1973 Blue Bird
Moderator: TMAX
Welcome back to the program, and thanks for the popcorn. Oh, and look, you got me a diet Dr. Pepper. How sweet.
Now we move on to the engine fiasco.
I mentioned earlier that the engine ran rough. The gas, which had been sitting a long time, smelled like varnish.
The fuel filter was filled with debris.
I knew that there were a lot of items that needed attention.
Here's a list of parts that we bought:
Fuel filter
Fuel pump
Fan belts
Spark plugs
Spark plug wires
Carburetor rebuild kit
Distributor cap and rotor
Cap for gas tank
Oil and filter
Zac traded some roto tilling work for a battery.
Although the guy at the auto parts store said that the alternator was good, it was not. We took one out of one of the Jeep trucks.
The motor was running, but it was running rough.
The first thing we did was rebuild the Holley carburetor. Then we replaced the fuel pump.
Still not running good. Actually it started getting worse.
We removed the gas tank and cleaned it. We drained the gas out through a filtered funnel into some gas cans. We sprayed water into the tank and swirled it around. Then we emptied the water out and applied the blower end of a shop vac to the tank while it sat in the sun for a few hours.
No matter what we did, and no matter what parts we replaced, we could not get the engine to idle or run correctly.
I realized that we had reached the point of diminishing returns and became frustrated. I took it somewhat emotionally and said to the van, "after all the love we put in you, you are treating us this way?"
Zac and CJ (our neighbor) held on tenaciously, believing that the motor was somehow going to magically begin working properly.
I refused to do anything else, and told them, in no uncertain terms, that I was done with it.
I suggested that there must be someone we can take it to that would instantly know what was wrong.
Another neighbor has a friend who is a talented mechanic. We towed the van to his house.
The first thing the mechanic, BJ, did was remove the carb. He discovered that there was one gasket that was the wrong one.
After replacing that gasket and adjusting the timing, the motor ran smooth as silk.
Apparently, the motor was so full of fuel, it even went into the oil.
BJ had the engine running in less than two hours.
A lesson I have learned in life is that when I am stumped, I seek a professional.
Now the engine runs like a champ.
In the next chapter we go to the warehouse to pick up the staging. There are photos of the load we hauled back to the house. There are lots of photos of the apocalyptic looking warehouse area. In the closing of this article you will see the stage and tent set up at a concert we did. I got to play the mandolin for a couple of songs there.
The next installment of the never-ending story will be the building of Zac's underground house.
Stay tuned to this channel.
Now we move on to the engine fiasco.
I mentioned earlier that the engine ran rough. The gas, which had been sitting a long time, smelled like varnish.
The fuel filter was filled with debris.
I knew that there were a lot of items that needed attention.
Here's a list of parts that we bought:
Fuel filter
Fuel pump
Fan belts
Spark plugs
Spark plug wires
Carburetor rebuild kit
Distributor cap and rotor
Cap for gas tank
Oil and filter
Zac traded some roto tilling work for a battery.
Although the guy at the auto parts store said that the alternator was good, it was not. We took one out of one of the Jeep trucks.
The motor was running, but it was running rough.
The first thing we did was rebuild the Holley carburetor. Then we replaced the fuel pump.
Still not running good. Actually it started getting worse.
We removed the gas tank and cleaned it. We drained the gas out through a filtered funnel into some gas cans. We sprayed water into the tank and swirled it around. Then we emptied the water out and applied the blower end of a shop vac to the tank while it sat in the sun for a few hours.
No matter what we did, and no matter what parts we replaced, we could not get the engine to idle or run correctly.
I realized that we had reached the point of diminishing returns and became frustrated. I took it somewhat emotionally and said to the van, "after all the love we put in you, you are treating us this way?"
Zac and CJ (our neighbor) held on tenaciously, believing that the motor was somehow going to magically begin working properly.
I refused to do anything else, and told them, in no uncertain terms, that I was done with it.
I suggested that there must be someone we can take it to that would instantly know what was wrong.
Another neighbor has a friend who is a talented mechanic. We towed the van to his house.
The first thing the mechanic, BJ, did was remove the carb. He discovered that there was one gasket that was the wrong one.
After replacing that gasket and adjusting the timing, the motor ran smooth as silk.
Apparently, the motor was so full of fuel, it even went into the oil.
BJ had the engine running in less than two hours.
A lesson I have learned in life is that when I am stumped, I seek a professional.
Now the engine runs like a champ.
In the next chapter we go to the warehouse to pick up the staging. There are photos of the load we hauled back to the house. There are lots of photos of the apocalyptic looking warehouse area. In the closing of this article you will see the stage and tent set up at a concert we did. I got to play the mandolin for a couple of songs there.
The next installment of the never-ending story will be the building of Zac's underground house.
Stay tuned to this channel.
Got love? Give love.
Welcome back.
We will start the next portion of the Building The Flatbed series with it's maiden voyage.
First, I must say that the gas gauge does not work. We tried to trace the wire from the sending unit to the gauge, but did not find the connection.
We did, however, put five gallons of gasoline in the tank before we left.
I must mention that the carburetor has a manual choke.
We travel down the road on our merry way when, within five minutes, the truck engine begins to run awful and stalls out.
Zac is upset. I am disheartened. We presume we may have run out of gas.
Zac makes a cell phone call to CJ. He asks him if he has some gas in a can.
Luckily, we were able to pull into the parking lot of a small church.
CJ calls another neighbor and procures a gas can full of gas and a funnel. Then he drives over to the church.
Zac and CJ put five gallons in the tank.
CJ leaves. Zac starts the engine. It still runs terribly.
I suggest that we check the choke. Lo and behold, the choke was in the on position. Someday we will install the new choke cable.
We opened the choke butterfly valve, and there were no more engine problems.
Here are some pics of our little layover.
We will start the next portion of the Building The Flatbed series with it's maiden voyage.
First, I must say that the gas gauge does not work. We tried to trace the wire from the sending unit to the gauge, but did not find the connection.
We did, however, put five gallons of gasoline in the tank before we left.
I must mention that the carburetor has a manual choke.
We travel down the road on our merry way when, within five minutes, the truck engine begins to run awful and stalls out.
Zac is upset. I am disheartened. We presume we may have run out of gas.
Zac makes a cell phone call to CJ. He asks him if he has some gas in a can.
Luckily, we were able to pull into the parking lot of a small church.
CJ calls another neighbor and procures a gas can full of gas and a funnel. Then he drives over to the church.
Zac and CJ put five gallons in the tank.
CJ leaves. Zac starts the engine. It still runs terribly.
I suggest that we check the choke. Lo and behold, the choke was in the on position. Someday we will install the new choke cable.
We opened the choke butterfly valve, and there were no more engine problems.
Here are some pics of our little layover.
Got love? Give love.
AND NOW! The moment I have been waiting for. The arrival to the land of the future.
In this first pic, You will see the door to the lower level of an OLD warehouse. It is where Zac's staging was set up from an earlier show this past winter.
Zac thought he had the key to the lock on the door. He did not. The guy who rented that space did not have the key either.
After MANY phone calls to anyone who had had access to the storage area, it became obvious that NO ONE had the key.
That caused a two hour delay. Eventually it led to a brilliant idea that was born in the brain of a ballsy guy.
Zac figured that we could unscrew the concrete screws from the frame of the door and get the sliding metal door to move enough to allow entry and loading of the stage sections. This is where the yellow "snatchum strap" came into play.
First, we will look at the frustrated Zac standing at the door and realizing that he does NOT have the key to the place.
I, having dealt with all the quirks thrown at us with the building of the flat bed, succumbed to a peaceful place of non concern.
I knew that Zac would figure out a way to accomplish the mission. There was no need for me to be responsible for that task.
As soon as we entered this decrepit, long forgotten, monument to previous industrial glory, I was instantly charmed.
This is a place that is spooky and compellingly seductive.
In this first pic, You will see the door to the lower level of an OLD warehouse. It is where Zac's staging was set up from an earlier show this past winter.
Zac thought he had the key to the lock on the door. He did not. The guy who rented that space did not have the key either.
After MANY phone calls to anyone who had had access to the storage area, it became obvious that NO ONE had the key.
That caused a two hour delay. Eventually it led to a brilliant idea that was born in the brain of a ballsy guy.
Zac figured that we could unscrew the concrete screws from the frame of the door and get the sliding metal door to move enough to allow entry and loading of the stage sections. This is where the yellow "snatchum strap" came into play.
First, we will look at the frustrated Zac standing at the door and realizing that he does NOT have the key to the place.
I, having dealt with all the quirks thrown at us with the building of the flat bed, succumbed to a peaceful place of non concern.
I knew that Zac would figure out a way to accomplish the mission. There was no need for me to be responsible for that task.
As soon as we entered this decrepit, long forgotten, monument to previous industrial glory, I was instantly charmed.
This is a place that is spooky and compellingly seductive.
Got love? Give love.
It took Zac over an hour with phone calls to inquire about a key to get into this place.
I thought it would be a great opportunity to capture the flavor of this place that had charmed me from the start.
Here it is. The highlight (for me) of the whole van/truck adventure.
I have a strange fascination that I MUST someday get to the top of that silo building, and the one next to it, so that I may get a view from above.
I thought it would be a great opportunity to capture the flavor of this place that had charmed me from the start.
Here it is. The highlight (for me) of the whole van/truck adventure.
I have a strange fascination that I MUST someday get to the top of that silo building, and the one next to it, so that I may get a view from above.
Got love? Give love.
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