TheSamba.com :: View topic - Odd 'Get Home' repairs--

Tue Jul 15, 2008 9:00 pm

I was on my way to Wal*Mart just now when I noticed symptoms of 'throttle-return-spring-broke-itis'. I got her into the parking lot using the lug the engine method of rev control and went shopping.

They didn't have any kind of long springs at all' so how did i get home?

Rubber-bands. I wrapped a couple rubber-bands around the bottom of the throttle lever, stretched 'em up over the arm on the carb and drove the 2.5 miles home no problem.

There was the time I used a torn-up pop-can to replace a nut just to hold a bolt in place on the outer tie-rod end. That repair got me home from 50+ miles away.

Once I had a 68 Bug that was so rusty I had a 2x4 piece of lumber going from one window to the other to brace the seat backs. That kept the seats from rocking backward through the holey floor.

What are some crazy things you've had to do to get home?

Wed Jul 16, 2008 12:27 am

I hitch hiked once, and got picked up by the nicest lady, who after driveing for about 5 minutes, informs me in a giggleing voice, she wasnt gonna charge me.... or take me back too her place and sexually abuse me. :cry: I said please, she told me too give her 5 bucks and I laughed my ass off.

a brake line once broke so I used a straw and some duck tape, got me about 5 miles then crapped out

Wed Jul 16, 2008 12:55 am

i had a throttle cable break on me once down by the pedal. loosened up the cable at the carb and fed a little bit back toward the pedals. clamped the two over lapping pieces of cable together with a pair of vise grips. drove it like that for about a month everyday!

Wed Jul 16, 2008 2:45 am

I've got a heater box cable that likes to break way too soon. I've fixed it by doing the aforementioned, "make loops out of the old cable ends and hook them together" method. I replaced it like 3 times over a few years, but then the last time I did it I just said 'screw it' and left it rigged that way rather than replace it, as it was working just fine. I've got the replacment cable in the trunk, but heck my rigged cable has beeen working fine for years and I'm going to leave it that way til it messes up.

Wed Jul 16, 2008 8:19 am

If it's broke, but works anyway- why fix it? :lol:

Wed Jul 16, 2008 10:37 am

I lost a throttle cable on the freeway. Strung a coat hanger past the back seat through the firewall. My friend shifted while I worked the throttle, and steering..Yeah.

"Read My Sig...." I've done all of it...LOL

Wed Jul 16, 2008 10:42 am

My coil vibrated loose from my fan shroud falling of and grounding on the trim, melting the power supply wire, I took my speaker wire and ran it from the fuse box all the way to the back to get me home, no fun.

Wed Jul 16, 2008 10:57 am

i was running late once and my gas cable broke i had some flower arangement wire (not sure where i came from?!?) i used it to make a extender cable to get home, it broke as soon as I pulled in my driveway.

Wed Jul 16, 2008 11:35 am

olde skool wrote: flower arangement wire (not sure where i came from?!?)

Suuuurrrrrreeeee! :lol: :wink: :^o

Wed Jul 16, 2008 12:46 pm

I've used a pair of vise grips on the end of the cable where it attaches to the throttle and pulled on it by hand while driving to get me home. Oh boy. What else.............

I broke a shift selector fork racing a Z28 when I was in highschool by power shifting, I drove it for a couple of weeks with no 2nd or 4th if I remember until I could get a used gear box on my fast food restaurant pay budget.

I can't believe this thread has so few replies!

Wed Jul 16, 2008 1:53 pm

I was being stupid dropping the clutch at a friends house and stripped out the left rear brake drum. I thought i lost a trans! So we tightened the axle nut real tight and drove a few miles home. Only had to retighten it once on the way.

Wed Jul 16, 2008 2:12 pm

I had my throttle cable break at the carb end (just where it joins the solid section) going up a hill. I looped it back on itself, threaded it through the end of a spare axle nut cotter pin from my tool kit and twisted it round itself as far as I could. It gave me just enough length to tighten the cable clamp down on the flat side of the long leg of the pin. I was pleasantly surprised at how well the bend in the cable kept its shape on the four-mile drive home :-)

Michael

Wed Jul 16, 2008 3:13 pm

rambler1959 wrote: i had a throttle cable break on me once down by the pedal. loosened up the cable at the carb and fed a little bit back toward the pedals. clamped the two over lapping pieces of cable together with a pair of vise grips. drove it like that for about a month everyday!

I used a piece of steel tubing & a hose clamp in that same way. Also once my throttle linkage on my pedal broke so I tied my shoe lace t othe throttle cable. kiiiinda dangerous but it got me from davis to sacramento.

Wed Jul 16, 2008 7:58 pm

lots of throttle problems in this thread, i'll add to it. This was on my 74 Campmobile though.
The throttle cable snapped at the carb, i had no tools and no way to fix it, stuck on a dark road in Mississippi with a friend. What i did have was a spool of twine. i tied it to the carb, ran it through the engine compartment and out of the rear drivers side wheel well and up to the door. i had one hand on the steering wheel and the other pulling the twine for rpm's. my buddy shifted the gears for me. took a few times to get the timing down between the two of us, but we made it home......
side note....if this friend were a female....i would have never found the roll of twine. :twisted:

Wed Jul 16, 2008 8:16 pm

62_Maggiolino wrote:
side note....if this friend were a female....i would have never found the roll of twine. :twisted:

Ehhh- looks like we're kinda... stuck out here for a while... :lol:

Wed Jul 16, 2008 8:47 pm

When I was bringing my newly bought 66 (Crumple) home to NH from Fl The C clip that holds the linkage to the wiper motor fell off during a snow storm. I bought set of shoe laces at a all night market, tied them to the wipers, ran them through the vent windows and onward into the storm I went pulling the laces back and forth buy hand to clear the window.

The wipers on that car have been a continual problem. I got fed up with hassling with them and bought a new 2 speed assembly including switch from Don West. It was money well spent. I should have done it sooner.

Thu Jul 17, 2008 12:04 am

Was driving home one day and stopped at a light when the guy behind me started shouting that shit was leaking onto my muffler. I pulled over and popped the trunk to find a fuel line cut by the fan belt. I bent the barb on the fuel pump off to the side away from the belt with my hands and gnawed the cut part of the fuel line off with my teeth then reinstalled it. I'd installed the pump the day before so it's probably a good idea when installing a new pump to make sure the fan belt won't stretch out and hit your fuel lines

Thu Jul 17, 2008 2:54 pm

When the plug fell out of the back of my Solex I put it back in and wired over the top of it. It's been OK for 4 years. :wink:

Thu Jul 17, 2008 3:06 pm

The throttle cable broke at the gas pedal and I patched it by bending the remaining cable back onto itself, then looping two key rings together and onto the back of the pedal. Max speed was about 45 but it got me home about 50 miles later.

Thu Jul 17, 2008 3:58 pm

I had a 67 and the throtle cable broke just before it goes through the carb i took a bobby pin from my girlfriend who was in the pass seat and barrel nuted it between the two pices... The bobby pin lasted longer than the Girl friend :D