Itinerant Air Cooled Greetings MCI Central III

Moderators: Sluggo, Amskeptic

User avatar
Amskeptic
IAC "Help Desk"
IAC "Help Desk"
Status: Offline

Itinerant Air Cooled Greetings MCI Central III

Post by Amskeptic » Wed Jul 15, 2009 6:59 pm

I was having a boyhood junkyard day just all curious:
Image

Image


So, I was a bit nonplussed to find that this spiderweb infested dusty abandoned boneyard was actually "open for business" as I spied an open door into the office and the receptionist waiting outside to greet visitors:
Image

"Hello? I am trespassing, is that OK?" . . . and the proprietor, Tim who has driven and worked on most of these buses over a 40 year career, playing Solitaire on an old computer that long ago gave up any hope of being in a dust-free air-conditioned office said, "you aren't the first."
Tim had stories:
Image
and more stories:
Image

. . . like how General Motors had terrible problems with the late 50's Greyhound ScenicCruiser collapsing its frames when Greyhound tried to stuff more freight in the holds than the buses were designed for . . . to make more money:
Image

. . . like how today's drivers are getting worse because they don't have to expend any effort to drive so they are losing the concentration that used to be critical and helpful.

. . . like how he misses the stickshift transmissions.

"Well," I replied, "you can drive my bus which requires concentration and shifting if you will let me drive the ScenicCruiser."
Startled, he found the only quick answer he could, "insurance wouldn't let us do that."


Image

So, I drove my little ScenicKruiser back onto the road, no collapsed frames around here:

Image

I am off to Death Valley via Yosemite. It is a gorgeous 102* day and I plan to have a couple of days of utterly ascetic boredom and hunger and marvelling at the stars in the silence. I am bringing only water. I need this.
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

User avatar
whc03grady
IAC Addict!
Location: Livingston Montana
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: Itinerant Air Cooled Greetings MCI Central III

Post by whc03grady » Wed Jul 15, 2009 9:29 pm

Amskeptic wrote:I am off to Death Valley.
Please go visit the Racetrack while you're there.
Ludwig--1974 Westfalia, 2.0L (GD035193), Solex 34PDSIT-2/3 carburetors.
Gertie--1971 Squareback, 1600cc with Bosch D-Jetronic fuel injection from a '72 (E brain).
Read about their adventures:
http://www.ludwigandgertie.blogspot.com

User avatar
Bookwus
IAC Addict!
Location: City of Roses
Status: Offline

Post by Bookwus » Wed Jul 15, 2009 9:46 pm

Hiya Colin,

So..................I'm still wanting a little more information about this place.

I'm guessing by your comment about driving the ScenicCruiser that some of these Busses are still in operating shape?
What is this place? A boneyard? And if so, there is still a market for these parts? Are people restoring these old busses or are some of them still in use?
I have cancer.

It does not have me.

User avatar
hippiewannabe
Old School!
Status: Offline

Post by hippiewannabe » Thu Jul 16, 2009 8:01 am

Bookwus wrote:Hiya Colin,

So..................I'm still wanting a little more information about this place.

I'm guessing by your comment about driving the ScenicCruiser that some of these Busses are still in operating shape?
What is this place? A boneyard? And if so, there is still a market for these parts? Are people restoring these old busses or are some of them still in use?
There is a fairly robust community of people that use them for RV's. Here's one that looks like the one in the movie, "RV" (very funny movie, BTW):

Image

Image


Pretty cheap to buy, but I'm sure it takes a big commitment to keep one running:
http://www.flxibleowners.org/aaf/aaf.htm

User avatar
Bookwus
IAC Addict!
Location: City of Roses
Status: Offline

Post by Bookwus » Thu Jul 16, 2009 8:35 am

Well, whaddyaknow?

Hah! I wasn't aware that restoring fifties and sixties era commercial Busses was such a big deal. I sure have not noticed them out there on the byways, but maybe I wasn't paying attention either. I will now.
I have cancer.

It does not have me.

User avatar
Ritter
IAC Addict!
Location: Sonoma County, CA
Status: Offline

Re: Itinerant Air Cooled Greetings MCI Central III

Post by Ritter » Thu Jul 16, 2009 8:37 am

Amskeptic wrote: I am bringing only water. I need this.
Colin
What?! No cigs?

I've always wanted to try a fast.

Cool buses.
1978 Westfalia 2.0 FI

User avatar
justgimmecoffee
Old School!
Location: Hawaii
Contact:
Status: Offline

Post by justgimmecoffee » Thu Jul 16, 2009 4:47 pm

man, what a great guy. Knows his stuff, too.

thanks Colin.

User avatar
Elwood
IAC Addict!
Location: So Cal
Status: Offline

Post by Elwood » Thu Jul 16, 2009 7:23 pm

Colin, what a cool find and stop over. You know how much I liked that trailer you found last trip and pictures. I do love the old stuff and thanks for the story.

Be smart about the heat and your health. This forum needs you at the top of your game.

Welcome to California, going thru to your beloved piano and back.

Barb and Elwood No more Jake --- Sold/traded him last month. Way too much on my plate to do him right and El is my main man I must treat right and on the road.

User avatar
glasseye
IAC Addict!
Location: Kootenays, BC
Status: Offline

Post by glasseye » Thu Jul 16, 2009 9:20 pm

Cool buses! I'd love to hear the story about how you found that place and that guy. Ah, road trips. :cheers:

Glad to hear you're heading for your shot of heat. You'll be in the only place in the country that's hotter than where I am right now. Phoenix. 110F. You prolly don' wanna know. :flower: Let's just say that sparkplugs are soooo last century.

Paying your respects to one of the continent's neatest landscapes (Death Valley) is a good thing. Onward, O Itinerant One. :cheers:

Image
"This war will pay for itself."
Paul Wolfowitz, speaking of Iraq.

User avatar
vwlover77
IAC Addict!
Location: North Canton, Ohio
Status: Offline

Post by vwlover77 » Fri Jul 17, 2009 3:49 am

Colin, You need to write a book of these adventures. YOU NEED TO WRITE A BOOK OF THESE ADVENTURES!!!

Have you read a Bill Bryson book? Do you realize these stories have a very similar appeal, with the humor and tight prose that makes Bill so popular?

YOU NEED TO WRITE A BOOK OF THESE ADVENTURES!!! :flower:
Don

---------------------------
78 Westy
71 Super Beetle Convertible Autostick

"When we let our compassion go, we let go of whatever claim we have to the divine." - Bruce Springsteen

User avatar
dtrumbo
IAC Addict!
Location: Mill Creek, WA
Status: Offline

Post by dtrumbo » Fri Jul 17, 2009 6:30 am

vwlover77 wrote:YOU NEED TO WRITE A BOOK OF THESE ADVENTURES!!! :flower:
In the meantime, a book about how to take care of your Volkswagen might be nice. Especially if it had beautiful hand-drawn diagrams of the various systems. :joker:

I know, all in due time.
- Dick

1970 Transporter. 2015cc, dual Weber IDF 40's
1978 Riviera Camper. Bone stock GE 2.0L F.I.
1979 Super Beetle convertible.

... as it turns out, it was the coil!

User avatar
glasseye
IAC Addict!
Location: Kootenays, BC
Status: Offline

Post by glasseye » Fri Jul 17, 2009 7:42 am

You need to write a book of these adventures.

I've pummelled him with this idea every time we've met. Eventually, he'll succumb.

Dibs on the cover. :cheers:
"This war will pay for itself."
Paul Wolfowitz, speaking of Iraq.

User avatar
Gypsie
rusty aircooled mekanich
Location: Treadin' Lightly under the Clear Blue!
Status: Offline

Post by Gypsie » Fri Jul 17, 2009 9:32 am

"It's a desert topping....
It's a floor wax....
It's both...."


Howzabout a book about VW maintenance zen sprinkled with road adventures. A technical biography of sorts...

I enjoy reading about the adventures as much as I enjoy reading about VW history and technical instruction in Colins words.

Judging from what I read here, there are many other (dorks) folk out there that would slap down some ducats for this.

-Gypsiedork
So it all started when I wanted to get better gas mileage....

User avatar
dtrumbo
IAC Addict!
Location: Mill Creek, WA
Status: Offline

Post by dtrumbo » Fri Jul 17, 2009 9:45 am

Gypsie wrote:"It's a desert topping....
It's a floor wax....
It's both...."


Howzabout a book about VW maintenance zen sprinkled with road adventures. A technical biography of sorts...

I enjoy reading about the adventures as much as I enjoy reading about VW history and technical instruction in Colins words.

Judging from what I read here, there are many other (dorks) folk out there that would slap down some ducats for this.

-Gypsiedork
I too would love that book. Each chapter might have a 'foreward' of sorts with a tale and a few pictures from the road.

- dtrumbodork

oh, and maybe a calendar. :blackeye:
- Dick

1970 Transporter. 2015cc, dual Weber IDF 40's
1978 Riviera Camper. Bone stock GE 2.0L F.I.
1979 Super Beetle convertible.

... as it turns out, it was the coil!

User avatar
chitwnvw
Resident Troublemaker
Location: Chicago.
Status: Offline

Post by chitwnvw » Fri Jul 17, 2009 9:57 am

dtrumbo wrote: In the meantime, a book about how to take care of your Volkswagen might be nice. Especially if it had beautiful hand-drawn diagrams of the various systems.
That's a good idea, Dick. I'd pay money for one of those.

Post Reply