Here is my story of our '84 Vanagon = GL.  I do have two questions after all of this.

We purchased an '84 GL in April for = $650.  It needed an exhaust system and I slowly saved the money = and spent the $325 for the parts.  I found a mechanic here in = Milwaukee that would do the install for $60/hour labor.  It cost = me $254 for labor and a couple bolts + tax.  I picked the van up = on Friday (7/16).  Just in time for a trip to Detroit to visit = some relatives.  We didn't drive the van from the time we got it = until the exhaust was done.  So, this trip was her maiden voyage = for us as the new owners.  The PO confirmed that he hadn't even = started the van in 3-4 months prior to us buying it in April.  He = probably hadn't even driven it regularly in the last 2-3 years.  = So, I would venture to say that this trip to Detroit was going to be = longest ride it has had in quite some time.  Especially at highway = speeds.

We left Milwaukee Sat. morn about = 3:30 am.  Drove through the biggest storm I've ever been in.  = It was in the southern part of Milwaukee and Racine.  Pretty much = drove through it by Kenosha.  Hated every minute of that.  = Tooled through Illinois at a pretty good clip.  Took I94 through = downtown and picked up the Skyway over into Indiana.  Got back on = I94 in Indiana just before it heads up into Michigan.  Took it all = the way to Detroit.  It handled nicely and drove well.  I was = following my dad and was able to keep up with him at 75-80 mph.  = With stops for breakfast, gas, rest area (for the kids) it took about = 10 hours to get to Detroit.  We got to Detroit and as we were = going through Detroit up to Bloomfield Hills, we got stuck in a serious = traffic jam.  The van just died right there on the highway.  = On a bridge.  Bummer!!  Since we were in stop-and-go traffic, = My wife got out and ran up to my dad's car and told him we were = stuck.  My mom pulled their car off on the shoulder and my dad = came back and helped me push the van down the highway till we got off = the bridge and could pull over on the shoulder.  Nothing.  = Just dead.  We loaded up the necessities, kids and us into my = dad's car and finished driving up to Bloomfield Hills.  Dropped my = mom, wife and the kids off at my uncle's and then he, my dad and I went = to this local Amoco station there in Bloomfield Hills and had them tow = the car to the Amoco.  $35 hook up fee, plus $3.50/mile.  = Total towing bill was $77.  They were closing for the day (Sat.) = and wouldn't be able to look at it until Monday.  It still didn't = start after they towed it to the station.  I stopped back by later = Sat. night and it started right up.  Hmmmm.   So, I = drove it over to the hotel where we were staying.  Sunday morning = it started up fine and ran Ok.  We were going somewhere with my = uncle and didn't want to trust the van, so we left it.  Later that = night it started up again and would idle just fine.  But, when = ever I put any pressure on the gas pedal it would die instantly.  = After about 20 mins. of warming up it wouldn't die instantly, so I = tried to drive it around the block a couple of times.  It jerked = and kicked like it was trying to buck me off.  Then all of a = sudden it would take off and drive fine.  Everytime I had to come = to a stop it would buck and kick like mad when I started off and then = eventually run fine.  So, I ended up taking her back in to the = station on Monday morning. 

They figured that it was the = alternator and alternator belt.  $347 to put in a new one.  = That's going with a $199 "rebuilt" alternator instead of the = $711 new one from the local VW dealer (which would have taken 4 days to = order from TX).  That seems to have been it.  Drives good = again.  We got on the road leaving Detroit around 4:30 pm and = stopped in Battle Creek for some dinner and let the kids run = around.  Get back out to leave and the van won't start.  = Nothing.  Not even turn over.  Just "click."  = I thought possibly a loose wire.  I jiggled every wire I could see = and made sure they were all connected.  Still nothing.  Then, = I just thought I'd try anything, I stepped on the = brake....nothing.  Put it in neutral and back in = park....nothing.  Jiggled the parking brake.....started right = up.  We took off and stopped around 10:00 pm at a hotel and the = same thing happened Tuesday morning.  Wouldn't start for = anything.  I jiggled the parking brake again and it started right = up. 

Two questions:
(1)  Does this deal with the = parking brake make any sense?  Since I only have to wiggle it a = little, it seems like there is a loose wire somewhere, but why would = the parking brake have anything to do with starting the = vehicle?

(2)  Does what I describe = about the van dying on the highway, kicking/bucking furiously and then = all of a sudden run smooth sound like the alternator?  I couldn't = say anything to the mechanic because it worked.  After he replaced = the alternator/belt it ran fine.