flea market finds

the new ones are pretty civilized enjoy it.

Victor Parisian

>

Re: My first VW Bus

Alan Hamilton

>Pam,

You'll have to rely on Victor. I abandoned Volkswagons when they abandoned the air-cooled engine. Those were truly made for the back-yard mechanic. Example:

My '68 was giving me trouble--not all the time--only at the most inopportune times. I'd turn the key, the lights in the dash would dim, the solenoid would engage the starter, but the engine didn't rurn over. I was always able to get it going by either jump-starting it or by swearing at it long enough.

Then one fine day it happened in a gas station--the old kind with a service bay and mechanics. One of them came out and instantly diagnosed the trouble. It seems the solenoid would get all kinds of road junk in it, which would keep the starter contacts out of contact. I asked him what could be done to fix it.

"Well," he said, "you can replace the starter and solenoid, or you can rig a wire from the dash to the starter motor to bypass the contacts, or you can crawl underneath and knock the junk out of the solenoid by hitting it with a hammer."

Of course! How stupid of me. Hit it with a hammer!

It worked like a charm.

The new ones I've come across don't seem like they're nearly as much fun. They're not so adventurous as the old ones. I doubt a hammer will cure anything in a new one. Even in my present advanced middle age I think I still prefer the old ones, the ones where everywhere you went you really ought to have had with you all the parts and tools to rebuild the engine: a gasket set; a heads, cylinders and piston set; push rods; a floor jack...

Alan

Re: My first VW Bus

Pam Niedermayer - Austin, TX

>I don't know, Alan, think I prefer not to have so much involvement with a car/van. I was looking for a good van, but really don't like the American versions at all. We'll see how it goes now that I've had the engine replaced and an additional battery system installed, getting ready to build a wooden console complete with iPod and cell phone mounts and a new audio system that can control the iPod. Also want to build a cabinet for frig and cooktop.

I'd started this process 3 years ago, but stopped when the engine blew. This alone was a caution, I'd never had this happen before, made me think twice.

The kind of enthusiasm and hands on relationship you had for/with your VW I reserve for my motorcycle, a '76 BMW, which is now off the road for repair.

Pam

Whew! Hope returns.

Pam Niedermayer - Austin, TX

>

Re: My first VW Bus

Alan Hamilton

>Pam!

It's bad enough I had all those feelings flooding back with the talk about Volkswagon buses, and now you mention motorcycles!

How cruel.

I still have my helmet though. Maybe someday...

Nah. My bones are too brittle.

Hey! How come I have osteoporosis and you don't? It's not fair! What happened to the natural, self-evident, and God-ordained superiority of testosterone over all other hormones?

Alan

Re: My first VW Bus

Pam Niedermayer - Austin, TX

>Because I take Premarin and walk three miles a day? Hey, if it's not too late, why not get a pooch? That worked for getting me out the door.

You're right, it's not fair; but testosterone never was superior. Too much of it creates too many demands on behavior, gets you in all sorts of trouble.

Pam

Re: My first VW Bus

Alan Hamilton

>Pam,

I take Actonel myself--the once a week kind. Before Actonel I took Fosamax for many years.

In an effort to keep moving back the lower limit of middle age, as recently as about ten years ago I ran 35 miles a week--yes, every week. Running became impossible when my osteoporosis caused the re-fracture of a vertebrae.

Walking? Maybe. But I'm still recovering from the broken leg my osteo gave me for Christmas a year ago. I'm more than a little reluctant to walk anywhere too far away from home. You get the idea: I'm a wreck.

I'd like to start riding my beautiful Colnago again, but I'm too afraid of what would happen if I fell.

Maybe I'll get one of those exercise machines I see advertised on TV--or start using the skiing machine or the stationary bike that are already around here somewhere. I wonder if I could hurt myself on one of those...

Alan

Re: My first VW Bus

Pam Niedermayer - Austin, TX

>Ouch, sounds a little late for outdoor exercising, except perhaps walking gently. Take someone along with you, or just a cell phone. Other than that, I haven't a clue what one does at that point. Perhaps a stationary cycle would work? Maybe swimming?

Pam