Date: Mon, 11 May 1998 18:45:45 -0500
Reply-To: "Karl F. Bloss" <bloss@ENTER.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: "Karl F. Bloss" <bloss@ENTER.NET>
Subject: Carlisle report
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Despite the rain for a good portion of the weekend, there was a
decent turnout at the Carlisle, PA Import/Kit Car show. I would
guess that there were about a dozen Vanagons (including 3 Syncro
Westies, Jim DiGennaro's GTI-powered Westy, one artsy painted up
diesel Weekender), 2 Eurovans (one Weekender, one 'bago) and about a
dozen breadloaf vans (including a Chevy V6 powered loaf). There were
some diverse other VW vans to be seen in the vendor area and the
parking lot.
In keeping with the rebelious nature started at Transporters by the
Tunnel '97, most of the LiMBO group camped out right on the
showfield, even though we weren't supposed to. For future reference,
try to get to the show while the registration booths are open,
otherwise they'll slap you with a $20 camping fee (BTDT) and try to
corral you into the sloped camping area.
Jim D apparently blew a valve seat on the way down and took some
abuse for having a 3-cylinder van (of course, the same could be said
for Bev with her low compression on #3). Someone else came looking
for (and found) a 'loaf voltage regulator, and we did see one 'loaf
leaving on a flatbed. Other than that, not mechanical events to
speak of.
Saturday turned out to be a decent day after all (even some
sunshine), and most people took off to see the vendors and displays.
I managed to pick up an expansion tank from Jim D, but it turns out
it was for a 1.9, so I turned around and sold it to one of the LiMBO
people with a Digijet. (Hear that Jim, it was the wrong one.)
There wasn't terribly much VW vendor stuff and most of that was for
either Beetles or the rolling speaker and neon crowd.
We gathered for the potluck dinner around 5-ish with burgers, hot
dogs, and the usual assortment of picnic foods (fortunately not
everyone brought pasta salad). Dennis Haynes was grilled for expert
Vanagon repair consultation Saturday night under the canopy while we
had to endure the boom-boom of the lowered rolling speaker crowd.
One idiot even bottomed out on a 1" pavement joint right next to our
canopy.
Most people bugged out mid-morning on Sunday since it started raining
again and a good number of people had a decent drive ahead of them.
Lots of VW chit-chat during the weekend and admiring each others'
customizations, improvement ideas, some parts swapping (including a
pair of new heads and an alloy wheel that are now as good as sold)
etc. Dennis had one of his custom-made hitches along. I passed out
a couple of PVC strut supports and even installed one on Pat's
gorgeous burgundy Syncro Westy.
In all, a fun way to spend a weekend with VW people.
-Karl
Karl and Kristina Bloss, Trexlertown, PA
'87 GL Weekender "Beverley"
VW shop list: http://www.enter.net/~bloss/vw/vwshops
