Date:         Mon, 29 Jul 1996 23:25:11 -0300
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Roy Nicholl <rnicholl@asg.unb.ca>
Subject:      The further adventures of Ras Bulli Split [part the fifth].


Airheads and Water-people,

Welcome to the fifth installment of adventures of Ras Bulli Split, our
intrepid '66/67 Westy hero.  In this episode, new shoes for baby, and
Ras Split goes to summer camp...so grab your coffee and bagels and
snuggle up to you monitor [Hey!...not too close], I'll be right back
after I make the tea.

Ok, I'm back...we were out of Oolong, so it's Earl Grey this
evening.  Since it has been sometime, since our last episode, let I
provide background for those of who may have forgotten.  Ras Bulli has
been up on jackstands for much of this summer while his suspension was
rejuvenated.  This weekend past, in the face of Environment Canada's
pending doom of even more thundershowers, we tackled the brakes...all
of them, lines, wheel cylinders, pads, etc.  Baby was loooong overdue
for new shoes [and socks] ;).  Of course, once you rip that much
apart, why stop there [I actually got carried away...but remembered to
check for the parts beforehand...this time].  Replaced the rear seals,
repacked all bearings, did the races...

Fortunately for I, Jah was smiling and the rains stayed away.  By dusk
on Sunday, Ras Bulli spun around the block under his own steam...and
stopped too ;)  The pedal is still a little spongy as I was unable to
bleed the driver's front wheel completely as the bleeder screw has
seen better decades [leave it to Parts Place to ship new wheel
cylinders without bleeder screws...:-|].  The neighbours were out as
we rolled back into the driveway and parked [I swear I saw money
changing hands]...called it a day and went in to read about Clara's
misadventurous weekend :(.

Today, I decided that it was time for Ras Bulli to go to summer camp.
So I called Gunter and asked if he had a spot for the Bus..."Dah, I
tink der maybe one left out front...drop him off tonight and I vill
have a look in ze morning".  As far as mechanics go, Gunter is
personable and he knows his way around a 1500...I would rather do it
all myself, but the daily commute to my out of town contract leaves
little time or energy to work on the Bus.

So I get home this evening...and wouldn't you know it, Ras Bulli
wouldn't start...well, I new the battery was week, so I haul the Jetta
over and hook-up the life support...the engine still barely rolls
over...and doesn't get going fast enough to catch.  My neighbour Al
tries and has no more luck.  I unhook the Jetta, and put the cables
away figuring that Ras Bulli overheard I talking about summer camp and
was just throwing a tantrum.  Just for kicks, I try once more when I
go to retrieve the key...it starts right away...? :-|  So Al, follows
us in the Jetta as we start off for Gunter's.  All was fine until I
stopped at the first light...light turns green, I put it in 1st and we
sputter off, pull it into second and no power...the harder i push, the
more nothing I get....we limped across the river with everyone honking
and waving [K-car owners waving at a Westy?] as they passed us at our
whopping 30 miles an hour.

Once across, I pulled over and cleaned the fuel filter [teach I to run
the tank dry]...Voila...power :)  I pulled into Gunter's yard with
alot of backfiring [Al said later that there were sparks coming out of
the tail pipes [Yes the DPO put a beetle exhaust on the Bus...complete
with holes through the bumper for the pipes...].  Gunter promised to
have a look first thing in the morning [since I parked in front of the
garage door...he doesn't have much choice] and call I with the damage
[Ok...everyone chant in unison, "The right kingpin and draglink are
fine...the right kingpin and draglink are fine...all that is needed is
a shim.  Thank-you for the audience participation.

Al honked the horn in the Jetta [he's got a 8 month old kid and it was
nearing bedtime] and I ran over to say goodbye to Ras Bulli one last
time ...but he was already off playing with the other buses and
breadloafs on the lot...isn't it always the way when you drop kids off
at camp...they don't want to go, but once there, they can't wait for
you to go.

Seeing as I brought Gunter all the necessary parts [save the
kingpin...but remember the chant ;)], he should have Ras Bulii purring
by Thursday...just in time to leave for Cape Breton on the
weekend...otherwise, you'll shortly be receiving part six of the
Further adventures of Ras Bulli Split ;)

Bugs & Things & Splits...Oh, my!

Roy

-- 
Roy Nicholl
Atlantic Systems Group		Phone:	(506) 453-3505
Incutech Centre			Fax:	(506) 453-5004
B/S 69000			E-Mail:	Roy.Nicholl@ASG.unb.ca
Fredericton, NB			Canada	E3B 6C2