My first I.A.C visit.

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energyturtle
Getting Hooked!
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My first I.A.C visit.

Post by energyturtle » Thu Feb 27, 2014 11:26 pm

I am a newbie under this username, but have been lurking and learning for 3-4 years now. I just received my first I.A.C visit and I am almost speechless. I have spent the last 6 yrs. restoring a 1978 Champagne Westy, it has been a long journey to say the least. For the sake of time, and a broken arm that limits my typing ability I will make this short and sweet. After going through the issues that I have heard from so many others such as: taking my vw to a mechanic, listening to the advice of those who know nothing about our vw organs, a failed rebuild from less than qualified shops, sorting through the garbage on that other site etc. I tackled the rebuild myself (my first), all interior removed and inside painted, undercoated, vinyl recovered, canvas bought then fabricated to make fit, all weather stripping replaced and reinstalled etc. I came to a point that my ability was no longer sufficient to get my new bus up and running. I finally, after my funds were at a comfortable place, enlisted the help of Colin. This man is great as a person, mechanic, teacher, and fellow enthusiast. I am by no means a novice, but more of a student with a good base to build. I learned more today about myself, my ability, the mountains I have climbed and what it means to belong to such an, if I may say, Elite tribe is truly humbling. Colin, you met every expectation I had and then some. I cannot say thank you enough. I paid for a service and got more than you know, and that my friend is priceless. Here is a link to the way the day came to an end. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JecCPvU7JQ. There are still many issues to address, but I felt compelled to share this....Colin is at the wheel =D> . To all the newbies who are scared and nervous, and maybe are thinking "what have I gotten myself into". Bus ownership can be bought monetarily, the passion and drive it takes to keep it going comes from within......Don't be afraid to dive in. The resources are available, tools needed relatively inexpensive. Do it yourself it will pay off in the end.......sometimes you must crack the case open, when it goes back together and pushes you down the road there are very few things in the world more satisfying. Colin you are a Rockstar, the true ROADWARRIOR! :cheers:

Scottie

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Amskeptic
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Re: My first I.A.C visit.

Post by Amskeptic » Fri Feb 28, 2014 7:09 am

energyturtle wrote:After going through a failed rebuild from less than qualified shop, I tackled the rebuild myself (my first). Do it yourself it will pay off in the end.......
This I firmly believe . . .

That was fun, even if the cold start to the morning was daunting. It was 18* when I hopped into the Lexus at 8:30AM, 22* when I pulled into the driveway at 9:30AM, and though I stalled as long as I could at the dining room table with sketchy diagrams, we still had to eventually get out to the bus (parked on the shady side) at 10:30AM and eventually convince it to start around 2:00PM.

I am most thankful to long-suffering Anthony who served as our mechanic assistant, as he wriggled under the bus to adjust the lifters and put in the bell housing bolts with no room to fold elbows around the freshly greased and installed driveshaft/CV joints (just repacked in the dining room fifteen minutes earlier).

The cold, coupled with the fresh piston rings and 20-50 wt oil, dragged the starter down to just under acceptable starting rpms. We nursed the Lexus alongside the bus with maybe 2" to spare to utilize the jumper cables. When the Lexus sort of dropped off the pavement, we came to realize that it was likely to become a lawn ornament if the bus did not start, there was no way I was getting it back out otherwise.

Like the Herrnkind visit, we had to remove the plugs to clean and gap and dry them to optimize our cold start. Imagine any piece of cold metal in a slightly oily environment, it attracts humidity and gets a slimy surface over time. With spark plugs, that dampness leaches away the spark potential. After reducing the gap to .024", we still did not have a start. The Pertronix failed our spark test by not being able to jump more than 1/4", so I suggested that we upgrade (he hee hee) to breaker points and condensor. That was all it took.
Thankfully, I was able to use this freshly breaking in engine to break the rust off the rear drums and get the bus to clear the parking area so the Lexus could be un-impounded. Halfway down the driveway, the gearshift detached from the transaxle. You would too, if you did not have your grub screw. We replaced the original shift coupler with some new shiny piece of "replacement shift coupler" but we did reuse the original rectangular rubber isolator bushings. The engine sounded good, I wanted to drive! but the front wheel bearings suggested that we be most demure. You can see us try to figure out which was the bad bearing as we swerved down the street at the end of the video.
Enjoyed meeting you, Scottie, and I was happy to see your whoooooole beautiful family is into the bus adventure.
Must get to Thomasville Georgia, NOW! It is after all, 68* and sunny down there. I can't wait.
Colin
(p.s. don't take this the wrong way but, your rear end really is too high)
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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energyturtle
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Re: My first I.A.C visit.

Post by energyturtle » Fri Feb 28, 2014 8:11 am

I feel like I should give credit where it is most deserving. While I have turned every bolt, nut, screw on my bus and rebuilt the engine from a clean case half up, it was my friend Anthony who truly deserves some hard earned recognition. I had broken my arm in three places prior to the visit. Anthony(PennySlowLane) performed 99% of the assisting during our visit. Without a great friend like him this visit would not have happened. He and Colin are troopers to brave the cold for me and my bus. I am one lucky guy. Good Karma will be coming his way in 6 week Thanks again to all involved.

Scottie

Lanval
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Re: My first I.A.C visit.

Post by Lanval » Sat Mar 01, 2014 6:40 pm

Ah. Like sinking into a hot bath after 5 miserable cold hours on the bike... the warmth and soothing power of an IAC visit awakens my spirit which has slumbered all the long (warm) winter.

IAC has begun; it's like the sound of the mower on the baseball field in the morning... it's the sound of endless summer hours whiled away in the most pleasant of pastimes, of warm evenings and the laughter of friends. I love the IAC. It reminds me that somewhere, someone is doing what they should be doing. Life as it was meant to be.

I await the next write-up...

ML

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