TheSamba.com :: View topic

Thu Aug 15, 2019 6:27 pm

Gary and Telford got Chloe up and running after working on her for two long weekends. It turns out the hesitation problem and vacuum leaks were caused by... well... by me. Once the long block was built, I added all the rest of the accoutrement and evidently didn't do such a good job. But Gary and Telford found and corrected them. Now she's running very well and sounds very strong.

ivwshane wrote: That sucks. I would have felt totally defeated if that happened to me. Do you know what brand main seal it was that shredded?
It was a Victor Reinz seal, but may have been old and possibly the wrong size. I don't remember where I purchased that seal since I was in a buying frenzy getting all the rebuild parts. Luckily Gary had one that Bus Depot says is the correct seal. I've driven about 900 miles, and no leaks from that area...knock on wood.

williamM wrote: :shock: I've seen that seal damage on newly installed seals in outboard motors where they were installed dry and then not used for a bit and the seal lip stuck to the crank- :?: :?: Don't forget "silly als "going thru Quartzsite-- still got my #??? Always a place "under the tree" here if you want to leave PS late and go early.
Thanks for the invite, Bill. I ended up taking the back roads to the Grand Canyon instead of I-10.

With the newly rebuilt engine, Chloe ran very well to the Grand Canyon. Here are a few pics of the journey and the stay...

I spent 3 days in the Grand Canyon, and the weather was amazing for August. Highs in the low 80s, getting down to 50 at night, with none of the typical afternoon thunderstorms.

After leaving there, I went to Winslow AZ, and ran into an interesting guy with this...

I didn't get his name, but he said this was a Westy prototype from 1967. The top proved to lift up during driving, which led to a redesign. I imagine that's a little know fact.

Next up, heading to the Petrified Forest for a night, then on to New Mexico to tour Albequerque for a day or two. Then take the Tourqyoise Trail up to Santa Fe.

Thu Aug 15, 2019 7:30 pm

Great update and pictures Kent. Glad your bus is working great now.

Safe travels!

Thu Aug 15, 2019 7:42 pm

wcfvw69 wrote: Great update and pictures Kent. Glad your bus is working great now.

Safe travels!
Thanks. And thanks a million for the excellent distributor rebuild! \:D/

Thu Aug 15, 2019 7:55 pm

Living your life! Glad to see adventure in your sights, Kent.
Keep Truckin’ :D

Thu Aug 15, 2019 8:27 pm

Prototype huh. It is a very early 68 for sure with that smooth pop top. Id of loved to see if it had the prototype canvas. :-k 8)

Thu Aug 15, 2019 8:48 pm

notchboy wrote: Prototype huh. It is a very early 68 for sure with that smooth pop top. Id of loved to see if it had the prototype canvas. :-k 8)
Yeah, definitely a really early one, but prototype?.............. Whatever, if it makes him feel better let him enjoy his fantasy, it likely takes the edge off dealing with all the shit that breaks, warps or crumbles on those super early models.

Great looking trip there Kent!, I'm jealous!

Thu Aug 15, 2019 9:51 pm

=D> Awesome! Safe travels buddy.

Fri Aug 16, 2019 6:22 am

Great to see your mobile again and enjoying the drive. Sure is nice when the weather cooperates. Love the updates!

Fri Aug 16, 2019 6:28 am

Happy to see you mobile again.

And nice to see ** cough cough** that we are still right on your way back to Orlando.

Sun Aug 18, 2019 4:59 pm

safe travels-- Just back from silly als- I need a nap-- contact us if coming back this way-

Sun Aug 18, 2019 5:34 pm

Thanks guys. This is a trip I've been dreaming of doing since long before getting Chloe.
So taking my sweet-@$$ time in making my way to Florida is very okay with me. :D That's why it's taken a week to get from Palm Springs CA to Santa Fe NM.

Two guess where this pic was taken...

And a couple pics from quirky Albuquerque...

Next stop will be a campground outside of Santa Fe for one night. Then head to Oklahome to visit distant family members. From there, it would be fun to check out western Arkansas before heading to New Orkeans.

As always, though, this trip is very fluid and may change at any moment.

----
Technical stuff:
The engine is running strong and sounds great. I usually have trouble staritng her in the morning for some reason. This morning it took about 10 minutes and numerous cranks before she caught and started. Robbie suggested checking the dwell, since the points are about 1000 miles old. I checked, and it's right around 50*. Shoulda checked the timing too. Damn. Since the engine is newly rebuilt, I'm going to check the valves again in the morning, as well as the timing.

Sun Aug 18, 2019 5:44 pm

I was just wondering if you would stand on the corner when you mentioned Winslow. I bet Jackson never tires of that......Especially when ASCAP quarterlies hit his direct deposit. 8)

Sun Aug 18, 2019 6:42 pm

Good to see you’re rolling Kent. Enjoy the journey. Take as long as you can :wink:

Sun Aug 18, 2019 9:23 pm

Being in Santa Fe which is up there in altitude and not having a cold start injector May be your problem.

Mon Aug 19, 2019 6:34 am

KentPS wrote:

Two guess where this pic was taken...

HOtel California?? Did I win?

Mon Aug 19, 2019 5:46 pm

Look who finally got his dues all paid up! :D :D

Nice to see a guy go the distance;
Congrats.

Wed Aug 21, 2019 8:56 am

Thanks guys. It continues to be a fun journey. The cold start issue has somehow resolved itself, possibly by being in lower altitudes.

Santa Fe was cool to visit, since it was my first time. I was invited to MeowWolf, which I can't begin to describe what it is even after spending two hours there. But it did have some interesting outdoor art work...

And found a campsite a few miles outside of Santa Fe to spend a relaxing night...

Arizona and New Mexico are amazingly beautiful states. I feel lucky to have spent a few days slowly making my way across these states. Lots of detours to follow Route 66, and even made it along the Santa Fe Trail.

Yesterday afternoon I made it into western Oklahoma...

...and heading to Oklahoma City this afternoon to visit family.

Fri Aug 23, 2019 10:39 am

:D Looks like Chleo has proven her self worthy-- Love the big spider and spare tire cover.

Fri Aug 23, 2019 3:39 pm

Yup, she's doing very well. For some reason, the oil pressure was a little low right after the rebuild. But after a few hundred miles, it's about right. So I feel the rebuild has proven itself now that it's about 1000 miles into the trip. The engine runs along very smoothly at 70mph, with CHTs that run between 310 and 340 depending on air temp. Even climbing hills, the temp rarely hits 350.

My plan yesterday was to head into Arkansas and camp at a beautiful site that Sambosamba22 recommended, Petit Jean State Park. But a storm was threatening to dump all afternoon and morning, so I dcided to head south instead. And, boy, I'm glad I did. I stumbled upon Beavers Bend State Park in SE Oklahoma, and scored a great spot by the river...

....so I had to celebrate with a beer. (Since lots of beer is being consumed during this journey, this time it was Michelob Ultra.). That river pic was taken this morning as the sun was coming up. There were about 10 sites along the river, and there were only two other spots being occupied. It was almost unreal how beautiful it was to be able to camp there.

Next on the itinerary:
New Orleans for the weekend! Meeting friends there and staying in the French Quarters.

Fri Aug 23, 2019 4:17 pm

KentPS wrote: New Orleans for the weekend! Meeting friends there and staying in the French Quarters.

Don't get into too much trouble out there :wink: