Date: Wed, 12 May 1999 19:44:55 -0400
Reply-To: Bulley <gmbulley@BULLEY-HEWLETT.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Bulley <gmbulley@BULLEY-HEWLETT.COM>
Subject: Re: Intro!
Pete-
Welcome aboard!
I am Matthew Bulley, currently fairly quiet, as I run my own business, and
we are very busy right now. Often very verbose, when business is a little
less hectic.
1982 Westfalia under my bum, also 1985 Jetta. Have owned a dozen and a half
VW's and worked a motor-builder for a Porsche/VW shop earlier in life. Know
a little about VW's and don't mind sharing, and that is why I am here.
Honorably Discharged US Marine (Public Affairs NCO for an Infantry
Battalion), Graduate of East Carolina University, BS
Communication/Philosophy of Ethics minor. Lived and traveled across the US.
Love exploring, camping, and hiking, use our Westy to facilitate same. Love
the design and capability. Picked the 1982 after a year of looking, and
deliberating about the air v. water designs. Prepping for a rebuild on the
motor in the coming weeks. Will share pics/knowledge through additions to
our VW site (www.bulley-hewlett.com/VWindex.html )
Often offer the "voice of reason" comments (take that with a grain of salt)
when someone posts something truly stupid. Beat the drum for "preventive
maintenance by qualified mechanic" rather than "hauling around parts and
fixing on the side of the road".
Beautiful and talented 6-foot-tall wife Suzanne is the apple of my eye.
Ready for kids emotionally and physically, but need to settle the business
a bit before we rely on the income.
Look forward to hearing your insights, thoughts and experience...
G. Matthew Bulley
Bulley-Hewlett & Associates
www.bulley-hewlett.com
Cary, NC USA
888.468.4880 tollfree
-----Original Message-----
From: Pete Cassidy [SMTP:pcassidy@APPLE.COM]
Sent: Wednesday, May 12, 1999 6:27 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Intro!
Hi all,
I've just joined the Vanagon mailing list & guess it's only
polite to introduce myself, so here goes!
My name's Pete Cassidy. Myself and my wife, Lynda, arrived in the US
in November '97 as a result of an internal transfer with Apple
Computer whom I work for. We're originally from Ireland. Anyways,
Lynda's brother was already here in Sacramento (Paul - busman@jps.net
from the Type 2 mailing list). He insisted that we pick up a Vanagon.
We ended up paying about $2,000 for a Country Homes van in reasonable
shape. Picture at http://www.jps.net/lyndau/images/gina.jpg
After a few weeks, we were cruising down I5 when there was a clangy
munchy noise as the flex plate departed company with the rest of the
transmission. Oops! $500 later, we were back in action!!
Well ... we had a lot of fun with that bus; travelling to
Mendocino, breaking down in the middle of nowhere, camping on
the side of back roads. We spent about $1,500 in total getting 'Gina'
back in good shape; I even ended up re-wiring all the cooked ECU
electrics myself!
Then Lynda became pregnant - due November & Gina had to go. We
put an advert in the Sacramento Bee and after a few days a young
couple arrived to check it out. A few hours later & they were off to
Wyoming for three months travelling. They got a good deal too at
$2,500.
Paul (busman), Lynda's brother, traded his lovely '90 Lexus for
a few grand & we took up his payments. He then went out and bought
'Mary' - a '70 Westy three months his junior! Everyone thought he
was crazy! So we drove around in our comfy, cozy Lexus. Everything
was great. Baby Katie duly arrived in mid-November & all was well
with the world ..... well, sorta.
Ever tried changing a wriggly-damp baby on the back seat of
a leather-clad car? Not easy! We knew something wasn't right. Paul
in the meantime, Lexus-less, was swanning around Northern CA
in his Westy without a care in the world; we were swathed in cotton
wool, cossetted with electric everythings, in the leather lap of
luxury. *sigh* how booooring!! Our car never breaks down, we can't
go away for spontaneous weekends anymore, it just doesn't *feel*
like driving, Katie hates the car (and loves Paul's bus!). It
didn't take much to convince Lynda in the end.
Last week we sold the Lexus and used the funds to buy an '88
Wolfsburg Edition Vanagon with the weekender option. Woohoo!!
The guy who bought the Lexus thought we were nuts. Maybe we are!
The ironic part is that the young couple returned from
Wyoming after 3 months and 7,000 miles. He got a job here at
Apple, in the building next door. I get to see my old bus in the
parking lot every morning ....
Sorry for the long and rambling intro. I'd better stop now!
Pete C
'88 Wolfsburg
--
Peter Cassidy, pcassidy@apple.com
Sr. Test Dev. Engineer (916) 394-5302 - phone
Sacramento Operations Center (916) 815-0762 - pager
Apple Computer Inc.
