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Date:         Tue, 11 Sep 2007 13:26:22 -0700
Reply-To:     Jake de Villiers <crescentbeachguitar@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jake de Villiers <crescentbeachguitar@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Trip Report, long and rambling
Comments: To: Robert Rountree <syncro87@hotmail.com>
In-Reply-To:  <BAY118-F28D0E42EBD7F338F7ACC47DAC10@phx.gbl>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

Thanks for the story Bob and the great photographs, but could you put in a few paragraphs next time?! :)

Seeya, Jake

On 9/11/07, Robert Rountree <syncro87@hotmail.com> wrote: > > The road never ends. > > So far this year We've done about 15,000 kilometres of camping in our 87 > Syncro Westy. (it's uncle Joel's fault, he said go out and enjoy yourself, > he just didn't say when to stop ;-)...In Feb-07...I bought new tires > (nexen > 820..195r14) the engine got new AMC heads, clutch, exhaust manifolds, > some > hoses, new fuel lines, with a leak, plus a dent in the side and a gouge > down > the roof top (we won't go there)....March and April we went down to the 4 > corners area of the US, (from Ontario) Started having a problem where, > when > I hit a bump, it would cut out. After pulling out the few hairs I have > left > on my head, I found that a wire had been (repaired) with a mystery inline > connector, and that connector had been stuffed out of sight under the afm, > but every time I hit a bump it pulled apart & sent a disconnecting signal > to > the ECU....Every other guy missed it...I had to find it myself.... This is > one of the major problems mechanics have to deal with, when they deal with > our vans... and why many just won't even try (they just want to replace a > module and get home by 6 for dinner). After 20 years of use, we have > cleverly, added all kinds of non-standard stuff to our vans, it is then > sold > and the 6th owner in Timbucktwo Ga. (who has always wanted one of those > little campers) decides it now needs a Kmart Jiffy waterwheel knife & lure > sharpener (with remote) installed under the drivers seat. And he applies > his electrical know not how to come up with a whole new approach to wiring > in accessories. Add to that all the connections back there in the engine > compartment, that gets sprayed by following behind the front wheels > (working > like little waterfalls in the rain and slush)...... Our Vans are rolling > corroded short circuits looking for a lonely volt meter.... but we > digress... I'm not here to complain, I did say we've just enjoyed 15kkm.. > We > had a great time in NM., CO., AZ., and Utah... Met the wonderful Maggie > Dew, > who let me drive her subie powered westy....thanks for the hospitality > Maggie.. good vanagon people really are a special breed.... and when my > waterboxer finally blows the big one, I'll get to empty out my bins of > spare > parts and start looking for a new leakless type engine... On return from > the > mighty SW... and after beating the crap out of my front end on that great > slick rock of the Canyonlands.... I got around to doing the front end... > my > upper control arm bushings where clunking for years, but after buying 5 > new > tires, I had to fix their sloppiness.... so I did it...and if... I.... > can...so can any other monkey with 2 thumbs and a big wrench. I went whole > hog... 2 new front drive shafts w/lobros., upper control arm bushings, > upper > and lower ball joints, and wheel bearing w/seals.... what a difference in > the steering/ride,... I love this van.... fold down those arm rest... turn > up the mandolin music... the road is my painting.. didn't even see a TV > almost all summer... people would ask me... did you hear so and so did > such > and such.... No I didn't...every morning the sun still came up and we were > happy. That's all I needed to hear...We went to Busfusion and saw some old > list friends... Mike & Mary C, Phil Z., Doug & Linda A. and other fine > folks of the bus... on my way there... we visited friends up in the hills > of > the north Ottawa river.... they gave me a party for my birthday, we played > some bluegrass, ate cake and drank some fine wine. On my way back to our > friends home, it was a hot thunder stormy late night,... I had the lights > on > high beam, the wipers going, and the defroster blowing.... as I rounded a > steep narrow guard rail less mountain curve.... black out....only parking > lights...no wipers, blower, or headlights....I pulled up the dip switch > (dimmer) and had just rainXed the window so we recovered and made it to > camp.... at busfusion Phil Zim loaned me his spare ignition switch, which > I > plugged into my socket and that was it.... I highly recommend this as a > spare part to carry...The VW dealer in Ottawa wanted $69cdn for one they > didn't even have. Bus depot & Van Cafe list them for under $10... Support > our vendors... or don't complain .... After busfusion we did a lot of > local > visiting, Sudbury, Killarney, Tottenham Bluegrass festival etc. Then we > went > up to Lake Superior (for about 5+ weeks) visiting friends and old haunts, > camps long gone and the coastlines of my dreams. Diane did some Kayaking, > I > paddled into some special spots. I studied 13 different eagles this > summer.. > We went up to the Red Rock Folk Festival and saw lots of great talent, > some > of which are old friends. I just can't do those late night jams any > more... > even thought the spirit wants to, the body needs a nap...We went to > Peterbourgh Ontario and did the Bus Folk thing with Jerry and Sophie... > That > was really nice. I like the smaller gatherings like that, where you're > able > to go around and talk to everyone, pet every dog, have time to tell & hear > a > few stories....That was a well organized event and I met some interesting > and fun folks there... lets do that again and keep it under 50 and in that > cool park... After the weekend we did the Canadian Canoe Museum ... A must > see if you are ever in Peterbourgh...... oh this is about vanagons > right?.... well mine is still running well, and sits out in it's carport, > sometimes at night I can hear it whispering.... Bob...ppssst....Bob... the > leaves are changing... clean your lenses and get in here. > > The road never really ends. I just bends. > > RR > > SeeMyPhotos@ http://www.flickr.com/photos/syncro87 > > _________________________________________________________________ > Enter to win a night a VIP night out at TIFF > http://redcarpet.sympatico.msn.ca/ >

-- Jake 1984 Vanagon GL 1986 Westy Weekender "Dixie" www.crescentbeachguitar.com


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