Jim, do the folks where you work know that live in your van?

Joy

:::-----Original Message-----
:::From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
:::Of Old Volks Home
:::Sent: Friday, March 02, 2007 2:16 AM
:::To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
:::Subject: Re: Thinking about living in my van full time for a bit
:::
:::Actually I have 5 - I also have a 04.5 Kia Spectra EX to drive around
:::when I
:::wanna look "respectable" ;-)
:::
:::All vehicles are parked in various locations throughout Southern
:::California.  Since I park semi-full-time "Ole Putt" at the biz I work at,
:::I
:::keep the Kia parked there as well.  The GL is parked at the biz for time
:::being as well as I use it to haul stuff to the local VW shows every once
:::in
:::awhile (see it at the VW/Porsche Toy/Lit Show at LAX Hilton March 11 &
:::the Phoenix Bug-O-Rama on April 15th).  The 411 Wagon and the Ghia (the
:::only
:::stick shift I own) are parked in North Hollywood at a friend's during the
:::painstaking process of rebuild and restoration proceeds at a snail's pace
:::(lack of time and cabbage mainly).
:::
:::When I had a REAL place to live and the Old Volks Home going full-time, I
:::had as many as 16 VWs at any given time, of various years, models and
:::heritage, from 50 on up......I'm holding the current collection at where
:::it's at, no more vehicles (I can't afford the insurance!).
:::
:::OK, what I really want to round it out to 6 is a Rialta! ;-)
:::
:::As far as the interior of Ole Putt holding up, it's done pretty well over
:::the years.  When I purchased it in 1996 with a blown up 1.9 (thrown rod
:::thru
:::the case, #2 piston in very tiny pieces, camshaft in 3 pieces, etc.,) I
:::only
:::paid $1000 and the machine was in mint condition otherwise, so clean you
:::could eat off of the carpet front and rear.  I upgraded the front seats
:::from
:::an 87, so the ride's more comfortable, but most everything's still there.
:::The fridge's combustion chamber needs to be taken apart, cleaned and
:::reassmbled so that the fridge will run better on 'pane.  But I don't
:::wanna
:::haul it out to work on because I live in the dang thing and the 110VAC
:::function is working just fine.
:::
:::The water system and stove (both not used very often except when out
:::doing
:::some serious camping) functions as well as the day she rolled out the
:::dealership in '84.
:::
:::The only area that needs some serious attention is the seat bottom (rear
:::seat) of the bed.  It's really gone to seed and needs to be re-foamed and
:::re-covered.  Again, I haven't found (in my travels) a temporary bottom &
:::back to install so I could have it (and the seat back to match) redone.
:::I totally flaked out on Ron Salmon's offering a few years ago of the
:::original seat material to have them re-covered (sigh).  Maybe I'll take a
:::trip out to Pomona Swap Meet this Sunday in the GL to see if anyone's
:::parting out a Vanagon Westy interior.
:::
:::Every six months or so I do "spring cleaning" and washing all walls,
:::cabinets, curtains, etc.  It's all about a "routine" you have to get into
:::and then it takes care of itself.  Maintenance and adhering to schedule
:::is
:::what it's all about.  My ex-wife over 30 years ago mentioned that my
:::doing
:::good housework & domestic chores with her was one of only a few good
:::things
:::she loved about me (I won't go into the rest, thank you [TMI]).
:::
:::But there are times when it would be nice to have a little more room -
:::hence
:::the wish for a Rialta...........
:::--
:::Jim Thompson
:::84 GL 1.9 "Gloria"
:::84 Westfalia 2.1 "Ole Putt"
:::73 K Ghia Coupe "Denise"
:::72 411 Station Wagon "Pug"
:::oldvolkshome@gmail.com
:::http://www.oldvolkshome.com
:::***********************************
:::On 3/1/07, JordanVw@aol.com <JordanVw@aol.com> wrote:
:::>
:::> In a message dated 3/1/07 4:22:10 PM Eastern Standard Time,
:::> oldvolkshome@GMAIL.COM writes:
:::>
:::>
:::> As of today, I have been full-timing in "Ole Putt" for 8 years now.
:::Beats
:::> living on the street, but there are times it would be nice to have a
:::cozy
:::> and warm apartment or house to live in.  But on my pay-check and the
:::cost
:::> of
:::> housing in Southern California, that's not gonna happen soon.
:::> --
:::> Jim Thompson
:::> 84 GL 1.9 "Gloria"
:::> 84 Westfalia 2.1 "Ole Putt"
:::> 73 K Ghia Coupe "Denise"
:::> 72 411 Station Wagon "Pug"
:::>
:::>
:::>
:::> Jim.. where do you park your westy and all your cars?
:::>
:::> also, id be interested in knowing how a westy interior holds up after
:::> living in it fulltime for 8 years straight....
:::>
:::> chris