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

[OB Bus]

I am the one who originally suggested seeing if Collin could make a trip by and help the situation out. I look at it as an 82-year-old woman with a bus who needs help, and a good Samaritan who's trying to help her out. It seems like a number of people here are obsessed with looking for the dark side. If I choose to donate to this cause or any cause it's because I want to help. For Colin to come and help this lady out would be a several hundred mile side trip from his projected route. Based on the comments here, if I were him, maybe I'd pass.
Is the bus the best vehicle for someone who is 82 years old? Probably not. Is it necessarily wise for an 82 year-old woman to be living by herself on 5 acres in a rural area? Perhaps not. But that is her decision. I thought it would be nice to help. If you don't think so then don't donate. If you don't know about Colin or what he does then don't make broad presumptions, and don't question his motives.
I will most likely donate more money. My decision. If you don't like it then ignore it.
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Larry in OB
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!
69 Westfalia and 2002 Eurovan Camper.

[skills@eurocarsplus]

I don't think anyone here is opposed to helping/fund raising but when the lion share of the budget is going to someone for labor, why not just bring it to a trustworthy shop instead of having collin get wrapped up in this mess?

I don't know...trying to play patch adams and let her play out "final wishes" is great, but I think her family needs to be contacted and services provided to her that will help her in the twilight years.

watching this is sad, really. I mean, could you imagine one of my build threads at 80? "hold on guys, the plasma cutter just blew a hole in my colostomy bag, and I think I shit my self"

or any of us for that matter. life really changes when you can't hold your own....
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[SGKent]

[OB Bus]

Never mind. On this topic I am out.
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Larry in OB
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!
69 Westfalia and 2002 Eurovan Camper.

[SGKent]

[sjbartnik]

Anyway, brandt, how's the bus?
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1965 Volkswagen 1500 Variant S
2000 Kawasaki W650

[williamM]

Hate to say it= but 82 isn't that bad- My dad and his buddy flew a 210 piper round the world when he was 82- (ya I know I've said it before.) so on a case to case basis she is probably OK driving and has had lucid conversations with the OP. should aught to leave it at that.
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some days I get up and just sit and think. Some days I just sit.

opinion untempered by fact is ignorance.

Don't step in any!

[skills@eurocarsplus]

ok, let me clear some of what I said up, as I suspected my inbox blew up

1) I don't hate Collin. nor am I trying to take money away from him

2) I think you guys need to realize the road to hell is paved with good intentions. as steve pointed out who is on the hook if she wrecks? are any of you licensed/insured for this? I understand the willingness to help, and applaud ALL that have helped/are helping

3) I am only trying to point out the funding issue. lets say you stall at 550...Collin is 500...what is he to do? eat 50.00 and shit parts?

4) I think the best thing for all involved is to find a trustworthy shop, monitor the work and let her gain a working relationship with them. otherwise, expect phone calls Saturday night when it breaks and "she has no one to call"

guys, I have been down this rabbit hole in the past and am only trying to give you a "been there, done that" point of view. don't take it as me pissing on the whole thing. a good friend of mine who owns a shop told me once "Donny, you can't save all the strays" and he's right. I am just trying to look out for EVERYONE'S best interest....
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[brandt]

I had a long post all typed up, then got distracted, logon timed out and now gone...

For starters I only started this thread to help me get her bus running. I included her story because it was interesting to me and I thought would be to the rest of you.

I'm on days off of sorts and I plan to get to the bus again tonight, adjust valves, time it with a light, and check out if the distributor is advancing properly. Do more of the things you all have suggested.. It's running and idles but not the best, it takes a bit of coordination to drive it and not stall just because I have not taken this time to tune it more. Brake booster hose might be leaking a bit.

To retype a bit from what I lost. I'm not sure how much of a Colin visit the lady would be present for. When we made the short notice evening house call she was too tired from the day to hang out by the bus to see what we were doing. She is still recovering from back surgery. I've had Colin visit me a few times and I know what it requires.

I have been in touch with her caretaker of sorts, who I think is a neighbor to. But I need to ask if they've ever talked to her about a different vehicle. For what this bus is worth she could get something else. I got the impression from bus owner lady it was a bus or nothing.

This bus will need a state inspection, a fairly easy process, but will need tires to pass. And the registration upped after that. I intend to do this and get her plates switched to vintage vehicle plates which in Utah means no more annual inspections.

I've had all the same thoughts others have expressed. I've been thinking about loaning her my bus, too, but it needs me to replace the fuel lines and muffler. And then do I want an 82 year old lady that I hardly know driving my bus?

Really I'd like to get her bus back to her ASAP so she can drive. Still a week out at the very best.

I have not even looked under the front end or the brakes yet. But so far from what I've noticed it's needs are not that extreme. Some rust but not that bad.

4 CV Boots, horn button is stuck, tires, and some odds and ends.

Thanks to all who have helped.

[SGKent]

your intentions are good Brandt. I think some folks are misunderstanding the caveats. Some of us have done similar and gotten burned. One question which you just brought up - why does she have a caretaker?
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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

[TomWesty]

Brandt, I applaud you for your efforts. Please ignore the naysayers who want to overthink the situation. You are there and have shown yourself to be capable of assessing things and asking for help when needed. Please press on and help her. You are what makes this country great. Do what you think is right and it will work out.
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If you haven't bled on them, you haven't worked on them.
Visit: www.tomcoryell.com and check out my music!

[SGKent]

Brandt - in spite of what some others here say - there are no naysayers here. Everyone wants to see you successful. Some people are just more realistic than others.

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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]

I'm in the 1% again.

Aloha
tp

[brandt]

[Abscate]

[brandt]

Runs way better with brake vac hose blocked.

I'll be near a Napa in a few hours, I'm in a rush, my notes for a late bay I have Gates hose 27231 15/32 I.D. 7 feet of it. Is that the same for a 71?

I'd hope a small town Napa has the proper fuel hose? How many feet and what size? Sorry to beat this dead horse but I don't have time to search...

Thanks!

[71whitewesty]

5.5 mm should work and you really only need about 5 feet. I use the braided stuff myself and have not had any problems.
She may need to get the brake booster rebuilt too it sounds like.
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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"

[Pinetops]

From another thread:

[sjbartnik]

[williamM]

Bad master can pump brake fluid into them too- so be sure to check the big diaphragm for a puddle. it can restrict how much the booster travels.
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some days I get up and just sit and think. Some days I just sit.

opinion untempered by fact is ignorance.

Don't step in any!