Roadcow Trip Report (long), Towing for 3560 miles!

As promised here's my tri-p report to the MoKan Bug Blast Bus Blitz over the Memorial day weekend.
First I got ready by attaching the towbar ( custom made to tow a Splitty or Bay Bus by the front beam like a bug towbar) to the 1962 single cab that I was delivering to a friend in Lincoln, Nebraska. Then I turned my attention to checking out Roadcow to see how it would tow. I had had problems with the rebuilt starter so I ordered another ( I only use the 68 to 71 auto stick self supporting starters) from my FLAPS ( Friendly Local Auto Parts Store) and when it came in I put it into the bed of the SC as a back up.
I'd had a problem with the front brakes last trip when it would pull hard to the left so I looked at thet. I found the right front caliper was frozen and actually had cocked the inside brake pad and had dug into the rotor. So I had wanted to upgrade to the late Bay larger calipers and had a parts bus (79) with what I thought I needed. Long story short they won't fit unless you change spindles. So I had 3 other "frozen" calipers for a 1971 Bay. It was getting late so I pulled a caliper from my 71 Burn bus and it worked like a charm. That was the extent of my pre check list aside from checking fluids ( the joy of using a 1770cc Toyota engine) and loading clothes and munchies.
I set out at 11:00 pm on Tuesday evening and headed East with the 62 SC in tow. My first leg took me over the Sierra Nevada mountain range and I was glad that this happened at night since when I got to the top at 8000' I was going 30 mph! I had been concerned about heating the brakes up and having them fade so I kept the Bus in 3rd gear for the steep hills and it worked fine. When I hit I-80 in Nevada I found that I had a nice 20 mph tail wind which allowed me to tow at 70 and 75 mph. Roadcow did very fine towing and I made it about 300 miles that night and slept in a rest stop in Winnemucca, Nevada. The next morning I got up and hit the road to Salt Lake city, Utah to visit friends and stretch my leggs. Just before I got to SLC I changed the ( now dead) rebuilt starter with another rebuilt starter from the same FLAPS. When I got to SLC the starter refused to work. Ever try to push start a bus while towing a bus? I managed to take a wire straight from the solenoid to the battery and get it started. I wanted to go through the Wyoming hills and high winds at night so there wasn't as much traffic. There are some high hills here that required me to get down into 2nd gear at 30 mph but Roadcow remaind cool at 190 degrees water temp. I won't wore you with all of the nothing there is to look at in Wyoming and Nebraska but we'll say that they are both 400 miles wide and it makes for a long day. I slept in Rawlins, Wyoming and woke up early the next morning and drove untill I got to Lincoln, Nebraska and delivered the 62 SC at 10:30 pm that night just shy of 2 days and 1700 miles. The new owner and I played with the SC until about 2:00 am and hit the sack.
The next morning sans the SC Roadcow seemed to leap from the driveway as I roll started it again ( you learn to park on a hill with a bad starter, I drove 800 miles like this), much lighter feeling without the SC. After a great breakfast I caravaned to a meeting point with the Buskatiers with my friend and his 67 21 window bus. In Jefferson Cith Nebraska we met up with 2 more busses a 65 Westy and a 72 hard top Westy. It was cool carabussing again and we drove at splitty speeds of 60 mph. About 1 hour into our 3 hour drive to the show/campout I called a friend with a 68 parts bus that I wanted to buy some parts off of. I got the OK to stop by and used the FRS radio to alert the others of my plans and it was decided that all of us would stop by. At this point I was asked to tow a 1986 Brazilian DC to the show since my friend was working on the front brakes of his 69 Westy and wanted to show the DC. I said sure and we bolted up the towbar and were off. It was interesting on hills which slowed the 2 Splitty lead busses I could accelerate while pulling and over come the Splittys on these hills. Gotta love that Toyota power!

We headed out to the show and when I got about 1/2 hour away I got a call for a Bug rescue. It seems that another friend/Buskatier "pigpen", had broken down 20 miles the other side of the show and wanted a tow in to the show. I said i'd unhook the 86 DC as soon as I got to the show and go get him. At this time we were about 45 minutes away from the show. We had a blast carabussing through small towns and having everyone wave and smile as we went by. We drove into the show amid cheers and more waving and made right for the nice grassy campground of the Lawrence, Kansas Fairgrounds. I walked over and talked with another Buskatier and was informed that Pigpen had fixed his broken fuel pump and had help following him in. We set up camp and started the socializing. I hadn't had the top popped in Roadcow for a long time and it sure was nice. I put in my custom rear hatch stand off which holds the rear hatch open about 9" so you can have a nice breeze in your bus. Then it was time to take a nap.
That evening we had the Buskatiers custom Plasma Cut fire pit going full force!

I think it's a universal thing when VW people get together we like to burn things and gather around the fire and bench race. :^) I was approched by a member of the Dodge city Contingent of the Buskatiers about helping him tow his bus which had broken down about 150 miles from the event. His inner generator pully had fractured ( still together but noisy) and the generator light had come on. I was ready to do it at night but the guy who's car we were using ( Roadcow has no Air Conditioning and it was hot!) said it would be better in the morning. So I got to hit the swap meet and look at the cool cars before we headed out. Here's a picture of some good old mid west swappers.

I saw the guy drive this thing in!

I bought 2 more self supporting used starters for $12 and stuffed them in the bed of the 86 DC.
Here's a nice Oval in the car show.

We set out and drove down to the broken bus and tried to fix it on the spot but the hub was frozen to the generator shaft so we decided to tow the 1970 bus back to the show where there were more tools available. We made it back at about 4:00 pm after being gone fro 5 hours in the heat of the day, darn.
I got back just in time to see the show winners being awarded their trophys and see the picture of their car/bus displayed on the wall of the building ( inside) via overhead projector, very ince touch by the event orgainzers the Omaha VW Club.
Well by this time "Felix" the 1967 DC I was buying and bringing home had arrived so I thought I'd better hook him up to Roadcow. After doing so I changed the starter with a good used one. Wouldn't you know it as I went to take the electrical wires off the solenoid the whole solenoid moved! Dang! that's why the rebuilt starter only worked 30 miles and 2 starts.

As I walked out of the award cerimony I overheard a conversation about shipping from Germany which caught my interest. I met a guy who just got back and bought 5 VW's and had them shiped to Houston, Texas. I learned allot about shipping from him. I took more pictures of the show cars and went to eat the evening Taco feed.
Here's a nice Splitty DC.

I drooled all over this Split window bug, it had all of the cool stuff on it.

Here's a picture of my camp humble as it may be.

Here's my buddy Matts 67 21 window.

I think with all of the pictures I'll finish in the next installment. I said my good bys and headed out about 11;00 pm that night into one of the worst storms I've ever been in!

CONTINUED...

With the 67 DC in tow I drove about 150 miles through back roads and Tornado weather to get to the big interstate. I turned on the radio and heard Tornado and high wind warnings with rain and possible 2" hail right where I was! Oh no I thought. I drove on into the night hoping that I'd be OK, never having experienced these mid-west storms i was in for an experience! I could see by moonlight this wall of water coming my way about a mile off. I was not prepared for what was to come. When it hit ( and hit is the correct word here) the water drops ( thankfully just water) were the size of grapes and were almost horizontal! Thet hit the windshield and pop top and sounded like marbles hitting. The first side gust of wind darned near blew me off of the road. Luckly for me I had the sense to slow down to 20 mph. I almost stopped but carried on. I came to a small town and there was a construction truck there with a guy with a flashlight flaging me down. He said the bridge ahead was out ( I'm out of the storm by now) and I'd have to go around. After recieveing directions I headed out. I was able to make it to the interstate freeway and thought my troubles were over, not so. I had a 30 mph head wind and was able to make 50 mph only and sometimes I had to down shift to 3rd to do this. I had to drive 800 miles like this through Nebraska and Wyoming! ( remember that tailwind on the way out? It was now doubled and in my face!) I was worn out and chose to sleep and hope that daylight would bring better driving conditions. Not to be but I made it to Laramie, Wy. and slept for awhile. I got up and drove into SLC, Ut the next day. I unhooked felix and took a friend to work and had a blast driving the old DC around the city. I could'nt believe all of the admiring looks this truck got! I was sitting at a light next to a Red Viper and most people were looking and pointing ( they seemed to be admiring the DC) at us! VW's rule!!!
I got back on the road after hooking Felix back up and finally was able to run 70 mph again. I felt like I was flying!!!
As I was driving through Nevada I saw hundreds of crickets along the side of the road for about 5 miles. I stopped and took some pictures but they really don't show how many there were. Every time I tried to get close they jumped off. Sneaky little bugs!
I drove on and stopped to get Gas ( petrol) and was sitting on the side of the raod talking to my wife in N.Ireland when 2 seperate people stoopped to, talk VW's!
I made it home late that night after 3678 miles and a great time! Hope you've enjoyed my trip report.

More swap and bug ( real ones) pictures

I loved this custom type 3!

Check out the cool shifter!

BUGS!

The End.

PS---Sorry here's a picture of Felix while I was looking at the bugs.