Colin Visits Belle Plaine, Minnesota
- BellePlaine
- IAC Addict!
- Location: Minnesota
- Status: Offline
Colin Visits Belle Plaine, Minnesota
This being my third visit from the Itinerant Air-Cooled mechanic, and my bus having been running relatively well, we focused on preventative bus maintenance stuff instead of the usual major projects requiring engine drops and late nights. I recall during our discussions from last year’s visit that Colin had tapped grease Zerk fittings to the BobD’s original ball joints. My ball joints are VW original and still in good shape and I’ve read the challenges others have had replacing the originals with new ones; the new ones are too tight, right? So, what I really, really, really wanted to do now was to Zerk ball joints. Other, less important to me but nice to do if we had time, items on my list were to replace pushrod tube seals, some rust mitigation, selecting second gear was a bitch (just swapped transmissions on my own two weeks ago), and other misc. tasks.
Colin and Chloe arrived in the morning. It was good to meet Chloe as she made me pause to remember Bookwus, cheers Mike. Colin points to Chloe and asks me if “that looks like a mail or UPS truck” and then hands me a bottle of IPA from the Bitter Root Brewing Co in Montana, a gift from a friend, whc03grady, which I will enjoy today to relax my aching body after yesterday work. Thanks whc03grady!
Colin and I huddled over the kitchen table with coffee as he made little doodles of transmission gears, rocker panels, and ball joint boots. We then got to work. Since the pushrod tube job requires a cold engine we started there. I learned how to remove the valve train (never done that before) and carefully remove the T4 push rod tubes without crushing them too terribly. During the job, local bus pilots and friends, the miz and Stefan arrived to help and meet Colin.
Stefan's is the green bus.
the miz's is the white vanagon westy.
After we got the new push rod tube seals replace, everyone drove to the local parts shop to purchase Zerk fittings; they come in a rainbow of sizes and shapes. You should have seen the look on Colin’s face when I innocently asked the auto shop clerk, who happened to be female, to show us her Zerk nipples. For the rest of the day we giggled like 6th graders.
Here’s Colin showing us how to get the angle of the drill bit perfectly perpendicular to the top of the ball joint.
The first ball joint went slowly but then we got more comfortable after learning the depth of the material we had to drill out so the final three went really quick. I’ll tell you, for my money, it is learning to do this kind of job that makes the price of Colin’s visit very much worth it.
As we were finishing up the day, denjohn from Tracy, MN arrives to say hi in his brown/white T1 bus which he’s had for 30 years! It was great seeing you again denjohn.
Right now, it’s about noon the day after my IAC Day and the family and I are heading out to the miz’s house for more Amskeptic Action. Of course we are taking the bus.
Here's some more random pix:
Colin and Chloe arrived in the morning. It was good to meet Chloe as she made me pause to remember Bookwus, cheers Mike. Colin points to Chloe and asks me if “that looks like a mail or UPS truck” and then hands me a bottle of IPA from the Bitter Root Brewing Co in Montana, a gift from a friend, whc03grady, which I will enjoy today to relax my aching body after yesterday work. Thanks whc03grady!
Colin and I huddled over the kitchen table with coffee as he made little doodles of transmission gears, rocker panels, and ball joint boots. We then got to work. Since the pushrod tube job requires a cold engine we started there. I learned how to remove the valve train (never done that before) and carefully remove the T4 push rod tubes without crushing them too terribly. During the job, local bus pilots and friends, the miz and Stefan arrived to help and meet Colin.
Stefan's is the green bus.
the miz's is the white vanagon westy.
After we got the new push rod tube seals replace, everyone drove to the local parts shop to purchase Zerk fittings; they come in a rainbow of sizes and shapes. You should have seen the look on Colin’s face when I innocently asked the auto shop clerk, who happened to be female, to show us her Zerk nipples. For the rest of the day we giggled like 6th graders.
Here’s Colin showing us how to get the angle of the drill bit perfectly perpendicular to the top of the ball joint.
The first ball joint went slowly but then we got more comfortable after learning the depth of the material we had to drill out so the final three went really quick. I’ll tell you, for my money, it is learning to do this kind of job that makes the price of Colin’s visit very much worth it.
As we were finishing up the day, denjohn from Tracy, MN arrives to say hi in his brown/white T1 bus which he’s had for 30 years! It was great seeing you again denjohn.
Right now, it’s about noon the day after my IAC Day and the family and I are heading out to the miz’s house for more Amskeptic Action. Of course we are taking the bus.
Here's some more random pix:
1975 Riviera we call "Spider-Man"
- Hippie
- IAC Addict!
- Location: 41º 35' 27" N, 93º 37' 15" W
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Re: Colin Visits Belle Plaine, Minnesota
Awesome...isn't it great when you can do preventative work and maintenance instead of catastrophe unravelling?
I hope Colin pays me a social visit for pizza and beer.
Chloe is a peach. Wow!
I hope Colin pays me a social visit for pizza and beer.
Chloe is a peach. Wow!
- Sylvester
- Bad Old Puddy Tat.
- Location: Sylvester, Georgia
- Contact:
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Re: Colin Visits Belle Plaine, Minnesota
Itinerant Air Cooled tour of America #9, brought to you by GumOut, the breakfast of Champions!BellePlaine wrote:
And remember folks, just an accidental sniff or two cannn't, uhhhhh, huuurrrttt youuuuu.
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.
- Hippie
- IAC Addict!
- Location: 41º 35' 27" N, 93º 37' 15" W
- Status: Offline
Re: Colin Visits Belle Plaine, Minnesota
Probably should not sponge bathe with it, but I imagine it kills bacteria like nobody's business.Sylvester wrote:[Itinerant Air Cooled tour of America #9, brought to you by GumOut, the breakfast of Champions!
And remember folks, just an accidental sniff or two cannn't, uhhhhh, huuurrrttt youuuuu.
- glasseye
- IAC Addict!
- Location: Kootenays, BC
- Status: Offline
Re: Colin Visits Belle Plaine, Minnesota
After just crossing the Great Plains in August, take a look at all them bugs on Chloe's nose.
"This war will pay for itself."
Paul Wolfowitz, speaking of Iraq.
Paul Wolfowitz, speaking of Iraq.
- MuedeStefan
- I'm New!
- Location: St. Anthony MN
- Status: Offline
Re: Colin Visits Belle Plaine, Minnesota
This was a great day! Great group to converse/work/joke with - thanks for letting me join in the fun!
Colin, nice to meet you and thanks again for letting me take the wheel of your bus...loved that SP torque curve!
Chris, thanks for the reminder on the cooler! I always forget something it seems...
I shall retrieve it at some point
And major props to Keriann for the tasty food
Later,
Stefan
Colin, nice to meet you and thanks again for letting me take the wheel of your bus...loved that SP torque curve!
Chris, thanks for the reminder on the cooler! I always forget something it seems...
I shall retrieve it at some point
And major props to Keriann for the tasty food
Later,
Stefan
Morgen Morgen, nicht immer Heute
- Amskeptic
- IAC "Help Desk"
- Status: Offline
Re: Colin Visits Belle Plaine, Minnesota
Different post I believe. I had washed them off at a local "Holiday" gas station before arriving at Belle Plaine's Belle Plaine house so his kids wouldn't barf at the sight of billions of squashed bug guts.glasseye wrote:After just crossing the Great Plains in August, take a look at all them bugs on Chloe's nose.
In the Utah post that vdubluvah put up, there were some bugs. I also had a swarm outside of Spokane that was unbelievable, you could smell bug blood.
What have you been up to this summer? We have *got* to hook up outside of the hives of civilization. Perhaps you could give me pointers on night photograph that would double my output (and back up) of pictures.
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
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
- Sylvester
- Bad Old Puddy Tat.
- Location: Sylvester, Georgia
- Contact:
- Status: Offline
Re: Colin Visits Belle Plaine, Minnesota
i need to do this with my Bus. Any procedures written for it?BellePlaine wrote:Here’s Colin showing us how to get the angle of the drill bit perfectly perpendicular to the top of the ball joint.
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.
- BellePlaine
- IAC Addict!
- Location: Minnesota
- Status: Offline
Re: Colin Visits Belle Plaine, Minnesota
Let me go back and get the sizes of the holes we drilled and the Zerk fittings. I'll post a photo of the finished work and write something up in the Suspension / Steering / Tires section and post the link here.Sylvester wrote:
i need to do this with my Bus. Any procedures written for it?
1975 Riviera we call "Spider-Man"
- satchmo
- Old School!
- Location: Crosby, MN
- Status: Offline
Re: Colin Visits Belle Plaine, Minnesota
That would be outstanding. Thanks. TimBellePlaine wrote:Let me go back and get the sizes of the holes we drilled and the Zerk fittings. I'll post a photo of the finished work and write something up in the Suspension / Steering / Tires section and post the link here.Sylvester wrote:
i need to do this with my Bus. Any procedures written for it?
By three methods we may learn wisdom:
First, by reflection, which is noblest;
second, by immitation, which is easiest;
and third, by experience, which is bitterest. -Confucius
First, by reflection, which is noblest;
second, by immitation, which is easiest;
and third, by experience, which is bitterest. -Confucius
- glasseye
- IAC Addict!
- Location: Kootenays, BC
- Status: Offline
Re: Colin Visits Belle Plaine, Minnesota
Sarcasm, my son. Sarcasm. Never has a vehicle's front end looked so clean.Amskeptic wrote:Different post I believe.glasseye wrote:After just crossing the Great Plains in August, take a look at all them bugs on Chloe's nose.
I'd intended to intercept The Missoula Traverse somewhere around Lewiston, but forgot. We may yet cross paths this year. An early fall run to NY to shoot leaves and do a tranny mod on Frito is in the early planning stages.
"This war will pay for itself."
Paul Wolfowitz, speaking of Iraq.
Paul Wolfowitz, speaking of Iraq.
- MuedeStefan
- I'm New!
- Location: St. Anthony MN
- Status: Offline
Re: Colin Visits Belle Plaine, Minnesota
I also enjoyed riding in the back of Chris's bus with Denny as Colin treated us to a "full braking test" on the quiet streets of Belle Plain...
I wondered if the ensuing bark of tire squeal would cause the passing cop to do a double-take- but he didn't investigate...
I wondered if the ensuing bark of tire squeal would cause the passing cop to do a double-take- but he didn't investigate...
Morgen Morgen, nicht immer Heute
- BellePlaine
- IAC Addict!
- Location: Minnesota
- Status: Offline
Re: Colin Visits Belle Plaine, Minnesota
I forgot about that! Slamming the brakes around the neighborhood, sure, why not? At least the cops now know that my bus can stop... and now so do I!MuedeStefan wrote:I also enjoyed riding in the back of Chris's bus with Denny as Colin treated us to a "full braking test" on the quiet streets of Belle Plain...
I wondered if the ensuing bark of tire squeal would cause the passing cop to do a double-take- but he didn't investigate...
1975 Riviera we call "Spider-Man"
- hambone
- Post-Industrial Non-Secular Mennonite
- Location: Portland, Ore.
- Status: Offline
Re: Colin Visits Belle Plaine, Minnesota
Very nice. Colin, do you think all ball joints should have zircs? Did the factory err by leaving them out?
If so, a mini-procedure would be appreciated!
If so, a mini-procedure would be appreciated!
http://greencascadia.blogspot.com
http://pdxvolksfolks.blogspot.com
it balances on your head just like a mattress balances on a bottle of wine
your brand new leopard skin pillbox hat
http://pdxvolksfolks.blogspot.com
it balances on your head just like a mattress balances on a bottle of wine
your brand new leopard skin pillbox hat
- Hippie
- IAC Addict!
- Location: 41º 35' 27" N, 93º 37' 15" W
- Status: Offline
Re: Colin Visits Belle Plaine, Minnesota
I'd like to see that even though I don't have a Bus right now.hambone wrote:Very nice. Colin, do you think all ball joints should have zircs? Did the factory err by leaving them out?
If so, a mini-procedure would be appreciated!
(I don't think it was in err, they just didn't think anyone would need to grease it until 35-40 years later.)