Date:         Thu, 06 Oct 1994 10:58:53 -0500 (EST)
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         JOHNH%NORWICH.BITNET@vx.cis.umn.edu
Subject:      the first trip

as i told you all last week, judy and i just bought a '67 last week.  we knew
when we bought it that it would need a new starter.  we got a used starter and
it worked fine.  the engine runs well.

well, we took our first road trip to boston to catch some dead shows.  on sunday
we took a road trip to salem to check out the witch town.  on our way back to
boston the red light goes on.  we read the idiot guide (appropriately named,
for us anyway) and it says it could be a few things.  is the fan belt shiny? yes
it is. well it could be slipping.  we replace the fan belt.  get a jump and
the light's still on.  check the book again.  must be the generator.  try to get
the brushes sparking again.  no luck. we're driving through boston with *very*
dim headlights.  stall no less than three times, each time requiring another
jump from a kind soul.  get the bus to a garage and park it for the night.

we got the battery charged up on the way home.  the light was out. does this
mean that the generator is working again, or does it simply mean that the
battery is charged, and the light will come back on as the battery dies again?

how much can i expect to pay for a new generator?  does the cost difference of
having the current generator overhauled justify having the bus tied up as long
as it most likely will be? or should we just buy a new one?

although we were ready to throw a for-sale sign on the bus (who's been named
loose lucy) sunday night, we got home ok, and learned a lot about vw's at the
same time...like it pays to be prepared for anything.  no more long road
trips before we have tools and spare parts, and some know how.

thank god for john muir!!!!!!!

johnny b.