ROAD TRIP!!! FINISHED!

[Randy in Maine]

Is the handling a lot better with correct front tire pressures?

[vamram]

Randy, I left it at 28 and she's running great, nothing to make me think it's unstable.

For y'all who are super beetle detractors, can you fit THIS in your trunks?

I didn't think so.

For west coasters and others looking for scenic views out east...don't hold your breath. Imagine 500 miles of this:

The one scenic highlight, end of the road getting a (short) tour of local points w/my old friend Paul, at Lake Murray in Columbia, SC.

Tomorrow, another 500 to Tampa. Should have better photo opps on that stretch.

Glad I re-upholstered my seats a month ago. The new pads and the covers w/the 12-inch tweed inserts are super comfortable, no sticking to the seats at all. Tim, it's the only knock I see on your SunBug...if you haven't sold it before I can buy it...the seats are getting redone.
_________________
Eventually, "we are what we pretend to be.’”
Give peace a chance - Stop Russian-Soviet Aggression!!

'74 Super 9/16 - present, in refurb process.
'73 Super - 6/18 - Present - Daily Driver!
'75 Super Le Grande...waiting it's turn in line behind '74.
Click to view image
Save the Supers!!

[vamram]

Oh, forgot to mention how good it feels to drive with zero shimmy!!!
_________________
Eventually, "we are what we pretend to be.’”
Give peace a chance - Stop Russian-Soviet Aggression!!

'74 Super 9/16 - present, in refurb process.
'73 Super - 6/18 - Present - Daily Driver!
'75 Super Le Grande...waiting it's turn in line behind '74.
Click to view image
Save the Supers!!

[morymob]

Including myself, some older 'farts'forget that those reliable bugs of 'awhile back' was actuall in excess of 20 yrs & were of a lot lower mi's , hardly a ny rust, much better shape overall. My 73 super in storage 10yrs+ gonna get a thorough checkout before it hits the road, a fresh eng rebuild to replace locked up one in it now. Trips to see grandkids approx 500mi total & others because no reason not to.

[Dwayne1m]

All that trunk space often times comes in handy.

Isn't a shimmy free Beetle wonderful?

Getting any thumbs up from others on the road?

Thanks for the pics, have fun and drive safe.

[vamram]

All has been going well...

Quick detour to savannah GA, over-rated but I'll post a picture later. Much later.

SB001 - u jinxed me. Fuel pump just died getting back onto i95 south by savanna. Found an O'Reilly parts 2 miles from that's bringing one out to me...in 2 hours Then ill swap it out. In the meantime....I'll watch the traffic go by...
_________________
Eventually, "we are what we pretend to be.’”
Give peace a chance - Stop Russian-Soviet Aggression!!

'74 Super 9/16 - present, in refurb process.
'73 Super - 6/18 - Present - Daily Driver!
'75 Super Le Grande...waiting it's turn in line behind '74.
Click to view image
Save the Supers!!

[vamram]

VAPOR LOCK. ALL GOOD.
_________________
Eventually, "we are what we pretend to be.’”
Give peace a chance - Stop Russian-Soviet Aggression!!

'74 Super 9/16 - present, in refurb process.
'73 Super - 6/18 - Present - Daily Driver!
'75 Super Le Grande...waiting it's turn in line behind '74.
Click to view image
Save the Supers!!

[Tim Donahoe]

V, I hope the fuel pump is the only issue with your fuel system, and that you get her back on the road soon. I installed a new Brosol on mine a few months back. Following Bently, I shoved grease up into the bottom of the pump, then, a few weeks later, noticed a glob of grease had leaked out of the pump's weep hole. Apparently, Bently is wrong, and you're supposed to just grease the bottom of the actuating arm--where it meets the top of the push rod. Oh, well, good thing there was a weep hole, since all seems well.

And I lowered the price on my bug and still no takers. I'll not lower it again. If it sells, it sells. If not, I'll just let fate work things out. Maybe a Karmann Ghia is not the car I should buy to replace the bug, after all .

Although, I've only advertised it in The Samba Classifieds because I hate Craig's List (too many scammers wanting to play "off-shore fraud games").

It seems to me that most potential ACVW buyers are looking to spend little more than the car cost when it was first made--despite the fact that wages have gone up ten times since ... and despite how much owners have rebuilt and replaced. Well, that's well and fine. They can spend three grand and get a car that's going to require another four grand (and a lot of labor and headaches) to get that car into reliable shape. And that doesn't cover another two to five grand for a nice professional paint job.

By the way, when I took the wife on that 300-mile road trip, it was 101 Fahrenheit as we were driving on the way back home, and she never complained about "sticky seats", despite the fact that mine were 100% basketweave. Good padding makes for a happy wife, I guess.

Let us know if you got the bug running again.

Tim
_________________
Let's do the Time Warp again!

Richard O'Brien

[vamram]

Tim, I did get it running again . It was vapor lock. I have a brosol pump as well, less than a year old. Glad that wasn't the problem!!!

Wondering if I should remove the rain guards from the decklid vents....
_________________
Eventually, "we are what we pretend to be.’”
Give peace a chance - Stop Russian-Soviet Aggression!!

'74 Super 9/16 - present, in refurb process.
'73 Super - 6/18 - Present - Daily Driver!
'75 Super Le Grande...waiting it's turn in line behind '74.
Click to view image
Save the Supers!!

[Rag00oll]

Glad to see you out driving your VW on long trips.

I just went from San Francisco to Pittsburgh in my 68 I bought while living in Cali.

3.5 days and 2,831 miles. Tried to make a deadline and did, a lot of freaking hours per day behind the wheel. Took I80 to I15 or I5 south and cut along some state road in Utah to 70, then took 70 to 79N until I got into Pittsburgh.

Things that broke, the starter. Middle of Nevada. Push started it the entire rest of the way back

As far as views go, the West Coast is beautiful and the East Coast.... bleh. I'd do it again, except I'd like to stay along the whole coast of the US and explore more of the west over the course of a few weeks. Someday soon. Next time in my Bay Westy though.

Carried a fan belt, a distributor, a few tools, and oil. That was it.

[Tim Donahoe]

V, definitely remove the rain guards. I think VW discontinued them because they inhibited air flow on warm/hot days. You might also try the tennis ball trick, if this keeps up.

Also, check your metal fuel line as it wraps around your fan shroud. Does it touch your manifold? If so, raise the metal line, using a scissor-type clothes pin. Just snap the pin on the line where the pin has a circular slot, then let the pin rest on the manifold--instead of the fuel line.

I had vapor lock once (114 that day, here in Redding), and I had my metal fuel line resting on my manifold. I poured water on the fuel pump and a few minutes later I was on my way--but the engine acted like it was starving for fuel, although it ran to get me the 1/2 mile I had left to get home. I used the clothespin trick until I had the engine out for something else, then replaced the metal line with one I had to re-bend to fit properly--with the metal line well above the the manifold, and bent to fit into the stock 3-slot clip on the fan shroud.

You have all your tins and engine seals, right? Good spark plug seals?

Good luck,

Tim
_________________
Let's do the Time Warp again!

Richard O'Brien

[vamram]

Rag, that's unreal. 3.5 days!!! My lower back is hurting after 2 days (arthritis bytes!!).

Tim - that's a great idea - a wooden clothes pin?

Picture time - this is in front of the Savana PD:

Couldn't catch up or get a good pic, but this is a beautiful black oval convertible w/historic plates. Cutie driving, but she wasn't very friendly when I beeped her...

Are we there yet...? SC? Georgia? Florida?

Parked at my brother's house in Tampa- I'll get more interesting pics tomorrow.

Time for bed.
_________________
Eventually, "we are what we pretend to be.’”
Give peace a chance - Stop Russian-Soviet Aggression!!

'74 Super 9/16 - present, in refurb process.
'73 Super - 6/18 - Present - Daily Driver!
'75 Super Le Grande...waiting it's turn in line behind '74.
Click to view image
Save the Supers!!

[Tim Donahoe]

V, yes, a wooden, old-fashion clothespin. The kind with the spring. Maybe they make plastic ones, but go with the wood. Just raise the metal line off the manifold (if yours is touching, that is) and crimp the clothespin onto the line, where the circular opening fits around it. The tips of the pin will touch the manifold, but the wood reduces the heat transfer.

That's weird about the snobby girl in the vert. The women (and girls) who drive bugs here in town, always wave and smile. Most of the men do, too; but every once in a while, there will be some guy who just doesn't get it. Still, the vast majority here are always glad to see another bug.

Tim
_________________
Let's do the Time Warp again!

Richard O'Brien

[Beetlebaum]

Dang. I'm so jealous. This looks like it was a fun trip.
_________________
1973 Super Beetle
2003 New Beetle
Post your Super here: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=331999
Beetle Bums VW Club Member

[jlex]

Was just in Orlando last month (drove a BMW X3). Thanks to air conditioning... it's like summer down there already! Hope the bug isn't too hot to drive around in.
For reliability, I've replaced the starter and alternator on my '70. If I were to take a long trip, I'd throw in my spare 30pict3 carb and my spare 205T distributor (points pre-loaded) just in case.
With all that preparation, I'd feel comfortable in going anywhere but just haven't had the time. Maybe when I retire I'll go cross-country...
_________________
jlex.
'70 std. "Elsie"
'88 Carrera

[Globespotter]

[vamram]

It's definitely fun! AND Hot! But, having grown up in the Caribbean and Miami, I know from experience that this is actually nice spring weather at the moment!!

Picture time!

Here I am at the famous Fisher Buggies in Tampa. I was like a baby in a candy store, unreal. You guys from out west will roll your eyes thinking what's the big deal? There's NOTHING like this in the mid-atlantic. Up there it's thesamba ads and craigslist, mostly, and the annual shows to drive to.

W/my brother at the original Hooters w/the highlight of the trip so far - the girls!!

Tomorrow, off to Miami!
_________________
Eventually, "we are what we pretend to be.’”
Give peace a chance - Stop Russian-Soviet Aggression!!

'74 Super 9/16 - present, in refurb process.
'73 Super - 6/18 - Present - Daily Driver!
'75 Super Le Grande...waiting it's turn in line behind '74.
Click to view image
Save the Supers!!

[vamram]

Made it to Miami!!!

Crossing the sunshine skyway leaving Tampa/St. Pete

Alligator Alley - crossing FL is about as exciting as spending 500 miles on 1-95 south.

And the Cuban Royal Palms just outside where the old folks live.

Ocean and Keys next!
_________________
Eventually, "we are what we pretend to be.’”
Give peace a chance - Stop Russian-Soviet Aggression!!

'74 Super 9/16 - present, in refurb process.
'73 Super - 6/18 - Present - Daily Driver!
'75 Super Le Grande...waiting it's turn in line behind '74.
Click to view image
Save the Supers!!

[tjslosson]

It's funny, the two times I've broke down in an aircooled VW in 25 years of driving them I really enjoyed it. It felt like a challenge and I enjoyed unraveling the problem and fixing it. The 1 time I broke down in my 2013 Volvo (after 1 year of driving) I was extremely upset and sold the car shortly after.

I guess it's all about expectations. From that standpoint I support the idea that VWs are junk. It makes my daily experience that much better.


PS glad to hear you didn't break anything on your road trip but please don't tell anyone.

[Tim Donahoe]

Well, the picture with the Hooter's chicks, more than makes up for the boring drive on Alligator Alley. At least, you have something green to look at while on the road. Here in California, when I go down I-5 in the summer months, the grass is dead brown--very boring to look at. But it's still fun, driving along in a bug.

I have my bug for sale in the Samba classifieds, but I'm kind of wishy-washy about selling it. I'm thinking about pulling the ad and going on a longer road trip, down the length of California, then east onto Historic Route 66--like 71Survivor's trip, but only a thousand miles, or so. I'd have to go it alone (the wife really doesn't like long trips), but maybe I can get someone in our local VW club to drive his bug for company. I figure I'd go as far as Flagstaff, then turn around and head back home. But going that far without someone to share the experience with, might be a rather dull experience.

I find it difficult trying to talk the club into going as far as Mt. Shasta--about an hour's drive away. Geeze, it's not that far from Redding, but some are worried about driving in the mountains. When I first bought the bug, I made the trip, coming from the other direction, and never had to downshift--while going up hills--from 4th gear. So I don't know what the big deal about mountain driving is. Maybe some of those guys need a tune up. Who knows.

Keep the pictures coming.

Tim
_________________
Let's do the Time Warp again!

Richard O'Brien