Date:         Sun, 25 Jul 2010 00:09:11 -0700
Reply-To:     Robert Keezer <warmerwagen@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Robert Keezer <warmerwagen@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      Burnt rubber( long)
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1

 
Well life is not uneventful in the burbs the least. 
 
Today I slowly worked in the garage putting my 87 Jetta engine together while fighting a sinus infection. 
So, I was miserable , but happy I was making progress on the engine (what started as a transmission replacement has become a 1.8 to 2 liter ABA upgrade) , as my Vanagon engine is down and alkso waiting for en engine replacement.
So around 8 PM I heard a bunch of cars in front of my house, sounded like about ten teenagers with beer. 
 
Next a lot of yelling as a car engine revved full throttle and the rear tires spun, car held stationary by the brakes and the teenagers. A neighbor confronted them, they threatened to fight him, and then the gra-primered 80's sotmthing Honda Civic took off up the street, leaving two huge smoldering piles of rubber that metled two pothjoles in the street. 
Nothing like this ever happened here in all my life.
 
I called 911, then ran out to see the smoldering powdered rubber piles. 
The neighbor that was threatened came running over , yelling that he was going to turn the residents of the house, and me across the street, in. He said he was sick and tired of all the Vanagons in my yard!
 
The cloud of rubber smoke filled the neigborhood as neigbors came out to see, and the police and fire truck arrived. 
 
I explained to the hothead neigbor that the Vanagons were given to me several years ago my thoughtful listmembers and other Vanagon owners who had heard of my plight 4 years ago. 
I finally sold one of them this year, but it's been a merry-go-round with my Jetta and Vanagon both taking turns at breaking down. Now I have not had transpo for 2 weeks. 
I finally got a engine hoist for 20.00 bucks and will have this engine and trans installed in my Jetta Monday. Then I have to get the 82 Vanagon runninng, which stopped running 3 days after I got it home
I determined it has a leaking head gasket , it's frozemn, but I have a replacement engine for it, so it's next. 
 
I hope the neigbor does'nt turn me in- the city passed a junk car ordinance and any car on your property with expired tabs is "junk"
The neigbors across the street have not turned in the teenagers house because they are afraid I would get turned in also. 
I'm working as hard as I can , even when sick, to get this work done. But I also haver to keep the cash flow going on ebay or I won't make the mortgage payment. 
 
We tend to read book by the cover, it looks like I'm not doing anything about the cars, but I can only spend time or money when I have it, and when the weather is good.
 
 And doesn't realize that when Mom was alive we only had three at the most cars here. Now I have 6, and by the way, so does the neighbor, but all of his are nice and with current tabs. 
Then he demanded I get them all fixed. Looks like I might have to make bricks without straw.
 
Yes, it's easy to tell somebody what to do , when you have money and power. 
I have no money and no power- just trying to get all the cars running and sold .
He seemed to think I should just give them away. 
 
If that happened , then I might lose my home, as the sales of the last two helped me get through some slow times on ebay this year.
 
Just thought you might find the story a little interesting. 
Robert
1982 Westfalia 
Seattle