Air-Cooled and Itinerant 2009

The subject: Gertrude Butterblume

The culprits: Colin (the one with the legs), whc03grady

The issue: making a 38 year-old car our daily driver 

We found out a few interesting things about Gertie when Colin was here a couple weeks ago. For instance, though she herself is a 1971 model (built in October 1970), she has a 1972 engine. Also, an owner in the distant past had replaced the fuel damper with an inline fuel filter. This singular genius at some point also decided to forgo the stock fuel pump mounts in favor of bungee-cording the pump to the front beam. Above, Colin and I curse him and his sons and his sons' sons.

Ludwig kept Colin's bus--583,000 miles and counting--company out on the street. Did I mention that his bus has 583,000 miles on it and is still on its original CV joints?

All told, Gertie runs somewhat better (a lot better, according to Melissa) now. She steers better (a lot better, according to Melissa) after we tightened up the front end, and doesn't leak gas into the crankcase, since we put in four new fuel injectors; this was also partly the source of the dirty engine Melissa mentioned in an earlier post. We also diagnosed a failing manifold pressure sensor, which will be replaced as toot sweet as possible. Later, he gave us a lot to think about as concerns her rust and our stash of free parts. 

After Colin drove her he said "she has a good spirit, but has to try so hard to rise above the neglect and abuse dished out by [her] previous owners." That part got Melissa a little misty-eyed.

Thanks Colin, and we'll see you in 2010!

Addendum: I'd like to note that none of the scorn I've heaped upon Gertie's previous owners applies to Gertie's immediate previous owner, a very nice guy whom I'm certain did nothing untoward to the car in the very brief time he had her.