Preparations for Mountain Madness 2012

Check dipstick.  Fill with gas. Pack. Go.

I am SOOO glad that pressure bleeder went to a good home and even happier that it worked out well for you.  They certainly make things a whole lot easier and faster than the old fashioned way of pumping the pedal - and you get a better pedal, too!

On your preps, I would do 1 and 2 and leave it at that.  If the steering box is not wet around the shafts, then whatever is in there hasn't gone anywhere, getting to the filler and actually getting some oil in there is a major PITA and it should be fine.  It might be a good idea to take it to Ken when you get back for new plugs.  Regular AC VW guys always have their tricks for getting plugs replaced w/o stripping the plug holes and they are a PITA to do on a Speedster.

I would leave the carbs alone til you get back, too.  It has been running great, right?  Why risk screwing them up just to make the outsides a little shiny?  

DRIVE IT! 

gn

I just pulled the fuel tank out of mine  and washed all the coating inside of it off with 2 gallons of acetone and a chain . i think the ethanol in this new gas has mess it up. it was full of lose white clumps like jelly.  so i soaked  rinced strained resoaked staine resoaked  and re used the acetone 7 times  then rinced it 4 time with water then 4 time with gas  catchin anything in a screaned funnel over the 5 gal buckets untill it stayed clean.. I just managed to get it back to gether before a storm came up. Got in doors  But i did not hear the fuel pump run at all when i started it . It;s proabaly ruined too now .  Ii do have  a new one here .. Somewhere ?

So when and where is this event suppose to happen?  Oh and Lane I took your advice and decided to have Pat Downs help me out with another spare mild engine a 69 stroke and 88 bore full flowed  in a supercase,, Its a spare for the bug.

I took off the passenger side carb because it had dirty goop all over it, but found the inside was clean.  I think the goop was some Sea Foam spray lube for the carb linkage and it just became noticeable as it collected dirt.  The car's had a few stumbles lately, so a good cleaning of the jets won't hurt anything.  I also discovered that the nuts holding the carb on were not very tight, so I might have had a small air leak.  I've gotten pretty darned good at taking them off and putting them back on without messing with the adjustments.

While the carb was off, I was able to get a better angle on one of the plug wires and pull it off.  I discovered (to my dismay) that the nut holding the manifold on made it impossible to get a socket on the plug.  That'll have to wait until after the trip.

#1 and #2 will happen next weekend.

Where does detailing the car fit in? Surely that's more important then having a well running car! LOL   

Nah.  Hey Lane, another prep thing, remind Lane about key protection film.  Btw, over 10,000 miles (knock on wood) and no clogged idle jets on my Weber 44's. Natalie's a rolling advertisement for Jet Doctors.

David, I see that you and Bill are getting closer to meeting.  What are you driving, btw?  Also, could we do a clinic in early October?  Natalie will need it after the long trip :-)

David - Detailing is next weekend or the one after.  I'm known for being a bit of a "waxer".

Tom - Thanks for the reminder.  You bringing the weatherstripping?

That sounds great to me. The more, the marrier. We need to work on finding a place suitable for this? Right now, I'm in between projects.

I'm glad that you reminded ME.  It's on my list.

Since mine was completely checked out in May and I have only added about 1500 miles I should be fine. My plan is to drive to Lexington KY. Thursday then onto Asheville Friday morning. If the trip is going well I may just press on, door to door is 694 miles.

I know I have asked this a few times but does anyone travel with their spare tire?

Plus all I thought all you do is add gas and oil to these things.  ..and continue finding upgrade/modifications at an alarming rate.

Joe, you're making it.  Super!  I travel with my spare. Duffle bag will go behind seats with the top up for the long ride.

Hey, I hate to burst your bubble guys, but has anyone checked the weather as of late?

At this point I cleared my calendar for the 20th and 21st. I may have to cannon ball run home Sunday, supposed to be in Denver CO for dinner meetings on Monday. Keeping my fingers crossed that this all comes together. 

I have read that most guys and gals do not wash their cars, but after a 1hr cruise what do you all do with the dead bugs. David any suggestions to  remove them from the bumper, hood and windshield. Most of the time I drag out the hose and bucket to do a quick spot wash. 

Joe, a 15 minute wash-my-car break every hour on an 11 hour journey will add well over two hours to your trip. Get over it, your car's gonna get dirty :-)

Joe, I dust my car off with a California Car Duster during every warm up cycle when I leave my garage and use instant detailer and a micro-fiber towel periodically, mainly for the bugs, wheels, and windshield. I wipe it down with detailer, overall every now and then.  I will wash it down again in the spring before going through polishing & waxing cycle, but, unless I get caught out in the rain, instant detailer is enough for me.

BTW, I took my car out yesterday with a bugs on the windshield and could hardly live with myself for the rest of the day :-) As one gets older, you get a different perspective on what's really important in life.

My car gets washed and detailed twice a year - once before Carlisle and once before Asheville.  Unless it gets really dirty I just use a detailer spray the rest of the time.

Check the oil, belt, brakes, lights (again), change the air in the tires....  That sort of thing...

Rich,

1) Too far out to check weather

2) It will be better than Michigan :-)

Oh, the way you guys were talking I thought this event was this coming weekend.

Just as good, this coming weekend's weather is gonna suck.

Guess I need to travel with my "windows".

Definitely, and if you haven't tried them yet, I recommend that you do so.  You will probably find out that you need to bend the posts some.  Be prepared to not be happy with the fit.  I took the Jack Crosby approach and added material to my edges.  Lane took the custom-made approach.  If I drove mine with side curtains as much as Lane, I would do the same, but the Crosby approach works for me. Also travel with some wide blue painter's tape.  If it rains, you'll figure out how tonuse it :-). I'll show you my patented Beck windshield seal upgrade in Asheville.

Trut me Tom, I have put my top up and curtains in. I had to stretch my top by putting books on  at the header, thanks Lane. Good call on the painters tape, the only place I have gotten water was at the botom of the A pillar.

Believe it or not I made it back from Bremen without putting the top up which was about 3.5 hrs of drive time. I have a pretty high tollerance to wind noise, helps that my radio rocks.  

OK.  Paranoia overtook me and I adjusted my valves this morning.  I was getting some popping.  A couple of valves were below .002, but still spinning.  In regapped them just for safety sake. Popping is now gone :-).  Valves are no biggie, but removing my exhaust to get to the right valves is a PITA.  I can't wait for this trip!

Me either, Tom.  I finally broke down and had my frone wheels aligned by a great shop and really like the results.  It was smooth before but now it's the best ever.  I'm retiring my DIY camber tool.  New Dutch tires, valves adjusted, oil changed, engine detailed, new lower side rubber strips installed (old ones were 3" short), entire bottom sprayed with undercoating, all under bolts checked for security, new K & N air filters. 

Still need to re do the silicone around the windshield posts.

Gettin' there.

See y'all soon!

OTAY!!!  Carbs cleaned, air filters cleaned and oiled, new fuel filters, oil changed, and valves adjusted. Should be ready for the trip - except for a nice detailing, that is.

Lane, watch your mileage for god's sake, you're trying to sell this thing! :-)

On these I consider mileage a mark of successful sorting.