Date:         Fri, 13 Oct 1995 11:21:00 -0700 (PDT)
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         "Maher, Steve (SD-MS)" <SMAHER@PO2.GI.COM>
Subject:      RE: Moving to Colorado



>As some of you all know, I'm moving to Buena Vista (Colorado) in two weeks.
>And as Joel pointed out to me, we have listmembers there. Also,
>some people on this list may have lived in CO for awhile.

Did you know that the locals who live in Buena Vista themselves,
pronounce it "Bee-yoon-ah" Vista? No lie! I couldn't believe it,
even after meeting them. Don't think they were pulling my leg-- I was
a gringo too. Bee-yoon-ee for short.


>I have not. Nor have I driven there in the fall (read: snow).

I lived in Dillon, CO for 3 years, mostly driving a '69 bus. Carried chains
in the bus all that time, but NEVER ONCE had to put them on. That
included times of Chain Laws, glare ice, and fuming big-tired 4x4
drivers who couldn't even pull over to the side of the freeway before
stopping to put on their chains. My bus whizzed on by, up the 7% grade,
cheap M&S's on the rear wheels humming as I gave them a cheery
smile and wave.   ;)


>High altitude bus modifications?

I just advanced my timing about 5 more degrees for 9,000 feet altitude.
You could re-jet your carburetor, I suppose (at high altitudes cars tend
to run a little rich), but frankly I wouldn't. Then it would run a little 
lean when
you went down to the Mile Low City, and that can get you in trouble (burned
valves etc.).

I eventually put a Weber 32/36 single two-barrel progressive carb
with whole-shot manifold on it, along with a 009 (never noticed any
flat spot, sorry) and a Thunderbird single quiet-pack extractor. The
slight extra power was welcome! Back then the emissions police
didn't mind the mods. Don't know if that's still true today, tho.


>Hi, or howdy y'all-

Uh, people in Colorado don't say that much. Unless they just
came in from Texas, in which case nobody in Colorado will
talk to them anyway.   :)

 -Steve Maher   smaher@gi.com    '71 VW Transporter which would do fine
                                  in Byoonie
                                '66 Mustang Coupevertible which wouldn't
                                  last a month in that snow