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Wed Nov 04, 2009 4:18 pm

Well it looks like I am going to loose my favorit VW mechanic Kevin Veale of Veale Automotive here in Graham Washington. He is moving to the Great State of Alaska on some Island to work with a friend of his. He should me move out tool box and all in about 3 months. That will be a sad day for the local VW owners and me. We have been together for almost 2 years now. He the one that has been helping me with my bus, and money wise has saved me a bundle. The auto business has not been kind to this area. I have watched him sweat trying to make the bills each month. House and shop payments, etc.

Kevin can work on anything that comes into the shop., well most anything.

Wed Nov 04, 2009 4:31 pm

We are sorry to hear it. Businesses all across America started suffering three or four years ago and it accelerated last summer before the National Elections. Even though the stats show things are improving it will take some time to reach all of us. All my friends who have businesses have either closed their doors or are hanging on by their fingernails. I am sorry for your loss.

Wed Nov 04, 2009 4:51 pm

foxtail1 wrote: We have been together for almost 2 years now.

what usually helps me after a break up is some nice hot coca and a good movie......... :lol:

have to agree with you though buddy that is sad, never hang out that way much so don't know him, but as more and more of the guys go under what's going to happen is at first parts will be cheap to try and keep the doors pen or recoupe what has been lost as a last ditch effort followed by a vacuum of professional knowledge leading to very expensive parts and people like me for the only advice to rely upon(trust me in saying you don't want to do that)

lol

Wed Nov 04, 2009 4:58 pm

Yes when he leaves it there will be a large sucking sound of VW knowledge gone. Though as for me I will know where he lives and I will be shipping parts to him for the odds and ends he will be doing on the side. And that friend of his is buying a Bay Window and have him fixe it be for it is shipped there. So he will not be to lonely cause his friend will be living next door.

This just happened in the past couple of days.....So the last laugh could be on Kevin.

Wed Nov 04, 2009 5:51 pm

Atlanta area lost northlake air cooled service a few weeks ago. I went by there a month ago and they had a whole lot full o' vws. Went by today and its now a cabinet shop.... only vw place I know of around here now myco imported parts and they're only a f.l.a.p.s. no service.

Wed Nov 04, 2009 10:03 pm

The vw shop I use to take my bus too, closed down
about a year ago, I know just how you feel

Luckily I found out where the mechanic's new job is.
In case I need him or if I want to refer someone to a good mech

Because we all know a mechanic that is a expert on
Type 4 fuel injection is rare

not only was this hole in the wall shop, top-notch good
they were honest & cheap
They made it hard for me to do my own tune-up, cheap

since we are on the subject

for those of you in southern cal

russes junk yard in irwindale sold out about a month ago
& chuy no longer works there

they still carry air-cooled stuff but its quickly turning into a watercooled yard

especilly since noone there now,seems to know anything about ACVW's

Wed Nov 04, 2009 10:19 pm

I know what ya mean....

Not really! Alaska is bad ass and if he's going to Kodiak, all the better.

But is he driving there in a bus?

Thu Nov 05, 2009 4:29 am

It will be barged there. He is going to farmost south Island Prince something.. just across from Ketchacan or how ever it is spelled.

But I can fly up there and go fishing.

Thu Nov 05, 2009 4:55 am

Mechanic? You don't need no stinkin' mechanic... Time to save even more money and do things yourself! The only thing I let mechanics do is tire replacement and front end alignments. I even tried to replace tires myself in high school with a hand air pump. That didn't work. But I've done about everything else on a Bus by now myself.

So seize this opportunity and go solo!

Thu Nov 05, 2009 5:39 am

Well I was lucky through Kevin I was able to get all my parts at his cost. He is more than a mech is a friend.

Thu Nov 05, 2009 8:04 am

vw76westy said: "russes junk yard in irwindale sold out about a month ago & chuy no longer works there"

Bummer. Chuy & Jim have sourced a bunch of tough-to-find stuff for me at reasonable, not cheap, prices. Any feedback on the new owners?

Seems like most current Fontana j/y owners price any a/c VW part like it fell off a gold-plated splitty.

Thu Nov 05, 2009 8:44 am

I wish there was a VW mechanic up my way.....I do all my own mechanics, except tires, but I sure would like to have a local mechanic. Every air cooled owner up here brings me their cars to work on or give them advice, and I am just a hobbyist who barely has the time for my own projects.
And I live in John Muir's old stomping grounds. :wink:

Thu Nov 05, 2009 9:10 am

peaceful warrior wrote: I wish there was a VW mechanic up my way.....I do all my own mechanics, except tires, but I sure would like to have a local mechanic. Every air cooled owner up here brings me their cars to work on or give them advice, and I am just a hobbyist who barely has the time for my own projects.
And I live in John Muir's old stomping grounds. :wink:
Do you mean up in Taos? We've got no one here in Los Alamos, either.
As far as I understand, there is at least one mechanic in Santa Fe... Sanchez VW and Cycle. Never used him, but he comes well-recommended. Of course, that's still--what--an hour and half from you?

Thu Nov 05, 2009 9:35 am

westypop
Quote: Any feedback on the new owners?

vw76westy
Quote: noone there now,seems to know anything about ACVW's

jim sold the place to new guy & son ( it seems like these new guys own other junkyards or are partners with other yards)
chuy was let go & now jim just works there as a manager(chuy's job)

the painter's are all gone

they wont let you into the back anymore
but if you tell them what you want,they dont seem to know what it is ](*,)

chuy was "the man" there & letting him go is the new owners biggest mistake,
no offence to jim who is now in chuy's position & does not own the place anymore

for those of you outside of southern cal ....
russes junk yard is a ACVW only junkyard in irwindale
on a street that has 20-30 junkyards most yards handle one type of car only (honda,toyota,ford,chevy,etc...)
russes has been around ever since oval windows & splittys were just used cars
i remember coming here when i first bought my bus & seeing rows of
splittys & complaining that there were to many splittys & not enough bay windows in the yard
( my, how times have changed)

i never met someone in the LA area that did not know of russes

i guess its places like this,(where you can walk in & find any part you need )
that makes it hard for us in ca to
understand how rare parts are in the rest ot world

Thu Nov 05, 2009 9:56 am

Quote: Mechanic? You don't need no stinkin' mechanic...

having a expert adjust air-flow-meter for smog
is better than doing it youself

id rather have someone replace alternator during the week
& make that big weekend trip
over spending the weekend doing it myself
& have the family disappionted at home

also, not everyone has a garage or drivway to do their own repairs

Thu Nov 05, 2009 9:58 am

Sorry to hear the OP shop closing. Not the first nor the last with this economy.....and possible a major supplier too in the future.

Russ's has been sold a few times since Russ actually own it with Ed Economy even worked there too....

If you want a major ACVW wrecking yard in So. Calif. try Interstate in Lake Elsinore..... :wink:

Support your local ACVW shops before they all are gone....

Thu Nov 05, 2009 1:23 pm

vw76westy wrote: Quote: Mechanic? You don't need no stinkin' mechanic...

having a expert adjust air-flow-meter for smog
is better than doing it youself

id rather have someone replace alternator during the week
& make that big weekend trip
over spending the weekend doing it myself
& have the family disappionted at home

also, not everyone has a garage or drivway to do their own repairs

I worked on my first few Buses right on the street for years... and paying for a mechanic would usually mean no weekend gas/beer money for me... :cry:

That being said, I have had carbs rebuilt/rebushed by machinists and a brake booster rebuilt in Texas; so of course there are a few areas where an expert is needed. But for me it's a time/money thing and I usually have more time... :D

Thu Nov 05, 2009 2:57 pm

flat4freak1978 wrote: Atlanta area lost northlake air cooled service a few weeks ago. I went by there a month ago and they had a whole lot full o' vws. Went by today and its now a cabinet shop.... only vw place I know of around here now myco imported parts and they're only a f.l.a.p.s. no service.

There is one in Decatur. One of the mechanics is a member here, but I can't remember the name at the moment.

Thu Nov 05, 2009 4:11 pm

ccpalmer wrote: ... and paying for a mechanic would usually mean no weekend gas/beer money for me... :cry:
And now, for me at least, paying a mechanic means more time with my family. Funny how time becomes more valuable than cash as you get older. :?

I need a full brake/bearing/shocks job on the pickup. I could do it, but would probably have to wait until spring... but I can have a mechanic do the whole shebang in a day or two. Hmmm...

Sat Nov 28, 2009 6:44 am

Well it looks like Veale Automotive will no more around the middle of this coming January. Kevin is moving to Alaska and I will be looking for a Good VW Mechanic to do the things I am not able to.

There was a chance that the shop would be leased to an excellent Mechanic but there just isn't enough business to pay the lease....Damn!

It just going to be an almost empty building.

I will also be getting lots of VW parts that I can sell.