Bus Talk

Oh, a friend I learned has a '77 Bus, and we car talked over breakfast...learned where to and where not to take the Bus in town for fixits...much on hold for awhile as I need some fixits my ownself! There's a culture out there of Bus owners.

"It runs fine here in the Valley, but up in White Wolf and the Meadows, it's a struggle uphill..."
"Sounds like me," I said.
"Me too!"

To El Cap and Back

Well, filled with trepidation, I started off to go to Mariposa, or as far as I could....and as far as I could was El Cap...it lugs badly and I suspect a cylinder is gone, or the compression very low...so I came back and parked it....fun to drive though...I like sitting upright.

More Gas

I got a twenty dollar gas card...drove over to the pumps and put it in...all of 5.69 gallons! Coming back it lugged again on the approach to the Creek Bridge...and I remembered from bicycling that there's a bit of an incline, like in uphill, here. I asked the previous owner if it could go up hill...35...and maybe a problem...well, what can I do...it is not all downhill to Merced!

What to do...Monday maybe I can get it up to Tunnel View...for a test...but I dont know...the interior needs a lot of work, and with weather coming, short days and cold, there's really no where I want to go, car wise, so maybe I'll just do that...clean and work on the inside, order new interior things, and some other things I can do, like the big rubber seal around the roof. When I have the inside spiffy, I can consider what to do with the engine and such, and the exterior.

15799

Air

Drove over to the Garage and filled all the tires with air...more air. Explained to me that when car sits along time the tires get flat spots, which could add to the wobbling. On way back it was lugging, like the brake was on, so I dont know what that is...couldn't get gas to the engine like....drive some more to see tomorrow.

Second Gear

Well, I got it out on the road, speed limits 25, so I didn't get out of second gear. Throttle is sticky still, and I just went to Curry..around about Le Conte Memorial it started to wobble in steering, so I took it very easy coming back...one of the back tires is almost flat. Noisy too, but no heads turned! Tomorrow I'll take it to the garage for air, if there is still air in the tire!

Scratched the cell phone notion as there is no signal in the Merced Canyon...oh, maybe I'll still get one. I really want to be able to call for road help. The contracts are expensive.

15792 to 15796

Gas

Walked over, gas can in hand, and got a gas card, then some gas, then walked back...felt a bit out of place as I haven't bought gas in four years...and put it in the bus feeling a bit guilty...like I sewed a stitch in the fractal fabric of the petroleum guzzlers. How can I walk this walk I've walked so many times past the views of Cook's meadow with a gas can??, I thought (with the familiar tire rolling roar of the the cars going by!!...I've done the gas can walk a few times!).

Put the licence sticker on, the Park permit sticker on, and put the paperwork of insurance and registration in my camel back pack, climbed in and started it up. It was idling fast again, and figured out the gas pedal was sticking, and the idle dropped and quieted down, much as it could, as the muffler is loose. Drove along the dirt road paths...How can I drive on these dirt road paths I've walked so often??, I thought....for a few yards, and thought to go out on the Drive, but tourists were gathered around some deer right there, and loud as the Bus was the deer weren't bothered, and I made a left turn away, checked the brakes a few times, they work!, put it in reverse, backed up and went forward and parked it back where it was!!...thwarted by not wanting to disturb the deer!

It's a travail, it will aways be a travail, it always was a travail, to own and drive an automobile.

Tomorrow I'll puttputt somewhere...I'll drive it a bit everyday about the Valley to see if it is reliable starting up and such...can't go far, only two gallons I'm sure of in the tank. It's sixteen to nearest gas, though I suppose I could get another card. My next weekend I'll go to town for maintenance, and a new muffler!

7.95 gas...

Insured

Went to Merced and AAA and got insurance, and a membership, and I got to register it right there..and no smog for a year...and it was just 24o.oo or so..for six months and the membership. Made me very happy, and after the long twisty twiney woosey bus ride down, I needed that.

Spent the rest of the afternoon in Barnes and Noble..bought How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive for 25.oo. Looks to be a good book.

Now, what do I do tomorrow?? It's ready to roll after I put some gas in it, paperwork wise.

It might be wise to get a cell phone next, so I can call the roadside service when needed.

At the least, if it still starts up and runs tomorrow, I'll putt putt around the Valley. Mr. Toad, we're ready to roll...

Vroooom!!!

Well, I put the battery in, and turned the key...and it started! I didn't let it run long, and it all brought a smile to my neighbor who brought over a gas can.

Monday I can get gas.

Bought a book from Amazon on restored buses...the rust is a nightmare. Mine's not so bad, but even a little is bedeviling to get rid of. 20.00 for the book.

New Battery

123.00 for a new battery. Brought it home from the Garage. Won't get to putting it in until Saturday, if weather is good...probably later. The engine isn't original, nor the transimission..both rebuilt replacements, some question as to the condition of the brakes and it does need gas. Info from previous owner who takes an interest in my progress!

Battey on Order

I put the old one in my ski boot bag, and hauled it to the bus and to the Garage. And the new one wont be in until next Wednesday.

Rust

I got the battery out...usual business of pounding, wiggling, prying...and swearing....and there's some rust where it sits in the engine compartment...I've read that's common.

This rust might determine what to do first if the engine needs replacement, which it will if it is too expensive to get running and pass the smog test. More expensive I mean than a new engine.

First, then, would be to have the Bus go to the body shop with the engine out and take care of the rust.

If I can get it running I'll drive it until the snow falls, and if the engine is strong, for awhile longer, into Spring and Summer when the roads clear. But eventually a new engine will be in order, and that's the time, when the old one's out, to have rust taken care of...

Tomorrow I'll haul the battery to the Garage...a bit of a chore as it's heavy! And if they have a new one, hopefully a little smaller!, I might turn the ignition on and see if it runs...I need to baking soda clean the cable connects, and just eyeball the engine and make sure oil level is okay and fuel line and gas...forgot gas...I haven't bought gas for four years! Heck, I'll need a gas can!

It hasn't run for two summers I think...previous owner showed me photos of it over on the East Side, and it looked like two summers ago...when there was snow!

The Battery Wrench

Well, a lot can hinge on putting a new battery in...if the Bus up and starts and runs, I can drive it to Merced for futher work. If not, an expensive tow will be in order.

I checked the oil, okay, and the engine looks remarkably clean, and I tried to remove the battery cables on the old battery with a little crescent wrench with wobbly jaws...it wouldn't snug on the nut, which is a little corroded, so rather than risk stripping it I walked over to the Garage and purchased a box wrench set, 20.00, and WD40 at the Store.

Tomorrow, I'll apply the WD40, and the made in India box wrench, and see what transpires!

Bus Arrives in the Backyard

Well, I had a photo, but I accidentally deleted it. I can get another tomorrow, it's not like it's going to move! I had it towed, 56.50, from Curry to the Backyard.

To get it there has been a culmination of months of looking at vehicles on ebay, yahoo, auto trader, etc., a walkabout in Merced of used car lots, hundreds of conversations on the merits of having a personal vehicle here....money concerns...it's just been a lot of work!

Next, I get some wrenches and pull the old battery, take it to the Garage and exchange it for a new one.

After it was parked for an hour or so, some young people, late teens early twenties, happened by on the way I think to the "beach" on the Merced, and stopped to look it over, peering in the windows...it's...it's like twice as old as they are...

Buses are attention grabbers...I could a bought most any car, but none, even in beat up condition, that has a VW Bus's charm!

Saw a coyote, first one since last Spring, riding in the big bouncy tow truck...reminded me of the dump truck I drove once for a little bit.

Crumpled Front

Well, it's still over in Curry..got so annoyed that the Garage wont work on it, that I'll put off the move to Tree in the Door 'till tomorrow..and it'll likely cost 60 dollars or so...expense to date...800 purchase and 76 registration as non operating...sigh. A new battery might make it go...dont know now!

Googled a lot of restoration sites...parts for the interior are readily available as kits, so I can do a lot of that...painting and engine work I'll have to take to shops...and read about how to fix crumpled fronts...cut them out and replace....or use chain and comealong, the chain wrapped around tree...plenty of trees hereabouts but one wouldn't dare to wrap a chain around them!! The slack liners carefully pad them. I could cover up the crumple with a bra... Headlights have a quizzical look, dont they??!!!

The deer were eating the apples fallen about it today!