VintAGE-Vans

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BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER.... A's, G's & E's


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    Most Memorable Break Down of Your Bus

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    Post by Guest Wed Jul 18, 2012 7:24 pm

    Was wondering if any members had stories about their rides cratering as they were going somewhere and how they got it home.

    I had just put my Supervan on the road a few years back and took it to work for the first time. It was just before my first Orygone econo meet. After years of flailing around on the thing it was a deadline that had to be met.

    So I finally get the carb on the bus and turn it over ... it runs. Driving around and it seems to be doing OK but I don't trust the carb ... the rebuilds you get up here are shirt. Fire it up and downtown I go in the AM. Starts to act up just before the office ... couple of backfires and was given that wonderful kiss of gasoline vapours these things give you when all is not well. Ditched it in the parking garage and went to work.

    After the day is over I knew it was going to be a cow getting the beast home. Part of my path is through the worst part of town. Hookers, drug addicts and just plain down and out. Worst part of Canada actually.

    I start driving. It's a freaking hot day out and the old bus is NOT driving happy. Backfires, temp gauge pegging and it's just plain ornery. After a mile or two I get a huge blast and then all is quiet. So I coast off the main road onto a side street that is known for odd goings on. I was sitting there with the hood open inside my beast going through the basics of spark and fuel. Have fuel alright ... just pouring out of every place in the carb it could ... so I sit ... and basically wait until that mess goes away ... I try to start it.

    Suddenly my passenger door opens and a woman of questionable repute (not my Ex) jumps into the Fred C covered foldy seat ... she sits down and says "Hello" ... I look at her and ask "What are you doing in my van?" ... She says " Well I saw you stop near my corner and thought you might want me here" ... I said "Well I think I have vapour lock and that's why I am stuck" ... she smiled and said "I can help you with that ..." ... I didn't know what to say ... so I gave her some smokes ... and sent her on her way ...
    Gothboy
    Gothboy


    Number of posts : 714
    Location : So Cal Baby!
    Registration date : 2012-07-02

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    Post by Gothboy Thu Jul 19, 2012 7:29 am

    Wow, Ive got nothing on that amigo. Funny as heck!
    My last one was a 69 a108 panel, beat to death, but still mobile when I got it for 130$. Had a NASTY 318 in it, but the wiring was done by pablo and his blind brother. It was BAD, lol. There was a ritual to start it, open the hood, turn the throttle linkage 1/8 inch (the ammount of free play not used by the pedal) turn on the headlights, flip a house light switch that was hanging from the dash by house wires, then turn te key and start it. it ran great, but the van was falling apart, and the wiring was shot.
    I used to push cars out of my parking spot with it if they were in my way when I got home lol.

    Anyway, there were 12 wires hooked to the pos+ coil side, and 1 neg/grnd. the house light switch stopped working, and turnig on the headlights became no longer neccessary to start the van. Then you needed to unplug the coil everytime you astopped it cause somehow it was straightwired through all the shorts in those 12 wires. Finally it got so bad that even I couldnt figure out how to start it without rewiring the entire van. It eventually donated its 318 to my valiant and went the way it should have long ago. I was very very bummed to see it go, but there was no saving that one. I went through 11 coils in that van in they 2 years i drove it. Left an amazing impression on me though to this day. -GothY-
    RodStRace
    RodStRace


    Number of posts : 3046
    Location : Chino Valley
    Registration date : 2010-01-21

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    Post by RodStRace Thu Jul 19, 2012 8:07 am

    First car was a 68 Chevy 108 panel.
    I was young and electrically naive; it had a bad charging system. I push started it on a regular basis. jocolor
    I also worked the graveyard shift and sometimes had to drive it without lights so it would make it to work!
    Then there was the time when I was just cruising around and a hitchhiker wanted a ride farther than I'd ever driven it. I was game, so off we went. Ended up burning a hole in a piston and limping it back home...
    RipVanArkie
    RipVanArkie
    Moderator


    Number of posts : 987
    Location : Central Arkansas
    Registration date : 2008-05-13

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    Post by RipVanArkie Sun Jul 22, 2012 6:20 pm

    First day i drove my 64 Chevy to work I have a buddy get in and sit on the doghouse (no other seats yet) and say those magical workds "watch this" and slam the gas to the floor! Jumped forward made several tragic noises and just coasts forward screaming until i shut her down. Broke an engine mount, stuck the fan into the radiator and the engine torqued so bad it pulled the auto linkage off the frame rails.

    Pulled the fan outa the radiator, straightened it best as i could with my hands. Got the linkage put back together, crossed my fingers and turned the key... started right up and drove home with the rad cap off and a couple gallons of water on hand. Replaced both engine mounts.

    Never use "those" words anymore!

    Should be some great stories out there, will be watching.

    Later,
    Rip
    fmc56
    fmc56


    Number of posts : 553
    Location : Warwick, RI/Ellsworth, Maine
    Registration date : 2008-05-20

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    Post by fmc56 Tue Jul 24, 2012 2:10 pm

    About 10 years ago I was towing a 65 Econoline van from RI to FL with my 62 Econoline pickup. Just outside of Lumberton, NC it started to run hot and boil over. I was able to make it to an Autozone just before they closed the evening before Thanksgiving. I bought a headgasket, waterpump, thermostat and other related parts.I had to remove the head, clean it and install a new headgasket. I did the repairs in the parking lot, no lights and 40 degrees. It took me about 3 hours and I was back on the road again, delivered the van to Altamont Springs FL and made it to the Turkey Run at Daytona. Never had another problem with the truck.
    Fred
    Twinpilot001
    Twinpilot001


    Number of posts : 6186
    Location : spokane ,Wa.
    Registration date : 2009-09-28

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    Post by Twinpilot001 Tue Jul 24, 2012 4:36 pm

    Had a big=ford van- had moved from san antonio,Texas-to
    spokane wa. Was empty going back to sat -then loaded up-& that thing was full!!- went around 300 miles and the new 390 engine i had put in it started overheation- water coming out of the head @ cyl. block area. Thought was a head cracked - so in a very small podunk texas town -i asked if there are any junk yards - guy says no but old man so & so has a bunch of cars & motors in his yard.OH BOY!! so off i go & find the man - yea a junk yard in his place -motors everywhere- found some 390's & checked the heads if valves were frozen? all sitting open in yard!! found a fair pair off 2 engines- took them to a var wash - cleaned them up - oiled the valves/guides & installed the set. Ran ok- made it backi to spokane -2000 miles on that set of junk heads - what a trip that was. Engine builder on that new motor found they missed a crack in 1 head & outside block area- got another complete motor out of that.
    Gothboy
    Gothboy


    Number of posts : 714
    Location : So Cal Baby!
    Registration date : 2012-07-02

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    Post by Gothboy Wed Jul 25, 2012 4:49 am

    @RipVanArkie Youre right, theres some fun stries here, but like i always say, and you mentioned it too. Some of the funniest things always start with "hey guys! watch this!"
    -GothY-

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