Itinerant Air-Cooled

As is usual, Colin pulled up promptly at 9am. Although I know Colin would rather have rode up in the Road Warrior, I was just as glad to see him in his brown Lexus (btw, yeah, Colin, the dash display is way cool!) but tell you what, he coulda road up in a tricycle with his toolbox in tow, and it wouldn't have made a hoot of a difference to me.

One thing that was immediately apparent, is that our energy levels were in synch; I was trying to decompress from 2 months of grueling work and travel, family health issues, and some significant life changes, and everyone knows what Colin has been going through, so no need to repeat. I think we spent maybe 5 min on what we were going to do for the day, and the next two hours b.s'ing about the state of the union, greed (that was a common theme through-out the day) and about 19 y.o. twits who pass over the crest of a hill. Neither of us picked up a wrench until 11am.

We scaled back our plans to the stuff that needed immediate attention; specifically the Exxon Valdes oil puddle caused by my leaking main seal (may have been galley plugs, so we gave them the good ole' JB weld treatment just to be safe) and the bucking issue that had been causing me absolute fits of frustration for the past 3000 miles.

Colin gave me demerits for not being properly prepared; absolutely no cans of Gum Out on Hand! Fortunately, one of my riding buddies came by to visit for a spell, and he graciously made a trip to the local FLAPS to pick some up. A gift of a fine vintage Gum Out carb cleaner, however, wiped away all of my demerits.

Collectively, we found 3 possible sources of my bucking; I had found a loose clamp on my S boot, and Colin found a questionable ground on the double relay, as well as injector seals that were questionable. While he was testing my injectors for leakage, I replaced the totally dry rotted (and in one case completely ripped open) fuel lines on my vent tubes in the gas tank area (no more wicked gas smell ... woohoo! )

We collectively got the engine bolted back in, and while I was trying to make heads or tails out of my masking tape labeling on my wires and vacuum lines, he was busy munching on some home cooking and visiting with my new 'patch work' family ... graciously giving me a pointer here and there whenever I pulled my head out of the engine compartment with that stupid look on my face.

About 10p we had everything buttoned back up, and took her on a test drive... the mission was a success; no more bucking; no more environmentally grosteque oil leaks or gas fumes!

Then we stayed up until 2am in the morning talking a little about 19 y.o. twits who don't know how to drive, a little more about the Road Warrior replacement, and a lot more about ... well, what the heck are two single guys gonna talk about over a couple a' beers... women 6:30 am came awfully quickly!

P.S. Hey Colin - Day 1 of school ... I go to take a shower this am, and absolutely no hot water, Anna had drained the tank. First stop after work was to Home Depot to pick up some low-flow shower heads

YES just what Ive been wanting to read. Well done you two. Sounds kinda like 'ol times on the IAC and you rebuilding your master cylinder on your "stoop" I had to find out what that was, west coast vw chick that I am needing one. Soon to be enriched with Colins knowedge.

Go forward Colin, we need you =D> Love, B/E

It was good to see you Troll, you and the patchwork gang.

It was difficult to work on your VW bus though, I will tell you. Although my heart reliably goes out to any VW in need, and the work itself had "the touch", my energy always flowed from the Road Warrior sitting nearby. This time, it just made me lonely. I was semi-crazed with fatigued anxiety as we hurtled west on 59 to see if your bus was going to hiccough at 70 mph. I appreciated your asking if it was rattling me, and I lied convincingly that it wasn't. Your bus did a good job of reminding me what I loved about these cars, so the battle continues to be waged within.
And this is good.
Colin

You're too far into your head Colin. It's dark in there.
You do what you do because you love it. You also don't seem to have another choice but to go with the flow. Plus, we need you out here!
I'm sure you miss your blue and white friend a lot. Well everybody's gotta go thru the stages of grief. And then the sun also rises.

I'll betcha a nice long trip in the BobD would be a tonic.
Dispensing unwanted pseudo-medical advice since 2006

"This time, it just made me lonely."

hambone wrote:...I'll betcha a nice long trip in the BobD would be a tonic.
Dispensing unwanted pseudo-medical advice since 2006

'Zacly, Doctor Bob. Just the cure for loneliness: A new friend.



Besides, I can't stand the thought of not seeing in my mind's eye, a bus, Colin-piloted, running hard through grasslands with a great theme song playing against the images. "Tell Everybody I Know" by Keb' Mo' is the current fave.

hambone wrote:You're too far into your head Colin. It's dark in there.

Of course it is expected that the administrator of this forum might want to backpedal the safety issues and proffer banal reassurances to the audience, but you will not be getting that from me. I am walking through the current circumstances and I will share the observations as I go.

Dark? Naaaaah. When he was America's #1 race car driver, my uncle used to tie the American press into knots by always musing about his suicidal career choices and the threat of death lurking at every turn. Mr. Not Very Fun was thus able to avoid 99% of the idiotic interviews. The one who got him was able to write a beautiful article, Hamlet In A Helmet.

ColIn-One-Side-and-Out-The-Other Head

Amskeptic wrote:It was good to see you Troll, you and the patchwork gang.
I appreciated your asking if it was rattling me, and I lied convincingly that it wasn't. Your bus did a good job of reminding me what I loved about these cars, so the battle continues to be waged within.
And this is good.
Colin

I sensed your uneasiness ... however I also sensed an underlying current that you felt this was something you "needed" to do ... like it was part of your rehab. Please correct me if my observation was incorrect, so I can adjust accordingly in the future (not just for you, but for when I might find others in a similar state of mind/presence).

Cheers,
Mike

TrollFromDownBelow wrote:I also sensed an underlying current that you felt this was something you "needed" to do ...

You are correct! And what does our contestant win, Bob?

We have . . . a gorgeously mangled real metal chrome headlamp trim ring from the Road Warrior Itself!! now you, too, can have a piece of the Road Warrior action! this headlamp trim ring has over 316,000 miles on it and if you look closely you can see where the buffing wheel sent it across the garage in 2001, amaze your friends . . . hang it in the dining room with pride and watch how it catches the light at any angle!

Amskeptic wrote:

TrollFromDownBelow wrote:I also sensed an underlying current that you felt this was something you "needed" to do ...

You are correct! And what does our contestant win, Bob?

We have . . . a gorgeously mangled real metal chrome headlamp trim ring from the Road Warrior Itself!! this headlamp trim ring has over 316,000 miles on it!

Only 316k miles? Sniff. That's like only half RW's life. Heck you could at least pony up a part with all 588k miles... like maybe a nicely used CV joint, or somepin'

Colin, selling sentimental parts off the Warrior isn't a bad idea for a fund raiser. I think we're all sort of attached. You could even sign the parts, or mount them framed on red velvet.

hambone wrote:Colin, selling sentimental parts off the Warrior isn't a bad idea for a fund raiser. I think we're all sort of attached. You could even sign the parts, or mount them framed on red velvet.

Whaaaaaa? But, but but:

whc03grady wrote:I'll give your passenger side markers a good home. Name your price.

justgimmecoffee wrote:does the radio work? even if it doesn't, I"ll still take it.

hambone wrote:Vultures.

Exactly!! What I was gonna say! First we were vultures, now he comes around....
It would be nice to have a piece of the Road Warrior. It may be just a hunk of metal to the scrapyard, but to me it would tangible piece of this history we are all living through. The very essence of what ties it all together.

Gentlemen, the corpse has cooled.

Colin - it is normal to feel a tragic loss at this moment. I am sorry for that loss.

When you feel the time is right, if you have not found one to replace the one you lost, we will all help you restore a bus that will be Road Warrior II. We will take as many good parts from RWI as can be taken and use them in RWII. You will have the best of all worlds.

Steve

Dark? Naaaaah. When he was America's #1 race car driver, my uncle used to tie the American press into knots by always musing about his suicidal career choices and the threat of death lurking at every turn. Mr. Not Very Fun was thus able to avoid 99% of the idiotic interviews. The one who got him was able to write a beautiful article, Hamlet In A Helmet.

Colin-One-Side-and-Out-The-Other Head

Colin, is your last name Foyt, Unser or Anderri?