82 year young lady - 71 tin top - Help me help Anna

[sjbartnik]

Usually if it stalls when you put it in reverse, it's because there's a short in the circuit after the switch. When you engage reverse, the switch closes and the short to ground basically shuts the coil off and the engine stalls.

Might want to at least inspect the reverse light circuit wiring physically in case there's a break in the insulation that's causing an intermittent short. Would hate to get it back to the owner and first time she puts it in reverse, it stalls out.
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1965 Volkswagen 1500 Variant S
2000 Kawasaki W650

[OB Bus]

[71whitewesty]

Awesome to see all the help here. I'll donate too, she needs some tires.
Got to hand it to her at 82 and still wanting to drive the bus. I'll donate to that!
_________________
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]

I was holding off putting the paypal address up but lets make it easier ...

To donate, please

1. Throw a quick post in to donate (need not mention amount, just help me book-keep)

2. Paypal donation is to email:

abscate (at) nycap dot rr dot com

3. PM for snail mail, pigeon, or stage coach donation procedure.

thanks all - summary coming soon.
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.ssS!

[Abscate]

Latest update on fund drive - Still accepting donations to the tire fund!

We have $510 plus pending checks, so Colin's visit is a go.

Special mention to High Contributor VWSunny72, who was matched by Anonymous -$1





Contributors as of July 27 2359EDT

[jtauxe]

[skills@eurocarsplus]

alright...

I am going to come out and say this and more than likely get a bunch of shit for it, but when you live on a farm you get use to lots of shit....

is colin going to donate a day to help this lady, or is he getting paid? the way I see it the $$$ should go to parts, perhaps a bag of groceries for the lady but anyone taking money for helping is disreputable. I can see the fundraiser for parts, but come on....

and before anyone gets all "skills, YOU do shit for profit" you're right, I do, but 95% of the time the labor is discounted to a rate that makes me throw up, but I do look out for people, and have donated loads of time to peoples projects that I don't get compensated for.

so, lets say a "day" of his time (8 hrs) is 500....that's 62.50/hr for a guy to show up in your driveway, use your supplies/electricity etc and drive away at the end of it all. my shop rate isn't much more than that and is fully equipped and insured....yet people bitch about that rate....

I am not blaming colin for making a living, we all have to and people love to have him do his thing....that's great....but that 500 (or whatever) is basically a set of tires this lady desperately needs.

so I guess the "hey, now we can afford colin" comment is what sparked this reply....I don't know. flame away, I'm ready....
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[Abscate]

I think everyone who donated is aware that the purpose was to crowd fund a Colin Visit as stated on page 1.

[Abscate]

[OLD VW NUT]

I have similar concerns. I'm not trying to start a heated argument - just stating my point of view - not trying to step on toes etc so keep that in mind as you read the rest of my response/reasoning here please!

$500 for ONE day? Does that include the parts needed to get this bus humming down the road? Or no parts? Lay it out and let us know. I'm not asking for a refund - it would be nice to know how these funds will be used.

And FWIW IMO a $500 per day traveling ACVW mechanic with near zero overhead (traveling is his choice after all!) is a bit steep regardless of the skill level of said mechanic. I'm a pretty decent ACVW mechanic myself and I'd be embarrassed to ask anywhere near that much if I still had a repair shop. If I were anywhere near southern Utah I would volunteer some of my time.

This thread began with an 82yo lady in need of some charity. Try to keep it that way - please! I'm beginning to get the feeling that some of Colin's friends are trying to help him make his living/traveling expenses.

I don't know Colin and never heard of him until this thread. I'm not dissing him - just trying to make the few bucks I and others threw into the pot go as far as possible.

Seems like Brandt is making good headway - how about giving him something for his effort?

This lady needs tires more than she needs a $500 mechanic IMO. Not trying to start a shitstorm - just trying to bring some 'real' charity to this effort.

[skills@eurocarsplus]

[SlowLane]

[71whitewesty]

I guess if you haven't hired or met Colin you might not understand the value he offers. My donation should go to whatever it takes to help the lady out. If she needs a mechanic, then send the money to a mechanic. If she needs parts, buy parts. I think she needs both. She is way the heck out there and how else are you going to get her help if she doesn't have a mechanic out there to help her? Parts will not go on by themselves. Colin is the best traveling mechanic there is and yes he does have overhead. He lays it all out nicely on his website, itinerant-air-cooled.com. There is way more value in having him in your driveway vs dropping your bus off at a shop, unless you also teach your clients how to fix things in your shop. No offense to shops of course but there isn't one near this lady. I can say with certainty that she WILL get her moneys worth if Colin shows up at her house.
I'm sure Brandt will spend plenty of time there and is doing a great job of organizing the best help possible for her. I personally don't see the need for Colin to donate his time just because we are donating money (it's not like he lives next door). I think all are just trying to get her the best help. I mean no offense to Skills of course but it's like asking him to drive out there on his own dime and time to help her, I don't see thast happening but Colin can be hired for this type of thing and I think that's what the suggestions are for.
The $500/day for Colin is the best and cheapest money I can spend on my bus in my opinion. Way better than just dropping it off at a shop and hoping they care about your bus as much as you do and not learning a thing in the meantime.
Just a difference of opinion but I did donate and have no problem with using it to hire Colin because I know first hand how valuable it is. (even if the 82 year old lady doesn't learn much, she will learn a little).
Hope we get her back on the road.
_________________
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"

[SGKent]

It is time for me to say what is on my mind too. Who will end up with this bus when it is done? 82 year olds typically are at the end of their driving career. Is the community funding this so she can will it to someone who is helping her? Is the community funding it so someone can charge her $50 an hour, or sell some loose parts lying around their garage? Not accusing anyone of less than noble intentions, but what proof and safeguards are there that the funds won't be misused or co-mingled? Further, the people helping her need to be aware that in situations like this people can be jailed if someone complains they mailed (called mail fraud) or wired (called bank fraud) money to someone for a charity that turned out to have some comingling or mis-use in it. Once money is transferred by mail if there are problems the US Postmaster is obligated to investigate for mail fraud. From the perspective of the Postmaster General I suspect if the money gets misused or complaints are made there will be very little difference between "send a pretty woman $500 so she can buy plane tickets to get away from an abusive relationship, and help an 82 year old farmer get her VW bus running. My only suggestion is put the money in a trust account specifically designed to help her, and keep detailed records of every penny in case anyone complains they feel they were cheated.
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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

[Tom Powell]

Has a visit with Colin been scheduled or only suggested? To teach the lady how to maintain the bus herself might be a waste of time and money. To spend for tires and parts would be a more sensible use of the money. But who would install the parts? The bus is running now and perhaps tires are all that will be needed. The brakes should be inspected and possibly the electrical system too. The contributions should be used to pay a mechanic, not a teacher.

As SlowLane has suggested: Perhaps hiring Colin to visit the lady and her bus with Brandt there with his bus and both buses being worked on and both owners being taught, would be a suitable reward for Brandt for his time and efforts.

Karma is, as Karma does.

Aloha
tp

[71whitewesty]

all good points. I don't actually think there is much value in teaching her much either but I just don't know of anyone else that will pull in to her driveway to help her.
I'm also not going after anyone for mis-use of funds. I wouldn't donate if I worried about that sort of thing. I like good old fashioned trust and I trust those that I send money to and will not check up on how it's spent. I just hope we get her back on the road soon. Time is ticking for the lady.....
_________________
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"

[sjbartnik]

The only people who are going to be jailed for mail or wire fraud are those that solicit money under false pretenses or misrepresentations. Those who sent money based on those representations are victims, not fraudsters.

I do work in this field and am perfectly happy to make someone's life miserable if they were to scam us.

I don't think anyone's talking about writing this lady a check. Certainly my understanding is that the money is to be used to make minor repairs to the vehicle in order to make sure it runs well and is safe to drive so this elderly woman can maintain some mobility.

I think everyone who has donated will expect a full accounting of how the funds were used with supporting documents available for inspection if desired.

As for what happens to the bus after this lady's driving career is over, I think that's outside the scope of this effort and the answer should be "whatever she wants to happen to it."

I'm not interested personally in micromanaging how the money I donated is spent. Personally, I intended it as a gift to be used by Brandt, in consultation with the samba experts, as deemed necessary to get the bus safe to operate so that Brandt can complete this good deed he's taken on.
_________________
1965 Volkswagen 1500 Variant S
2000 Kawasaki W650

[OLD VW NUT]

[71whitewesty]

Old vw nut, I don't think anyone meant any harm in sticking up for Colin. I understand if you've never heard of him but he is a great guy and his website is fantastic. I think the reference to check him out was in good faith. Your questioning him was also in good faith. You didn't start a shit storm at all. I think we are all just trying to help the lady out and Colin has been brought up in many, many situations like this. He is the only traveling mechanic (consultant) I know.
I am also sure Brandt will make sure the donations are used wisely.

_________________
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"

[BerneseMtnDog]

It's really gratifying to see all the outpouring of help here and all the kind hearts but since the first post I can't help but think there are bigger problems here. An 82 year old lady in questionable health living alone on 5 acres is generally not a good thing. Without family to help convince her of a more realistic living situation she's left to continue as before. Many older folks resist the idea that they've lost the ability to live as they want to. Our own vision of ourselves and our actual abilities can be very different. She may never feel the need to sell her farm and move closer to health care providers, public transportation and neighbors that can keep a closer eye on her when it might be the best thing for her. I know it's a neat thing to imagine a cool old lady tooling around in an old bus but with a recent broken back she may struggle without power steering and with a manual shift transmission. It's events like this breakdown and inability to manage her farm as before that can sometimes convince someone that they're no longer capable of living the way they always have. There's a part of me that thinks fixing up her bus and helping her to continue a lifestyle she may not be capable of living is wrong. Those tires alone lead me to believe that she's probably past the point of properly looking after a vehicle, especially a 40+ year old bus. Not to criticize what's obviously a lot of great intention here. Just think it may not be addressing her more important issues.

Steve