Itinerant visit with Samantha and Sylvester

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Sylvester
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Location: Sylvester, Georgia
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Itinerant visit with Samantha and Sylvester

Post by Sylvester » Fri Oct 11, 2019 9:01 am

I am officially the last visit from Colin in 2019, an honor. I have owned Samantha for 12 years now, this was Colin's fifth visit with me since then. Colin has been helping me since 2002, yeah 17 years I have had Itinerant visits. Samantha has been in the garage since 2013, after I got back from Afghanistan. She had carburetor issues when I decided to put her up and work on the issues she had as I had time. Six years I guess, but at least she was not outside in the elements. Colin was last here when I fixed the front window sill and installed a new windshield. That was painful, as Colin has the picture from that endeavor. In the six years hibernation I installed a used, rebuilt carburetor, new front brakes, and new tires. Everything was done, timing, valves etc. However poor Samantha has been sitting patiently waiting for her day in the sun and back on the road. My wife and I have been wanting to go camping, no better way than in a Westy. When I saw Colin was coming to Atlanta I asked for a visit, and bless his heart he scheduled me the very day he was to get dental work. I figured this visit would not be near as painful as a root canal. I needed to install all new gas lines, no way this was going to run with six years plus fuel lines. Also I needed to see if this ran with my tune up performed five years ago, and see if my skill with rebuilding a carburetor was any good. I purchased a new battery, the old one was so far gone it would not even register as a living thing at the car parts store.

Colin arrived right at 0900, he pointed that out on my kitchen clock. Having not seen Colin in years, and not following much on this site as I used to, we caught up with coffee (I made him drink pumpkin spice, I should have added some brake fluid to it for flavor). We discussed what had to be done, and set out to see how Samantha would react to all this attention. We installed the battery to see how much gas was left in the tank. Gauge was zero. We added gas to the tank to see if we could get some from fuel line, but none. Ever seen a person blow on a fuel line to see if there was gas in a tank? I did. I won't say the jokes that followed that. We determined the gas had evaporated from the tank, and luckily not left a huge glob of varnish in the bottom of the tank. While I went to purchase more gas Colin replaced the line from the tank, it was leaking like a sieve and proved yes, do check those lines. That line he removed was like silly putty, with knots of crunchy rubber. Fighting spiders and gas all over the place, we replaced the lines and strove to see if there was any issues with the fuel coming form the tank. The first stream to come out smelled like varnish indeed, but soon looked better. I was really dreading having to pull the tank. Now was time to see if Samantha would start. Ever forget what line goes into the fuel pump? I sure did. Cranking Samantha there was no fuel going through the filter. Reverse lines, no go. Sam did run for what we put in the carb bowl, but no gas from the pump. While cranking I noted fuel coming form the pump. Out of the seep hole it dribbled down. Removed the top of the pump, that looked good but we suspected the diaphragm was gone. Worst yet, I had no spare fuel pump. It appeared this was going to be a short visit.

But, Colin had possibly a used pump from Chloe nearby. It had worked, it was Brazilian but if he could find it, we may yet be in business. Luck was with me, as Colin did find it and return with us swapping pumps and connecting the lines. Was this the only thing preventing Sam from running?

It was. Cough cough and catch. Sam fired up and ran, and well at that. Just a few minor adjustments on the carburetor and it was idling well. I have a short accelerator line, probably from a Splitty, and it makes Sam run a little higher at idle. Will have to replace that. But she was running. Going for a test run, the gas pedal was in need of a spring that had long since fallen off, there was no play in it. Digging in my pedal rebuild kit, we found the spring and put it on. Out the driveway, and down the street. We did get some looks in the neighborhood, more amazement than quizzical. Six years off the road, but running like a classic VW wants to drive.

What is next? Well, a wash for starters. I need to order shocks for the front, a new accelerator cable, and some window rubber. That is getting crusty. Put the rear bumper on, but the dilemma is the front bumper. I snapped all the bolts off the doglegs, QUESTION: Can I mount the bumper with just the front bolts holding it on? I ask because I want to back on but am afraid of someone stepping on the bumper below the door getting in and out, and bending it.

It was 2:00 and time for Colin to go to the dentist. Samantha is in the driveway, waiting for a wash, insurance and updated tag, that comes next week. With some road time to test her out, camping to follow. My plans for Sam are to enjoy the drive and camping for a few years, patching and fixing as we go along. Someday, I want to take her off the road and restore her to the classic Westy she is, learning welding and body work to repair the 48 years of use and abuse have dealt her. Time to begin again the hoarding of parts.

I will add some pictures as soon as I can figure out why Google pictures is giving me issues. Thanks to Colin for squeezing me in on short notice. I will endeavor to not be such a stranger on here anymore.
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.

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Sylvester
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Location: Sylvester, Georgia
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Re: Itinerant visit with Samantha and Sylvester

Post by Sylvester » Fri Oct 11, 2019 12:19 pm

I figured out how to post the pictures.

This is the 1600cc Beast, from the serial number this was a industrial engine. I call it the Hun engine.

Fuel pump removed.

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Colin pouring gas in a cap to feed the carburetor. We had gas all over the place.

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Colin explains why I should put my crappy air filter on to keep rodents and small birds out of the engine.

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Colin and I smiling realizing this was a terror free IAC visit.

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Colin about to leave for the dentist. Another year in the can for Colin.

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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.

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Sylvester
Bad Old Puddy Tat.
Location: Sylvester, Georgia
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Re: Itinerant visit with Samantha and Sylvester

Post by Sylvester » Fri Oct 11, 2019 2:40 pm

Colin briefly mentioned this famous picture, me trying to get a 10mm screw under the dash on, taken during 2013.

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And way back in 2002, Colin and I install an engine in my old 75 Westy. Rain, cold, no shelter. I dig a type 4 but I am much more at home with the type 1 engine.

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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.

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Amskeptic
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Re: Itinerant visit with Samantha and Sylvester

Post by Amskeptic » Sat Oct 12, 2019 6:28 am

I only got the engine picture in your first post, the others are not displaying. I really want to see the picture of us so I can do a comparison through the years. Stupid Google demands linked accounts and nonsense so they can harvest our data. Do you have an account on theSamba? You can post pictures in your album and bring the .jpg links over here with the [*IMG][*/IMG] tags.

Yes, our visit was way more fun than the trip to the dentist. Smantha has a good soul:

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After seventeen years of this, we still find them scowling .. .. .. :

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.. .. .. but we leave them smiling:

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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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Sylvester
Bad Old Puddy Tat.
Location: Sylvester, Georgia
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Re: Itinerant visit with Samantha and Sylvester

Post by Sylvester » Sat Oct 12, 2019 9:42 am

A shout out to Zabo in this picture, notice the t-shirt I am wearing.

.. .. .. but we leave them smiling:

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Colin
[/quote]

Colin told me to smile in this picture, the scowl is standard look.
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.

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BusBassist
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Location: Rochester, NY
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Re: Itinerant visit with Samantha and Sylvester

Post by BusBassist » Sat Oct 12, 2019 10:18 am

This is the 1600cc Beast, from the serial number this was a industrial engine.
I’m curious, what would be the application for a VW industrial engine?
Late 73 Bay w/a transplanted 914 Engine.

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vwlover77
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Re: Itinerant visit with Samantha and Sylvester

Post by vwlover77 » Sat Oct 12, 2019 1:23 pm

BusBassist wrote:
Sat Oct 12, 2019 10:18 am
I’m curious, what would be the application for a VW industrial engine?
Generator sets, Pumps, Compressors, etc..... Years ago, a friend of mine had a log-splitter powered by one!
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

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Amskeptic
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Re: Itinerant visit with Samantha and Sylvester

Post by Amskeptic » Mon Oct 14, 2019 8:13 pm

vwlover77 wrote:
Sat Oct 12, 2019 1:23 pm
BusBassist wrote:
Sat Oct 12, 2019 10:18 am
I’m curious, what would be the application for a VW industrial engine?
Generator sets, Pumps, Compressors, etc..... Years ago, a friend of mine had a log-splitter powered by one!

Yeah, up at Neal Ruckman's spread in Amboy WA. That engine enjoyed quite a view unlike most VW engines ... :

viewtopic.php?t=4343#p70975


Hey Lee, shoot me an email with the pictures that refuse to display. jpgs
Colin


Image
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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