Litchfield VW show

Last weekend, Father's Day Weekend, I took the family and the Thingamajigger down to the Litchfield CT VW show. It was my choice as to what I wanted to do for Father's Day and I had heard good things about the show. Plus I knew a few friends were going, so I was guaranteed to have some fun while taking jabs from the air cooled only guys.

Got there and set up camp.

This was fairly early in the arrivals, so I was able to back right up against the tree line for some shade.  Folks just kept coming in all day filling up the camp area.

Wondered if that panoramic shot would work in blogger?

Had a good day of watching the VWs roll in, watching my son play with a few other kids and enjoying a cigar and some 20 year Tawny Port while making goo goo eyes at my wife.

 

With the sun setting, and my son climbing up the sides of the vans, we hunkered down for a good night.

The following morning started MUCH earlier than expected.  At 4 am I hear some of the air cooled VWs fire up to move to the show field. Really, 4am?  So one glance from the wife stating 'no friggin way' and I roll over and try to sleep again to no avail.

6am and my kids binging off the pop top.  Time to make breakfast.  When I do escape, and make my way to the pottie- Andrew Flint tells me that its best to move to the topside, and to enter the van in the show to get the best parking.  Ok, we are making a move.

Actually worked out well.  Being entered in the show gave us great access and seating to watch the days events.  Spoke with some interesting folks about vans, and some kid who told me the story of getting his diesel Vanagon dynoed.  You did what? And why?

Good day for all, even the wife.

Saw this on way out.  See the blue oval sticker up above? Wag more, Bark less.

Update:  came home July 13 to find this:

Thingamajigger did well.  Good girl.

Cub Scouts

Enter in, a new era for the Thingamajigger - Cub Scouts.

Took the boy hiking up Mt Wachusett yesterday with his new Cub Scout pack.  They all had a blast, but some of the parents were dragging ass the whole way.  Any reader of this blog knows I like my cigars- but Holy Crap Batman, when a guy 7 years my junior is breaking more often than the 4 year old who joined us?

Another parent wore three inch heels on her Harley boots to hike up a mountain?  Eh, to each their own.  We had a good time and the Thingamajigger was a hit among all who attended. I am sure many a trip will be taken on behalf of scouting, and I look forward to every one of them.

Speedometer fun

Ok folks, here is where I got completely confused yesterday.

Most Vanagon owners who have been in their dash know there is an early type speedometer with a screw on speedo cable, and a later style with a push on cable that clips on the back of the speedo housing.  

Ever wondered what that number on the face of the speedo means?  The later US release MPH style 2wd models came with an 805, an 820, a 1600 and maybe others.  The number refers to how many revolutions of the speedo cable * 100 to travel 1/100th of a mile (52 feet 9.5 inches).  At that point in time, that was also the tire size (revs per mile) they were using.

The 1600 version was a Syncro speedometer as its drive did not feed from the front wheel, hence the higher number.

I am going to focus on the later style, as that is what I have.  In the models released in 1984 and 1985, some of the speedometers had a metal casing that housed the guts of the speedo, many of these are still going as the pieces prone to failure were plastic related.

The failure happens when the plastic housing has worn to a point, or the clip on the end of the dowel that runs though the number spool fails.  I have seen people do all sorts of things to try and repair the speedo - JB weld, add a tab to retain the dowel, paper clips used as springs to put constant pressure but I have yet to see any repair other than a VDO rebuild last longer than a year.

Back to the function of the Speedometer.  The earlier style 84-85 speedometers were 'intended' to be off.  What's that you say?  Yes, the speed indicated on the speedometer is intentionally higher than the actual speed when the vehicle came from the factory floor. Some sort of government conspiracy? Maybe, I don't happen to subscribe. 

But to determine speed correctly, use this formula: (from the Bentley)

Indicated Speed = Actual speed + 6.2mph + (.05* actual speed)

So, given this formula; my 1984 Vanagon (built in September '83) traveling at 50mph will actually read 50+6.2+(50*.05).  = 58.7 mph.  This is assuming stock diameter tires.

The later style speedometer had a difference of only 3 mph, so a 1986 Vanagon traveling at 50mph will actually read 53 on the speedometer with stock tires.  That's why you see folks who replace their speedos state their mileage is closer to being correct when they go with a later speedo (usually due to lower mileage) because it actually is more accurate.

Most of us are using different than stock diameter tires, so adjust your calculations accordingly.  Or use the speed box app on your iPhone. 

So where is the confusion?

Look at the two speedometers above, actually their faceplates.  At roughly 3o'clock the earlier speedo is 72mph, while the later one is 82mph.  With a same 805 designation, same vehicle with same tires and cable - what makes one read higher than the other?  Electromagnetic field difference.

The increase or decrease of electromagnetic field and a hairspring inside the speedometer controls the indicated speed of the speedometer.  So when we send the speedometer off to VDO and we tell them it needs to be calibrated because its 8.7 miles per hour off, VDO will either increase or decrease the magnet strength within the speedometer so that the spinning from the cable will create an appropriate electromagnetic field and read the appropriate speed.

Took me a bit to get my answers and wrap my head around that.  Now I want to know how I calibrate my own speedo so I can continue to use the metal housing speedo and indicate the correct speed?

Note: The speedometer function is independent of the odometer function, so an increase in speed does not mean your odometer is reading more than what it actually travelled.

Make sense?

Now in my case: my tires are actually too big for the van - they are a 769 rev per mile. Which actually negates the built in difference in the later style speedo I was playing with today.  I had the iPhone out with speed box app going to do a quick check on what the speedo was telling me.

Curtain valance

Yes, we have curtains in these rigs.  Otherwise I probably would note concern myself with the thought.

In my earlier (1984) van, I have a valance above the passenger rear curtain rod.  (I grabbed this picture off the net as I had not taken one.)

For many Vanagon owners who have these, they are a sore spot in our asses as they are deteriorating rapidly.  Mine was cracking at every mount hole and if you touched it the wrong way, some would literally crumble off in your fingers.  Throw in a rambunctious 6 year old, and its a recipe for disaster.

So why not just take it off?  Many have, but I like the look of the stock accoutrements so I had to come up with another plan.  

Enter the Vocational school.  

I know I have mentioned this in the blog before, but if you have time the vocational schools of America are great resources for basic things like this valance.

I brought mine in, asked for two n aluminum and VOILA! A week later they are ready.

I will paint mine the body color, or maybe cover with the left over headliner material?  I haven't gotten that far yet. 

I had two made, figuring I can sell one for what I paid for both.  Vocational schools cannot legally charge for labor, so the cost of a couple small pieces of aluminum was less than an 8 pack of Guinness. 

Chin spoiler

I wanted to do an update to the sandblast post, but Blogger for iPad still has much work to be done.  Leaves a lot to be desired.

Ok, I got these installed.

On a Vanagon that did not initially come with these like mine, the savvy Vanagon owner will realize that a proper fastener setup will be required.  I suggest a threaded rivet rather than some push in fastener. There will be some force applied to these by the moving air, never mind an occasional curb.

The holes already exist in the proper location, except for the two side pieces.  Three holes per side will need to be drilled through the panel's bottom.  On these side pieces, three speed nuts and corresponding screws will be needed per side.  Save yourself unnecessary future hassle and use stainless hardware here.  Anything else will rust up quickly.

Gave it a wipe with detailer to match the spiffy flares.  I think they look pretty good considering what they looked like a month ago?