Travel advice California

[Magion]

Listen guys I need a real advice. The more we are getting closer the more we think my initial idea would just be ideal.
A that is let the bus wait somewhere around here while we would rent something more desert friendly. That way we would have the best of both worlds. Do a 10 day trip or something from the coast to see all the landmarks and then take the bus back up the coast.
Rental is of course no problem but does anyone have any good tip where to park it safely around here for about 10 or so?
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1975 Westfalia in Brilliant Orange
1995 Westfalia in Caribbean Green

[Abscate]

30day rental in a locked storage facility here would be about $40
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.ssS!

[LazyLightning75]

Check out Ventura Harbor. Gotta be a short term storage facility around there somewhere.
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1975 Riviera 1.8L FI

[Angus II]

Hello,
Yes, there are some storage unit down in the harbor next to the shit plant or up off telephone rd.
Call Airhead parts and see if they will keep it at their warehouse for a few days.
You can PM me and I'll see if one of my friends can store it at one of his shops. They are fenced and gated. I'll be down there latter in the week, most likely on Thurs. or Fri. for about a week.

[Magion]

Drive up storage here looks more like $300-$400. Airhead parts could not really help either, unfortunatelly. They said drive it
I tell you what, only way i can monitor at least some temperature is my oil temp dipstick. While I was trying to climb San Marcos pass it came flashing. I know it could still be ok but it just scared me off. I think I rather want to be safe
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1975 Westfalia in Brilliant Orange
1995 Westfalia in Caribbean Green

[SGKent]

I don't understand. Get on the highway and work your way to I-40. Go thru Santa Clarita City to 14 then 138 towards LittleRock CA then either take 18 (Palmdale Rd) to I-15 or continue SE on 138 to I-15 Spend the night at Barstow - it will be 100 F there during the day. Leave early in the morning before it gets hot. Needles is about 2 1/2 hours and it will only be 110 F today at Needles which will be the hottest part of the trip. If you leave at 7 am you'll be thru there long before it gets too hot. Roll the windows down. Give the kids a clean spray bottle with water in it for misting if they need to cool a little. Open the side vents. Williams AZ will be 80F and the Grand Canyon 80 F. We used to drive that part of the desert all the time but we would do it at night because it was cooler. It is only 176 miles from Needles to Williams, and another 45 minutes to an hour to the Grand Canyon.
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“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin

[Magion]

But, but Abscate said we are going to die out there

Alright, Sometimes I just need to push little i think.
Thank you, I agree with you, we made this far so we will keep on busing.
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1975 Westfalia in Brilliant Orange
1995 Westfalia in Caribbean Green

[Abscate]

JUST plan for self sufficiency for essentials in the desert, that’s all

You might find your 30 liter tanks is down to 15 liters if you spend time in the desert, due to evaporation , for instance.
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.ssS!

[CarlosZ]

I drove my bus around in 115° weather last month with the cht averaging around 385° on the highway. Your bus should be able to handle it.

[Magion]

Another day another let down. Had to turn around for the second time in two days due to my oil becoming too hot. And it was not even that hot out there at all - around 77*. I think my bus hates long steep grades ( I mean by bus standards) what is it? Is it me carrying all the weight pushing up hill?
Again the only way i monitor something is the oil temp dipstick that just goes flashing. Than I stop and turn around because I am way to far from my home to get stranded. Otherwise it runs like dream - 60 miles/h on highway is no problem. Although i usually do more of 55

*Engine had full tune up prior to my trip, everything is stock except for bigger heads and pistons 2.0 instead of original 1.8 Original bosch l-jetronic injection.
About 50k miles on rebuild engine and running 20W50
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1975 Westfalia in Brilliant Orange
1995 Westfalia in Caribbean Green

[Spike0180]

That dipstick tells you when your engine is just starting to get hot. If you can cruise at 60 all day, then a grade turns it on. I would say when it comes on, take it easy for a few minutes and watch that light turn back off. It just telling you that your bus is working to get you up that hill. Then once that light is off, continue on your way.

Youre measuring oil temps, not CHT's. as long as your oil doesn't break down and stop lubricating or lose oil pressure (which it wont until 240+ more depending on weight and engine, dipstick comes on at 215? might be wrong with the exact number there). So if the light comes on, chill for a few minutes and carry on like your bus is just telling you it needs to catch its breath.

If that light doesn't go back off... that's a-whole-nother story.
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Brutis Patches Izabich: 1970 VW Transporter - 1776cc DP
Current State: Projects never truly end...
Location: Grosse Pointe, Michigan
Other cars: 2003 F150, 2003 Jetta GLI vr6-6sp

Sambastic: adj; the quality of being nit picky, elitist, expecting everyone to do things the way they believe is best with no regard to situation, "sambastic"

[CarlosZ]

Where you at now? Hopefully sleeping somewhere nice. Maybe you’ll do a Samba meet up?

[SGKent]

I was reading about your oil light coming on by the oil temp dipstick coming on. Those are made for beetles. A bus will have that light on 90% of the time in summer when doing anything beyond driving around town.

Here is a simple photo of Yosemite in summer 2017. If you ever get a chance to go there you should. This photo is only of one of the falls - there are many other wonderful sights in the park more spectacular than this

below is a commercial photo from online. Tell us how the trip is going.

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“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin

[71whitewesty]

I had the pleasure of meeting these two yesterday as they came through town. Really cool they took the time to stop by. I realized I should have offered showers and had some pizza here for them but we ended up just talking about buses and road trips. They have a beautiful, very original bus. It sounded perfect and I have no doubt they could drive it all around the country with little to no issues. So far they have had no issues other than the oil temp gauge which personally I think they should toss and not worry about it so much. But I also know it takes some time to feel confident in your bus on long trips. They were up to 3300 miles when they stopped by. They have just a few more days left and I think they are taking a fantastic back route home.
They are good bus people. Their bus is lucky to have found them.
I think they will post a trip report and I’m looking forward to it.
Cheers to more road trips!

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71 Westy 1600 DP, all stock Bus 1
1970's Snow Trac 1600 SP (sold 12/2016)
1968 Tucker sno cat, sold 2021
1969 Tucker Sno cat 542
2017 VW Alltrac
71 tin top stock 1600 DP (project but runs)
Twin 71 White Westy, Bus 2, that I pulled from a 15 year slumber in a dry eastern WA field in 2015.
1966 Sundial Camper "Boomer"

[Abscate]

Thanks for saving them from dying in the desert..WW


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.ssS!