Progress!

I have a working speedometer. See the Woman does not like driving the car and one of the things that may help is having a speedometer. She is coming down for my birthday so I decided it was time to fix it. Thank you Samba! Yesterday I called a buddy over and we removed the speedometer. The I took it apart. I was afraid there was a cracked gear, but there wasn't. In fact there was a brass gear in there meaning someone had already had it apart to fix it. It was just dry as a bone. So I added some grease to it and put it back together and got it back in the car. Today the cable I ordered came in and after much cussing and beating on things, got that in. And low and behold it works. The question is for how long methinks though.
Zazu also has a new motor. The very nice motor seen in previous pictures leaked enough oil I never had to change it. I've taken a few long trips now and it was always fill the oil check the gas. I knew of a slightly more powerful motor up for grabs and I took it. So instead of a 1970 1600cc single port, I now have a 1974 1600 dual port in my car. And it holds oil. So the next major trip is to Idaho for Thanksgiving. In the winter. Oh boy. But I have faith. Lots of faith in my little green bug. And that's part of being in the club.
You just assume that all the hard work and good vibes you get off of your car will hold you through. Sometimes it does, sometimes it does not. But what fun is a car that's 100 percent reliable because you had nothing to do with it? No I'm sorry. Every trip in an old car is never the same as the last trip. Or to put it another way, "You're only as good as the last trip you took." So bring a sleeping bag and matches, a GPS and a cell phone. Make sure you have plenty of water, an ax and ten quarts of oil. Because you're going on a trip an old car and it doesn't get much better then that!

Now if I can just get it back in...

So I ended up pulling the engine and delivering it to my mechanic. Got it back today. Fully detailed and hopefully leaking less oil. I'll get some pictures on Sunday when we work on putting it back in.

Pretty Pictues

Some shots from being out and about today.

Zazu left a deposit at the parking garage.


And I'd take the one on the right ANY day.

Road Trip!!!

Went about fifty miles up the Blackfoot and back. Managed to set set my speedometer cable on fire. It was fun. You can read the story for the trip HERE.

In all his BRG glory.

Radio Blues

Installed some speakers in the Beetle today. It was a rush job but the job is somewhat aesthetically pleasing. I've had a radio in the car since before last winter. The whole purpose was not just music but to plug the hole in the dash through which cold air flooded the vehicle. But with my tax refund I've decided to finally get music in the car. There may be a plan afoot to fix Zazu's biggest issue. I'm thinking an extended range fuel tank and a larger oil capacity. And a new motor. This would drastically increase the range I can travel. Time shall tell.

Summer Guessing Games

It was a nice day out so I took the Beetle out for a spin. Woman is coming for a visit so I made sure to brim my tank. One of the nicer things about this car is the tank sits right around 10 gallons. Figuring out how much money it will take to fill the tank is easy you simply move the decimal point on the price of a gallon. Or if you only want half a tank you move the decimal and halve the amount. Lovely!
During the winter the speedometer went on strike. On a whim today I screwed it back in. And it worked like it should. I didn't know I had a speedo that only works in good weather. The car DID come from California I guess. Of course eventually I got it stuck at 15mph but a rap on the glass brought it stuttering back to life. This is one of the cool things about old cars, you can give the most awesome instructions to a new driver.
My buddy Scott got the honor of driving Zazu into town and back yesterday. He's never been formally trained in a proper, or manual, gearbox. So it was a crash course. He did all right all things considered. "Dude your car scares the hell out of me" was repeated several times but he's simply not used to the, how do you say. eccentricities of a old car!
On my old car the list is long. The brakes WILL work. Just straighten your leg out and try and push the pedal through the floor. They'll work. If the speedometer futzs out on you you can drive by the tachometer. 65mph is 3000rpm in 4th, 35 is 2000rmp in 3rd, and when it sounds like the car will tear itself apart in 1st, call it 15mph. You need to move the CB mike to open the glove compartment and remember the gas fill is on the passenger side at the front of the car. And last but not least remember the engine is in the back.
We all made it safe and sound and even Scott was head to give accolades to my little car that can. That says a lot about a car built eleven years before I was. It's nice to have the summer back, it's motoring season!

Updates

It's been a trying couple of weeks. Zazu got me the through the winter in style. And then I stopped driving him for about a month. And he got jealous. In the last two weeks he's been towed twice and in the shop three times. I'm thinking I need to make a sign at Curt's saying "Reserved for the private auto collection of James D. Maxwell" But it was a simple short, it's always simple with my car, and he's been washed and cleaned. I added some oil so he'll be good to go for the next few weeks. I hope. I have to keep constantly remind myself to put down the urge to take him for a distance drive. I think that in all practicality, Frenchtown to the west, Stevensville to the south, Garrison to the east and the Wye to the north are the limits of Zazu's range. And that I'm afraid is his Achilles heel. I have mountain ranges in all directions and hundreds of miles of driving to get anywhere of use. But I love driving my bug. I really do. I was talking to Woman a few days ago and I she commented how if the bug was worth it. I replied sometimes it's not but then I get in and drive it and it's worth every penny and busted knuckle. I'm driving history here. Then I started waxing all romantic and she almost hung up on me. The joys of the Old Car Club. Now to pay some more money to the man who fixes it.