Date:         Mon, 29 Apr 96 0:21:48 EDT
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Sean Bartnik <sbart7kb@www.mwc.edu>
Subject:      REPORT -- '79 stripped!

Hey all,
I'm sure you've all seen Steve's posts not too long ago regarding a dead
'79 bus that he had but that his dad was pressuring him to get rid of so
his dad could sell the lot that the bus was resting on.  Steve naturally
didn't want to send the bus to the crusher with loads of good parts on
it, so he called in the vanagon@lenti folks to strip this bus clean.

So certain folks had reserved parts but other than that it was if you
want it, take it.

I got up bright and early this morning (Sunday) so that I would be at
the site of the bus in Springfield VA for the run on parts :) .  I
actually got there a bit too early, it turns out that orange bus in the
rearview was Steve himself following me in :) .  We pulled up to the
site where the beige '79 rested, got out and introduced ourselves, took
a look at the donor bus, and discussed who was getting what.  While we
were doing this, Paul Wies showed up and joined the crowd.

We admired Paul's bus (nice interior!) and then Steve showed us the
collection of parts in the garage, including his '57? 59? Mexibug frame,
and detailed his plans to have a brand new '59 mexibug.  Steve better
explain that one :) .

While we were in the garage, we pulled out a couple doors and bumpers
for collection later.

It was turning out to be a lovely day and so we began to remove some
parts from the bus.  Started with little things, like the headlight
assemblies, turn signal lenses, etc.  About then, Morris Arthur showed
up in his avocado green '77 Westy.  He was representing Stefan (not sure
of last name -- sorry) in the parts scramble.  He proceeded to get to
work removing the front seats and other parts that Stefan had claimed.

As the bus became more of a shell, we became more intense in our parts
stripping activity.  We stripped most bits from the dash (leaving only
the dash itself) and all kinds of other interior goodies, such as the
rear seats and other bits for other folks.  We pulled the wiper motor
and Paul generously let me take it home with me (thanks!) hopefully one
day down the road saving $150 or so.  

Around this time Steve and Morris decided to go to work on removing the
front axle beam.  Steve had an interesting time removing the lug nuts
that had been impact-wrenched on (and bent a tire iron doing it).  It
took a long while but they finally got the front suspension out of the
bus.  Can't wait to see 'em put it in Steve's '73!  

Steve's dad was so glad to see us stripping this bus that he generously
provided soda and donuts.  Thanks to Steve's dad.  All that sugar really
kept us going.

We stripped the exterior and stripped the interior.  There was a '79
engine inside the cargo bay and we stripped the fuel injection bits for
Martin Barrett.  Paul was about to pass on the exhaust system from this
'79 but apparently the sugar content of the donuts and the $500 price
tag for a new exhaust gave him his second wind and so Paul got a
workable '79 exhaust with some nice heat exchangers as well.  

Jon Anderson had arrived a while back in his absolutely NEW looking '77
Westy.  Beautiful bus.  He laid claim to the engine block so we
transferred it from one cargo bay to another.  This engine was leaking
oil and I was kinda worried about putting it in his nice bus (if it was
my bus, that engine block would never have even touched it!), but
hopefully it didn't spill oil all over the carpet.  

After all parts had been stripped, one other person (whose name escapes
me now) arrived with his '71 bus and his wife.  Unfortunately, we were
pretty much done by then but he managed to get a couple useful things.

This bus was now a hulk.  No window glass, no front suspension, no more
lights, no engine or tranny, no interior panels or seats, just a bunch
of junk in the back that was heading for the junkyard.  Right before we
left I managed to get the a/c blower motor (what a bitch to get to!).

We then caravaned over to Generous George's pizza and had a bit of
dinner, which we all enjoyed immensely as we had been working all day.
And that was the end of the '79 and our busy day.  Everybody's happy.
We all got cool free stuff, Steve got stuff for his bus and got his dad
off his back about the dead bus and his dad got the bus off the lot
(soon).  

Many thanks to Steve for not charging us for these parts!  It was
definitely worth the day working to get all the stuff I got.  Paul and I
both carried away sizeable loads of stuff.  A good time was had by all.
Except for when Steve was working those lug nuts :) .

Sean