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GWTWTLW Samba Member
Joined: April 22, 2008 Posts: 2174 Location: Portland, OR
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Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2015 11:34 pm Post subject: What is the most bone-headed thing you've done in your van? |
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Over a campfire recently, I casually mentioned that I had once stuck my head through the skylight while lowering my top. Dohh! We Thought that would make a good topic.
So, what is the most bone-headed thing you have done in/to your van? Do tell... _________________ 89 Syncro Westy - GW 2.5, now with a double knob job
@gwtwtlw |
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Zeitgeist 13 Samba Member
Joined: March 05, 2009 Posts: 12103 Location: Port Manteau
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Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2015 11:38 pm Post subject: |
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_________________ Casey--
'89 Bluestar ALH w/12mm Waldo pump, PP764 and GT2052
'01 Weekender --> full camper
y u rune klassik? |
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photogdave Samba Member
Joined: April 05, 2004 Posts: 3039 Location: Vancouver Island, B.C.
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IdahoDoug Samba Member
Joined: June 12, 2010 Posts: 10239 Location: N. Idaho
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Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2015 11:47 pm Post subject: |
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Curious how the VC works in practice, I put the Syncro up on jackstands running, in gear and played with trying to grab and stop the front tires. My one concession to safety was a pair of leather work gloves so I wouldn't blister my hands. If you work for State Farm and are reading this, you just invaded my privacy and you cannot use this as grounds for dismissal of my insurance...
DougM _________________ 1987 2WD Wolfsburg Vanagon Weekender "Mango", two fully locked 80 Series LandCruisers. 2017 Subaru Outback boxer. 1990 Audi 90 Quattro 20V with rear locking differential, 1990 burgundy parts Vanagon. 1984 Porsche 944, 1988 Toyota Supra 5 speed targa, 2002 BMW 325iX, 1982 Toyota Sunrader |
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t3 kopf Samba Member
Joined: October 22, 2012 Posts: 1114 Location: over by 'der
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Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2015 11:50 pm Post subject: |
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Tried to get a little air on the top of a grassy hill in an A/C vanagon 15 years ago. The top of the hill was way too steep and I just ran my bumper into it and took a bunch of clay and grass with me. _________________ '90 Carat w/ '95 phase 1 EJ22 OBD2 conversion |
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djkeev Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007 Posts: 32433 Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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wecm31 Samba Member
Joined: August 05, 2012 Posts: 358 Location: Eganville, Ontario
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Posted: Thu Jan 29, 2015 5:34 am Post subject: |
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After a lovely sunset supper with the missus in the van whilst parked in our front yard...
...tried to park the van back on the carport with the roof still popped up.
Wouldn't fit
Luckily wasn't going that fast, no cracks or damage. _________________ Gerald P
1985 Vanagon (Betty) & 1985 BMW R80RT (Wilhelm)
vintage boxers!!
Gone are the days we stopped to decide
Where we should go, we just ride:) |
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alaskadan Samba Member
Joined: January 09, 2013 Posts: 1849 Location: anchor pt. alaska
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Posted: Thu Jan 29, 2015 7:36 am Post subject: |
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Had a 69 econoline van. Fuel issues. Pulled engine cover stuck old mcdonalds cup onto aircleaner screw sticking out of carb. Poked a couple small holes in the bottom (jets ha ha )and proceeded to drive it home keeping the cup topped off with gas! Think i was 18 or 19. |
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kbeefy Samba Member
Joined: March 10, 2006 Posts: 600 Location: Central Oregon
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Posted: Thu Jan 29, 2015 8:03 am Post subject: |
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Drove to La Paz thinking I could obtain a vehicle permit there to take a ferry to the mainland. Discovered in La Paz they had recently changed the law and could only obtain one in Tiajuana.
the stupid tax was high on that one. _________________ 86 syncro CHC, NorthWesty subbie 2.5, decoupler, locker, custom interior, 225/75r16 Duratrack's on CLK's, Toyo cabin heater, ARB fridge, 300w Zamp Solar, Gowesty bumpers/skid/rails, Fiama awning
'86 Syncro Westy. Stock for now.
2000 F350 7.3 CC LB 11' Northland Cabover
2006 Subbie OBXT
2002 Tacoma DoubleCab 4x4
1969 Mustang Basket Case 351c/FMX/9
http://kbeefy.blogspot.com/ |
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joetiger Samba Member
Joined: January 27, 2005 Posts: 5068 Location: denver
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Posted: Thu Jan 29, 2015 8:06 am Post subject: |
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wecm31 wrote: |
After a lovely sunset supper with the missus in the van whilst parked in our front yard...
...tried to park the van back on the carport with the roof still popped up.
Wouldn't fit
Luckily wasn't going that fast, no cracks or damage. |
I left the parking lot after a concert at Red Rocks Amphitheater with my Vanagon full of people; folks walking by were screaming at me to stop! Stop! The top was still popped. Thank goodness I didn't make it to the road like that...
Once I was trying to install an axle shaft, lying underneath, and had already done the wheel end. I didn't get the first bolt started on the transaxle end when I thought I had. I let go and the CV joint came down and hit me in the face. My first reaction was to punch; I hit the corner of the transaxle with my fist. I ended up with a black eye and a nice gash on my hand. Never fight your Vanagon. It's bigger and stronger and can really take a punch. _________________ Joe T.
'86 NAHT Vanagon GL Syncro/ supercharged ABA 2.0 "Pigpen"
'04 GTI 1.8T
'04 Golf R32
"get metaphysical with it. if it's simply a means to get to and from places, it will let you down. if it becomes your zen, it can't fail you." -dabaron
"Still, it's good to be afield."--VWagabond
Available Now! Vanagon to Louisiana--A Two-Lane Reckoning Through Past and Present
www.josephtrussell.com |
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SCM Samba Member
Joined: January 26, 2011 Posts: 3102 Location: Bozeman MT
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Posted: Thu Jan 29, 2015 8:29 am Post subject: |
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After my first coolant system bleed. Pulled the van partially into the garage and walked around to the front to open the radiator bleeder screw. In my haste to get the job finished I forgot to put my auto transmission into park. I noticed the van creeping forward just in time to run back to the driver's seat and stop it before it damaged anything. _________________ '91 Westfalia GL Automatic (GTA "Turbo" Rebuild w/Peloquin) and 2.3L GoWesty Engine |
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geodude Samba Member
Joined: May 24, 2012 Posts: 372 Location: Sacramento
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Posted: Thu Jan 29, 2015 9:55 am Post subject: |
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When I was much younger and stupid I let a friend drive the Syncro while on a trip in Utah and he proceeded to drive us into a wash at 30mph. Dropped 4 feet bounced off the bottom, hit the far wall, and then bounced back up onto the intact road. To his defense it was noon and the area was bright white sand and gypsum so no shadows. The body looked fine, the van was running, and we were out in the middle of nowhere so decided to drive out.
Mistake number 2. It appears the driveshaft or something else got knocked out of shape and a vibration started. Not noticeable at low speed, but on the highway it would shake the shifter. Parts literally feel off the engine due to fatigue cracks. Got into town and called the insurance about the accident. They screwed around for over a month before saying that I hadn't had an accident because the body wasn't damaged! Insisted that the various parts that had fresh cracks and fell off had been like that (how exactly I could have driven from Virginia to Utah with the alternator, powersteering pump, and the bellhousing broken is beyond me.
Mistake number 3 not taking a rock and bashing up some easily replaced piece like bumpers and a door so they couldn't deny the claim. Or since the transmission was leaking at that point from several seals bash a hole in part of it. Same thing happened to another friend who while driving through a construction area had a piece of equipment go through her radiator intake and punch a hole in the radiator and engine. Insurance denied the claim, again because it didn't damage the body (sports car with big wide open intake without a grill). _________________ 1988 GL Camper
1991 Multivan — the basket case |
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wcdennis Samba Member
Joined: July 20, 2004 Posts: 954 Location: Winston-Salem NC
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Posted: Thu Jan 29, 2015 10:00 am Post subject: |
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djkeev wrote: |
Tha picture right there is why you wear short or tight sleeves, no ties, no unzipped jackets, cut off sweatshirt hood strings, and pull back your long hair!
Just imagine your body in that photo if that red rag was attched to it!
Dave |
Yes this photo also scares the crap out of me. When I realized how quickly a moving belt could take a finger off, I felt grateful that, in my foolish youth, I had somehow avoided that. |
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PDXWesty Samba Member
Joined: April 11, 2006 Posts: 6235 Location: Portland OR
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Posted: Thu Jan 29, 2015 10:02 am Post subject: |
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Do we really need to bring this up again?
_________________ 89 Westy 2.1 Auto |
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tarandusVDub Samba Member
Joined: August 27, 2010 Posts: 1649 Location: Between Here and There
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Posted: Thu Jan 29, 2015 10:04 am Post subject: |
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I'm not sure if this qualifies or not. I was going to Yellowstone Park to visit some old friends and wolf watch, and stopped for gas in Gardiner. As the pump shut off, I noticed gas cascading off both front tires. I looked and found that my roll-over/expansion tank hoses were intact, but leaking through the material and pouring out gas.
I waited 5 minutes for everything to evaporate, then continued on with my 2 day trip, making a mental note not to fill the tank completely.
Didn't get blown up, but afterward I felt like maybe I should have headed back home to replace the hoses instead... _________________ 1990 Syncro 16" DoppleKabine 2.1 DJ 112i
________________________
Sold: 1972 Bay Campmobile; 1984 Westy, base model, 2WD. |
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0to60in6min Samba Member
Joined: November 27, 2006 Posts: 3414 Location: OR & CA (Oregon/California)
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Posted: Thu Jan 29, 2015 10:06 am Post subject: |
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back then, long ago in the '70, I had a 1974 bus... after a few months of ownership the bus had some clanking noises... yeah I didn't know back then but now I know it was CV joints...
anyway I bring it to a mechanic.. he recommends a new engine... and yes... I did have a new engine... because of CV joint noises...
how stupid was this? aargh I was young, restless and stupid...
Last edited by 0to60in6min on Thu Jan 29, 2015 10:22 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Gnarlodious Samba Member
Joined: September 28, 2013 Posts: 2312 Location: Adobe Jungle USA
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Posted: Thu Jan 29, 2015 10:12 am Post subject: |
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Buying it. _________________ Vanagon ’83 diesel AAZ w/Giles injection, 5spd 4.57R&P+TBD and a '78 diesel Rabbit |
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Abscate Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2014 Posts: 22573 Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
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Posted: Thu Jan 29, 2015 10:18 am Post subject: |
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Quote: |
what is the most bone-headed thing you have done in/to your van? |
I don't remember her name, and pictures would be creepy. _________________ .ssS! |
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dobryan Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2006 Posts: 16474 Location: Brookeville, MD
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Zeitgeist 13 Samba Member
Joined: March 05, 2009 Posts: 12103 Location: Port Manteau
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Posted: Thu Jan 29, 2015 10:29 am Post subject: |
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wcdennis wrote: |
djkeev wrote: |
Tha picture right there is why you wear short or tight sleeves, no ties, no unzipped jackets, cut off sweatshirt hood strings, and pull back your long hair!
Just imagine your body in that photo if that red rag was attched to it!
Dave |
Yes this photo also scares the crap out of me. When I realized how quickly a moving belt could take a finger off, I felt grateful that, in my foolish youth, I had somehow avoided that. |
Literally a blink of an eye. I just wanted to take a quick visual inspection, and had my trusty shop rag at the ready. I lifted the lid, and the rag disappeared just-like-that. Odd noises and the obligatory "ah shit!" ensued. Be careful out there _________________ Casey--
'89 Bluestar ALH w/12mm Waldo pump, PP764 and GT2052
'01 Weekender --> full camper
y u rune klassik? |
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