and a very nice '66 splitty and it is . . . AIR-CONDITIONED. The sun even came out. Good smart company, enjoyable conversation, an achingly gorgeous family and excellent lunch followed by an excellent dinner. Then the skies opened up again as I headed out into Iowa. I look forward to next visit where I shall drink beer even.
ColinInDesMoines
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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Post by dreadnotmusic » Mon Jun 07, 2010 8:18 pm

Colin,
You must have made quite the impression on my wife. Today she said "I wish I could've squeezed in a driving lesson while he was here".

I nearly fell over. She's never shown a bit of interest. The whole family is already talking about next year. See you soon!
Happily Nomadic
66 Split Riviera Camper
73 Westfalia Camper

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Post by Oregon72 » Mon Jun 07, 2010 9:46 pm

dreadnotmusic wrote: "I wish I could've squeezed in a driving lesson while he was here".
!
That is funny --- Colin's driving lesson made me feel like I was a total spaz and never driven a car before - doubleclutching whaaa? I accidentally made a proper doubleclutch shift and never could replicate what I did - I still can't seem to get my lame brain around it - too many years doing the traditional style of shifting and failing at overcoming my ingrained brain/muscle memory. I did learn it is best to have the bus in neutral with the clutch out at stoplights though- nice tip to save clutch wear.

Dread, your girls and your bus looks beautiful. Hope you hang out here and post often.
-'72 Westy-

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Post by Amskeptic » Tue Jun 08, 2010 10:16 am

Oregon72 wrote:
That is funny --- Colin's driving lesson made me feel like I was a total spaz and never driven a car before -

Dread, your girls and your bus looks beautiful. Hope you hang out here and post often.
Well, you didn't check off the extra-cost Polite Driving Lesson on page 78 of your Itinerary Visit Application Form, now did you?
:blackeye:

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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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Post by dreadnotmusic » Tue Jun 08, 2010 12:46 pm

Oregon72 wrote:
Dread, your girls and your bus looks beautiful. Hope you hang out here and post often.
Thank you! I am truly blessed.

I'm on here at least twice a day, but never feel like I have anything to say. Colin encouraged me to come out of the shadows.

Funny what you said about the driving lesson. I actually double clutch on each downshift, but during the drive with Colin I must have forgotten my brain. I started thinking too much about it and actually shoved it into 3rd without even pushing in the clutch :drunken:
Happily Nomadic
66 Split Riviera Camper
73 Westfalia Camper

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Post by Amskeptic » Wed Jun 09, 2010 10:28 am

dreadnotmusic wrote:
Oregon72 wrote:
Dread, your girls and your bus looks beautiful. Hope you hang out here and post often.
Thank you! I am truly blessed.

I'm on here at least twice a day, but never feel like I have anything to say. Colin encouraged me to come out of the shadows.

Funny what you said about the driving lesson. I actually double clutch on each downshift, but during the drive with Colin I must have forgotten my brain. I started thinking too much about it and actually shoved it into 3rd without even pushing in the clutch :drunken:
I have a 12/13mm skinny Heyco specially bent box wrench out on the loose. Anybody seen it?
DesperatelySeekingColin
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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dreadnotmusic
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Post by dreadnotmusic » Wed Jun 09, 2010 12:33 pm

Hmmm. I don't recall you having to go to your box while here. Did we use it for something?

I was in the shop all day yesterday (wondering aloud why someone would wish upon me a defective oil cooler as it blew oil all over my new engine during the cam break in) and didn't see it.

I'll look again.

Mike
Happily Nomadic
66 Split Riviera Camper
73 Westfalia Camper

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Oregon72
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Post by Oregon72 » Wed Jun 09, 2010 2:13 pm

Mike, would love to see you post up some pics of your '66 splitty (saw that in your signature).
-'72 Westy-

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Post by Amskeptic » Thu Jun 10, 2010 6:54 am

dreadnotmusic wrote:Hmmm. I don't recall you having to go to your box while here. Did we use it for something?

I was in the shop all day yesterday (wondering aloud why someone would wish upon me a defective oil cooler as it blew oil all over my new engine during the cam break in) and didn't see it.

I'll look again.

Mike
Culprit has confessed and will send it to a customer on up ahead, but what is this about the %$%$^$#^$$%#&%$%*^%(&^(&^%^%$#!!! oil cooler? Was it "like new", actually new, used?

Oil pressure must have built up. :flower: Did you have to tear down the fan shroud and generator strap and !#@**#&*!!@#$%!*!* stuff?
Geeze, it better not have been $@%$%#$* new, how much of this %^#$&%^&$%$* can we ^&%!*^%*^%*& take from these ^%$*%^*^&! purveyors of trash?
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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Post by dreadnotmusic » Thu Jun 10, 2010 7:04 am

Colin,
Glad you found the wrench! As for the oil cooler, yes it was brand new. I cranked for oil pressure with no plugs, installed said plugs, started the engine, and the cooler blew oil all over the place. I quickly shut it down and started the investigation.

At first I suspected the seals, but they were fine. After removing the strap and thermostat, I pulled the shroud and removed the cooler. I identified the problem by covering one hole and putting 10psi of compressed air to the other. The air flows right out of it. It is split somewhere.

The builder assures me that both oil relief pistons were operating freely and installed properly. I'm going to pull them and inspect while I wait for him to send me a new cooler. Quite a disappointing setback!
Happily Nomadic
66 Split Riviera Camper
73 Westfalia Camper

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