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brickster
Samba Member
Joined: January 05, 2004
Posts: 512
Location: CO, USA
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 Posted: Fri Aug 20, 2021 6:10 pm Post subject: Re: Poll: Long drive, did you make it? 1,000+ miles |
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| ^ a beautiful sight! |
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bobbyblack 
Samba Member
Joined: May 21, 2015
Posts: 4351
Location: United States, Iowa
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| Posted: Sun Aug 22, 2021 5:18 pm Post subject: Re: Poll: Long drive, did you make it? 1,000+ miles |
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Put just over 1300 miles on the '87 over the last few days.
Left on Monday morning, headed up to "the Metro" where I had arranged to pick up an engine hoist and stand, which to my amazement fit in the bus, Turned out that the guy selling it was the cousin of 'the car guy' who had just buggered off to Florida, left his crap at his dad's place, who became ill enough to need long term care, and there was a whole garage of crap to get rid of. Thus, I paid next to nothing, and I am very grateful to have a 2 ton cherry picker and another engine stand.
Well, back to the 1000+ miles thing -- hah -- Dropped off the hoist at a friends place while we meandered up to the North Shore, camped, had a great time, bumbled back to pick up the hoist, and back home.
No problems except in the last 3 hours, the AC started dripping on the bed. I tried to not get grumpy, but finally pulled off to run a bit of stiff wire up in the hoses and cleared out whatever was in there .. enough to flow, I guess. The last 2 hours after that were drip free. To note on that AC thing, I've had that cabinet down/out 4 times. Its got all new 'foam' strips etc., so its not getting plugged up with the usual garbage. Semi confused, and not wanting to pull that thing down yet again. I've come to understand that either low OR high refrigerant levels can cause such things to happen. I'm hedging on the Too High thing, as I injected a can of ref. the day before we left.
-bobby
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'87 Westy 'Flossie','86 Westy 'R1','86 tintop GL - Subi2.2 'J2','83.5 stock tintop L 'ZoomBus','74 Karmann Ghia, '63 Notch |
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vino de vano
Samba Member
Joined: September 10, 2016
Posts: 359
Location: columbia gorge
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| Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2021 7:12 pm Post subject: Re: Poll: Long drive, did you make it? 1,000+ miles |
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Vino took me for 1200 mile ride. She ran and drove great the whole way. No issues and I could not be happier. I do love my van. sorry no pics as I'm having problems with my photo program.
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what a long strange trip it's been |
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space
Samba Member
Joined: November 19, 2017
Posts: 673
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| Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2021 8:17 pm Post subject: Re: Poll: Long drive, did you make it? 1,000+ miles |
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Chicago>Red River Gorge ky>Richmond va (capitol trail)>to Pittsburgh (pedalPGH)>Chicago
1700 VW miles
170 Cannondale Miles
_________________
82 westy
w:
2.5 JDM Subie
Rear discs
Last edited by space on Sun Sep 19, 2021 5:39 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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dobryan
Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2006
Posts: 16504
Location: Brookeville, MD
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pbrown
Samba Member
Joined: July 15, 2008
Posts: 443
Location: Seattle, WA
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| Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2021 9:36 pm Post subject: Re: Poll: Long drive, did you make it? 1,000+ miles |
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We just completed 1318 miles from Seattle, South to CA and back up 101 on the Oregon coast. This was over 10 days.
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Patrick Brown
1986 Westy Syncro EJ25
Flickr --> https://flic.kr/s/aHsmQNUXEF |
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Abscate
Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2014
Posts: 22668
Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
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| Posted: Tue Sep 14, 2021 12:43 am Post subject: Re: Poll: Long drive, did you make it? 1,000+ miles |
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How do you guys make these trips without jerrycans?
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.ssS! |
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Honuak
Samba Member
Joined: April 21, 2009
Posts: 521
Location: AK
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| Posted: Tue Sep 14, 2021 11:57 pm Post subject: Re: Poll: Long drive, did you make it? 1,000+ miles |
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This is the Gold Bluffs spot right next to yours...love that place.
As for jerry cans, we didn't use them. |
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13b Bro
Samba Member
Joined: March 21, 2021
Posts: 14
Location: LHC Az
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| Posted: Wed Sep 15, 2021 12:11 pm Post subject: Re: Poll: Long drive, did you make it? 1,000+ miles |
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Went for a big loop through eastern Az, Gallup NM, Durango Co and back home. First test of the westy...ran perfect. This is The Valley of the Gods in Ut.
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dobryan
Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2006
Posts: 16504
Location: Brookeville, MD
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| Posted: Sun Sep 19, 2021 12:54 pm Post subject: Re: Poll: Long drive, did you make it? 1,000+ miles |
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| dobryan wrote: |
2000 miles from Maryland to Utah for Syncro Solstice.
(Full disclosure, I did have to reattach the throttle cable at the engine when it pulled out of the barrel nut.)
My office currently. Working from home on the banks of the Colorado River outside Moab, Utah
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Final report. 5500 miles in 23 days. No issues. Lots of fun… 
Onion Creek near Moab, Utah
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Dave O
'87 Westy w/ 2002 Subaru EJ25 and Peloquin TBD
"To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive." Robert Louis Stevenson
MD>Canada>AK>WA>OR>CA>AZ>UT>WY>SD
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=620646
Building a bus for travel in Europe (euroBus)
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=695371
The Western Syncro build
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=746794 |
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space
Samba Member
Joined: November 19, 2017
Posts: 673
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| Posted: Sun Sep 19, 2021 5:36 pm Post subject: Re: Poll: Long drive, did you make it? 1,000+ miles |
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edited post
_________________
82 westy
w:
2.5 JDM Subie
Rear discs |
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campism
Samba Member
Joined: September 07, 2007
Posts: 4492
Location: Richmond VA
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| Posted: Mon May 16, 2022 5:37 pm Post subject: Re: Poll: Long drive, did you make it? 1,000+ miles |
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Yep, 1,533 miles in four days on a rush trip. Drove to Louisville KY for a family function but on the way made a side trip to Columbia KY to research an ancestor who was shot by the James Gang in a bank holdup.
After the big family thing on Friday I was planning to stick around but the plans to pick up an antique door in Nashville changed due to the store's business hours so I left at 0430 Saturday and arrived safely, then napped until the place opened and bought the door, loaded it, and I took off for the rest of that day's drive to Richmond (800 miles total), arriving before midnight. Averaged 20+ MPG for the whole trip with a couple of tanks over 22 MPG.
I checked over my records and in 16 years this is the only trip buying three tanks of gas in one day. Done several two-tank days when heading out or heading home but never three.
The van ran like a dollar watch, as my daddy used to say, but it really needs more power to pull the hills.
_________________
'87 Westy in Wolfram Grey Metallic
Last edited by campism on Tue May 17, 2022 5:01 am; edited 1 time in total |
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dobryan
Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2006
Posts: 16504
Location: Brookeville, MD
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4Gears4Tires
Samba Member
Joined: October 08, 2018
Posts: 3048
Location: MD
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| Posted: Tue May 17, 2022 1:39 pm Post subject: Re: Poll: Long drive, did you make it? 1,000+ miles |
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Over 1000 miles back and forth! Down to Pisgah National Forest for a weekend of mountain biking with my brother.
Packed up and leaving his house
ARB Add-a-room out. This thing is huge. HUUGE. Just like setting up an awning, something clicks in my brain and even though it doesn't take a long time to take up and down, it certainly feels like you're more established. I'd only use it in the future if I'm in an area for more than 2 nights.
3 days of riding down! Super stoked. I'm on the right.
Packing up to head home.
Made it home! 1200 miles.
Aw crap. 
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'87 Syncro
Ferric Oxyhydroxide Superleggera Edition |
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porschevw
Samba Member
Joined: October 30, 2005
Posts: 123
Location: Pace, Fl.
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| Posted: Wed May 18, 2022 8:54 am Post subject: Re: Poll: Long drive, did you make it? 1,000+ miles |
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Short answer, yes!
We just did a roughly 2500 mile trip from Florida to Big Bend National Park, Guadalupe River State Park, San Antonio and back in a week. Not a hint of any issues.
Some might say we cheated with a 2.5 Subaru engine, but I don't mind. The engine in our beloved vans don't make them special. The adventures and memories made are what make them special.
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1966 Beetle
1970 Westfalia (sold)
1973 Westfalia (sold)
1974 Porsche 914 (sold)
1976 Westfalia (sold)
1981 Westfalia (EJ25 Subrau conversion)
2007 Passat 3.6 (daily driver) |
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jlrftype7
Samba Member
Joined: July 24, 2018
Posts: 3582
Location: Chicago
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| Posted: Wed May 18, 2022 12:53 pm Post subject: Re: Poll: Long drive, did you make it? 1,000+ miles |
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| porschevw wrote: |
Short answer, yes!
We just did a roughly 2500 mile trip from Florida to Big Bend National Park, Guadalupe River State Park, San Antonio and back in a week. Not a hint of any issues.
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NICE!. I haven't been back to the Big Bend area since 2002 or so when I drove my 1994 Range Rover down along with my Dad, who was 75 at the time, he was in his 2000 Discovery 2.
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'68 Westy- my first VW and vehicle/Bus- long gone.- sold it to a traveling Swiss couple....
'67 Type 3 Fastback, my 2nd car- gone
'69 Semi-Auto Stick Shift Beetle-gone
2017 MINI Coopers, our current DDs
‘84 Tin Top - Hilga....Auto |
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Jamo7
Samba Member
Joined: September 25, 2014
Posts: 124
Location: Seattle
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| Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2022 9:48 pm Post subject: Re: Poll: Long drive, did you make it? 1,000+ miles |
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Seattle to Yellowstone and back. We made it!
2,136 miles.
We've had the van almost 8 years to the day and this was far and away the biggest undertaking I'd asked of it. I'll post a more detailed trip report in another post but suffice it to say, we took the long way- 20 passes in all.
My experience as an auto mechanic started with the van and the wisdom here on TheSamba. My prep for the trip involved changing the transaxle oil, motor oil,
brake fluid, and coolant. Interestingly I changed the coolant the week before the trip via the shop vac/Libby bong method and had some air bubbles. On the second and third day of the ten-day trip the coolant gauge started to read low and I thought that there was more air trapped in the system. After raising the front of the van and opening the bleeder screw, it turned out there wasn't any air. The culprit is the coolant guage sensor on the thermostat. When I cleaned the connection, the gauge needle returned to it's normal position. Go campground repairs!
The other faulty item from the trip was the stock fridge. It just couldn't stay lit in the heat, and we ended up modifying our menu and shopping, and using the fridge with bags of ice. It looks like a TruckFridge will be a summer project.
All in all, it was an amazing trip and I'm grateful for the wisdom I've learned here to drive slow, take the lesser used highways, trust in the van and my ability to problem solve, and drag my family out on memorable adventures.
Happy trails!
James
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'84 Westy 2.1 wbx |
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dublife13
Samba Member
Joined: March 08, 2021
Posts: 84
Location: washington
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| Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2022 6:09 pm Post subject: Re: Poll: Long drive, did you make it? 1,000+ miles |
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1987 Westy, 1500 miles on its first trip with me from the Seattle area to the Redwoods. IN the 2 months I have owned it we have reached 2000 miles so far! Can't wait for its next adventure!
One cracked exhaust manifold that was repaired the same day from an awesome VW repair shop in Vancouver WA, Zinda and Sons.
My buddies 72 riviera also made the trek and other than topping off the oil a lot had zero break downs.
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steve244
Samba Member
Joined: March 18, 2022
Posts: 1666
Location: GA
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brickster
Samba Member
Joined: January 05, 2004
Posts: 512
Location: CO, USA
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| Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2022 7:28 am Post subject: Re: Poll: Long drive, did you make it? 1,000+ miles |
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| steve244 wrote: |
| 3,400 miles (5,470KM) LA to Atlanta via SFO and LA (2nd time) due to closed passes in the sierras. |
That's an epic road trip! You passed right through my town.
Looks like a well-preserved van. Thanks for sharing the snaps. |
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