Portland Volks Folks: February 2015

Time flies, yes?

I can't believe another year has flown by, kids shooting up like saplings, more gray hair on the noggin...but one constant is the seemingly endless flow of sturdy Volkswagens. They have survived hippies, Nixon, Ford, Carter, disco to techno, senseless wars and rampant consumer changes, the birth of Chinese dominance and the near death of manufactured quality.

They are ambassadors, protectors, and our good friends.

So of course I will start the 2014 "Some of the Volks" with a Chevy truck.

My friend Jim has owned this 1958 Chevy Apache for at least 30 years. After 10 years of sitting, Jim wants the beast to live again. We replace the master cylinder and fuel pump, and after a series of wet winter mornings we get it to run correctly, and also fix a few electrical issues.

It really is a nice truck, in spite of it's unfortunate Chevy-ness. Well they all can't be Buses, can they?

It does have higback Beetle seats installed, does this make it an honorary VW?

I'm looking forward to seeing this old tank in the woods this summer!

Kirk and Catherine's sunny 1973 Westfalia Weekender tucked in with the fleet. The poor Bus has sat for a few years but we managed to get her running. How are you, Kirk?

Volks goons standing around at the Wetwesties Unsuperbowl Campout at Nehalem Bay

(L-R Kirk, Hal, Stephan)

Sky's spotless (really!) Manx replica. "What could this lovely car possibly need?", I thought.

Not much really, just to get some wiring sorted out.

Maybe you've seen this bright red dunebuggy in front of Velocult Bike Shop?

I had the honor of meeting and working with Leah and her lovely '77 Riviera Camper.

From Colorado to Portland and various points West!

After a few hours working together, Leah now knows how to maintain her own engine, including adjusting valves, setting timing, and changing the oil.

I hope all is well out there on the road! If you read this then drop me a line.

Of course the biggest time-sink of them all, 1969 Mama-2 Bus, basking in the shop like a summer pumpkin in the sun, fat and lazy.

I spend an unplanned year trying to reverse 30 years of neglect. She is coming around though, and will soon be on the road again, and camping under swaying firs and starry skies.

Then we have Wayne's gorgeous fleet, better than stock, newer than the '70s, and lovingly cared for.

We fixed a broken hood release cable by sawing (!) through the handle without destroying that lovely paint. I was a bit nervous to do this you see but it all worked out.

Thank you Wayne! Hope to see you at a Bus campout again some day.

Maybe we met at the Northwest Bug Run in Woodburn? It was great fun and I really enjoyed the experience. A swap meet, drag racing, and shiny VWs everywhere. We are lucky here in the PNW.

Joseph and Hal work on Hal's WATER cooled 1975 Camper. Yes it is a travesty but it was very nicely done and I still adore Hal in spite of What He Did.

The engine had to come out to replace the clutch assembly, very nice to do on a dry summer day.

And then Hal goes further into madness by replacing his poptop with a fiberglass high top that he restored. How many Bus Pilots does it take to install a high top?

(L-R) Kirk, Justin (beheaded), Hal, and Mike.