ch.2- the sequoia trip
Lee had found the V.W. van he was looking for .It was a 1974
camper van, and the only problem was that it was in Peoria , Illinois. I had
happened through their once before as I was on my way back from New Mexico
after visiting my parents.
Lee and I were going to run out from
Ohio and bring it back. Lee an i were in my old 1989 f-150 that we decided to
drive out there, and buy the van with. If it ran we will drive it, and if not
we were going to tow it back on a t-trailer. and if my old pickup quit then we
would use the V.W. van to tow the pickup. If neither ran, we were just out of luck.
Lee was able to pick it up for twenty six hundred dollars and it was the camper
special, complete with pop-up tent and sink. We drove it around a few minutes
and both of us thought it sounded great and seemed to have a lot of power. The
man we were dealing with had provided a lot of information and even provided us
with a video from u tube about the van and parts replaced.
It had a few nicks and dents, and the
spare tire needed mounting on the front of the van as it was lying inside on
the van's floor. Rust was rearing its ugly head in the shadows of the fender walls,
but overall it was in good shape. The engine as i said sounded good and the transmission
shifted well as both Lee and I both drove the van. Lee wasn't very good at
dickering so he just ended up giving the man what he wanted for it without even
trying to get the guy to cut him some slack. He just paid the man exchanged the
paperwork and after a dinner at a Denny's we were on our way back.
We had taken along the two way radios and
would sit and chat as we hurried our way across Indiana and into Ohio and headed for my home in Stock port Oh.. Views
of cornfields and tales of past trips were exchanged as we called out to each
other running down the road. The trip was uneventful, Ann was glad to see us
return and not have any problems. She must have walked around the old van at
least five times without saying a word,
but instead stopping and looking as Lee explained the features or the problems
needing fixed. She just listened in an eerie way as if she was storing
information for later use. Eventually she
got around to the part where she thought Lee had made a good deal. Ann gave him
a big hug and kiss.
The van was left at my greenhouse
garage as I had all the tools Lee would need to paint, and do whatever to the
van to try and make it perfect. When i had my van I could have the engine lying
in the driveway in fifteen minutes. It was the easiest engine I ever worked on.
Lee had asked me one night what i would buy for a trip like he had planned and I
told him I was impressed by my old V.W. van. Lee undoubtedly took my advice as
this is what he had bought.
The next day Ann was ready to start
cleaning and gutting, including pulling out the old carpet. Being careful to
make sure the pieces of the flooring could be used as a pattern for the new
flooring material. Scuff plates and wiring had to be readjusted as the floor
piece finally came out. There was some trash in the van but it was mostly
hidden in obscure places. The floorboard looked good with some minor rust
damage.
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