Broken reducer hose fitting – fixed!
Quick DIY fix with a couple tools for a broken Vanagon vacuum system Y fitting.
Category : My VW Westfalia
In October 2013 I bought a 1983.5 (water-cooled) Westfalia van and named him Chief Pete.
Chief Pete goes almost everywhere with me because he’s my home.
Concerned about the future of Chief Pete? Help him out with some GoBucks! GoWesty has quite a few parts we always want/need, but can never quite afford at the moment. Heck, nobody can afford this van.
Out-Social Distancing the Rest
The past few months have been… interesting. For everyone. For once we are not entirely alone; we are entirely together being alone, isolated, scared and confused. How scary. In February, against my better judgement, I drove the Westfalia out to North Fork, California, on the opposite side of the Sierra Nevada, to serve another 10-day silent (Vipassana) meditation retreat. We were all aware by then (well, at least the thinking amongst us, or the medically-trained) that a pandemic was possible. On my way I stopped at the hardware store. N95 masks were still on the shelf at a reasonable price, and I was surprised. I felt like a wingnut for believing this could be serious. Meditation practice generally went well for me, though I struggled to be equanimous through each cough in the small-gym-sized room crowded with over 100 people. continue reading…
Another Vanagon Wiring Harness
I made another wiring harness for another 1983.5 (water-cooled) 1.9L (2.2 GoWesty rebuild) Westfalia van. You can see the first engine wiring harness I made here. My friend’s van started right up, but still needs a new throttle body to smooth out the idle. We knew this before we started. The original wiring harness was in even worse shape than mine, with several sections of burned wire and wire casing. Anyway, here’s some pics of the new one I made. The pics were taken just before the harness was installed, and final connections made, so there are some unfinished ends. But you get the idea. Update: as of December 2019 both these harnesses are working fine, and no regrets. Except I do regret driving through the flooded Necanicum River on Highway 101 last week because… I may have destroyed my continue reading…
I’m Not An Electrician, But
I haven’t written for a while and since I last wrote I’ve had a pretty marvelous adventure through Utah and Arizona on foot. Yet here I’m going to write about a Vanagon wiring project I just completed. I’m sorry if this is totally off-topic, boring, and a waste of your time. But I took on this wiring project I’ve been wanting to do for a long time and thought I’d share a couple thoughts that could help other folks. Old: New: This was a pretty straightforward project and I’m pleased with the results. One thing I discovered while working on it bothers me and I haven’t been able to confirm anyone else has this situation: the original ECU connector was pinned in reverse such that fuel injectors 1 and 2 were in 3 and 4 position and vice versa. I’ve continue reading…
New flooring for Chief Pete
In March, I undertook installing the 9-piece Vanagon carpet set I purchased from Sew Fine in January. Even though new carpet was a must for sanitary and health reasons, I was really nervous about this change for a few reasons. I was scared of what I would find under the carpet, and I was not sure how well the carpet would fit. Also, I was disappointed with the quality of the carpet when it arrived. I almost returned it because it felt cheap and I can’t see it lasting in a vehicle application. As I’ve seen stated elsewhere on the Internet, the replacement carpet available for Vanagons is nowhere as nice as the original. I’ve also heard it said by install pros who use Sew Fine that it takes a ton of patience, fussing, and glue to get this carpet continue reading…
My Space
The owner of that Astro approached me yesterday afternoon, two full pails of water on his shoulders. His first words weren’t hello, they were, “do you know how to find water here? It’s right across the road in that stream.” He was so proud of himself. That stream, I thought… you mean Lone Pine Creek? The water coming off the highest peak in the continental USA? OK. So he continued to tell me he’s owned 7 VW vans but none like mine and now he feels like he’s won the lottery, he has AT and 15″ wheels. “You still only have 14 inch wheels?” (Yeah but I have a 14 gallon water tank.) He then started to brag about his cellular data plan, and so I asked his name. “Home Free, that’s my real name.” “Home Free, nice to meet continue reading…
Pete on Siskiyou Summit
What Chief Pete wants, #ChiefPete gets. All he wanted was a new battery. That’s all. 🤑
Westfalia front end werk
This summer while a friend was driving my van through Yosemite to fetch me on the West side, my blower fan seized. He said he almost had a heart attack as my dash smoked and threatened to catch fire. (A reminder why all drivers should carry fire extinguishers.) “It’s ok. No big deal. It’s a cheap part,” I reassured him. But I knew the truth. The time has finally come for the dreaded Vanagon dash removal. The only way to replace the heater fan is to remove the entire dash, which means disconnecting all the wiring, removing the steering wheel, and worse, somehow opening the stubborn clam of a heater box. No big deal. Once my friend returned home to the Midwest I took on the project. It was actually a good thing because it meant I could finally also continue reading…
Dashboard disassembly
Fried blower fan means the whole old, brittle Vanagon dash has gotta come out. My left knee is near where my steering wheel would be mounted. The glorious “vanlife.” 105° where I’m parked, working on a damn heater. Ya feelin’ me now?
Hashtagging
I’ve noticed the Star Wars window sun shade seems to be popular amidst Westy owners traveling the Owens Valley this summer! The bling peace sign grill emblem is more unique to Chief Pete, though. Takes guts! Hey… If you’re going to hash tag delicate places such as hidden away hot springs, please also consider PICKING UP YOUR TRASH and WRITING LETTERS TO YOUR REPRESENTATIVES to ensure they stay protected. Heck, pick up other people’s trash. I just spent two mornings doing it! Hashtagging is causing a real impact on previously quiet places. This place I stayed last night was crowded and littered. People are ignoring signs meant to protect restoration areas and private land. It wouldn’t be surprising if the area gets closed to the public soon. I have questions for you: Why are you hash tagging? Are you trying continue reading…
Hashtag Vanlife
I haven’t been posting on social media since November. So… in case you were wondering if I still have Chief Pete, yes! Of course. And he’s great! He’s now got 100w solar, I have the sink pump running local friends’ crystal clear spring and well water, and everything else works, too. Phew! The bed could be a little more comfortable because the upholstery foam has worn thin over the years, but it can wait. I’ve been living out of my van now for three and a half years now, and my friends know it… and so my pen pal of 24 years sent me the recent New Yorker article about “vanlife.” Snail mail! I read it, and gagged. I don’t think I want to be associated with “vanlife.” I’m just not that. I mean I am that and a whole continue reading…
Dead Battery
I recruited strange (but charitable) men all day yesterday to jump start my van four separate times (so I could stop for gas and to pee) 300 miles down I-5, thanks to a mystery short. I’ll be spending my cold morning at a rest stop, ass hanging out while I’m under my dash trying to find said mystery short. The starter battery is fine*. What was really fun was when my van almost took flight and the dash lit up like a UFO console when I simply tried to turn on my headlights yesterday evening, at 100km/hr (that’s a Vanagon’s best top speed). The engine literally cut out when I tried to turn on my lights. At speed. Damn rain. Damn leaky windshield seals. People actually romanticise this?! I’m near Medford if you wanna hang out. 👾 * Not true.
BLM
BLM. Here there was a roadside garden, planted in cooperation with the BLM to test restoration of native plants. Someone had shot the BLM sign to shit and then shot through the word “native” on another sign. Message received, loud and clear.
Hot Tub & Coincidence’s Magic Schoolbus
I mentioned my friends’ bus. They’ve built themselves quite an amazing home; it’s gorgeous inside with woodwork, really cool custom copper penny counter tops, and a wood stove and full kitchen and full bed, a goat trough shower/tub and composting toilet And! And! And! And it starts up and drives like a champ. Chief Pete is trying not to feel inferior or jealous!
Vive la révolution
You can’t see me. . . . . . . . (Windshield seal leaks) . . . . . . . Last night while reading in the dark to the sound of rain, I remembered/realized it’s not a race war, but a class war that should be firing up. Some of these people ruling the country make more money each year than the bottom 40% of us combined. The poor are paralyzed with poverty and easily convinced to hate each other. There is no middle class. Let’s stop buying their bullshit and allowing them to pit us against each other. Vive la révolution! #chiefpete . . . . . . . If you’re smart (or want to be smarter) and like reading, I highly recommend buying Sarah Kendzior’s book of short essays, “The View From Flyover Country.” Your $8 on continue reading…
Staying Cool
Trying to stay cool. DEQ (smog) ain’t easy with a Westy, and I drove all the way to Portland mostly for this. (((((((Passed with flying colors again!)))))))
Scorpion Scare
144 miles on my new 2.2L Wasserboxer engine – so far, so good! Stopped in the gas station in Independence on 395 and this really caught my eye. I call it immersion therapy for “scorpion-phobia.” (Arachnophobia to be precise, since scorpions are arachnids, but I’m not scared at all of spiders.) I made a tag for the “Scorpion incident:” puppys scorpion sting This 3D postcard calls this scorpion an Arizona bark scorpion but I know better. Of course I might be wrong, but of >1500 types of scorpion, I think this is a regular Arizona Desert Scorpion – the kind you HOPE you get stung by (instead of the awful, tiny Bark Scorpion) if you’re going to get stung at all. Don’t. Oh hey all you scorpios out there 😉👋🏼👋🏼 In other stupid news today I lost my van in continue reading…
Latergram
Hiding out on the Owens River, getting ready for a much-needed and super rare NAP. Chief Pete doesn’t know it yet but we’re about to do some off-roading (it went fairly well). I’m breaking in the engine carefully, and still have some minor issues to sort out, like how the **ck I’m supposed to fit the Gowesty exhaust into the van without body rattles or exhaust leaks. Those engineers are having a laugh… otherwise the new engine purrs and as soon as he has his checkup later this week he should be really humming! Hot damn!
Montaña de Oro
Keith surveys the surf at the bluffs of Montaña de Oro State Park from his bicycle. Keith is the Syncro (4WD Westfalia) owner who camped next to me last night. What a “wild” night it grew to be! I bailed on sleeping on the ground because of a huge pack of marauding raccoons. I lost count at around ten. At one point woke up with a cougar routing out rodents 50ft from the truck, where I was camped up on the bed. I shined my headlamp at him and he slinked away silently. Thanks to my friends telling me horror stories involving rabid raccoons (lately) in the Eastern Sierra, I feared for my toes hanging out the tailgate and my face and fingers too. I was so jealous of Keith and his cozy van – and yet what a mind-fuck continue reading…
At Ziggy’s
I’m standing this close to my baby Chief Pete but it’s 108° and I’m scared he’s so pissed I abandoned him for a month that the door handle will burn my hand – or something like that. Or finding rat nests inside, or melted parts. But I know he’ll start, and we’ll head a little north in a few days together.