Maiden Voyage

Possible? of course, just run it without the alt/gen belt and it will overheat in no time.

If your engine is properly tuned and the cooling system is there and running well, there is no reason for the engine to overheat.

Key blanks? check out ACN's website.

Congratulations on getting the car back - That feels good, I'm sure. (not that I know how that feels yet, because my body is off the pan as I am working on it) It is only money, but you probably wanted to spend it on something else, so there's you incentive to learn :)

Overheating? Sure! Perhaps keep a spare alternator/fan belt in your car and learn how to replace it - it's easy easy, taking 10 minutes plus simple tools. Not to make you overly paranoid, but you do have to be aware of not driving with a broken belt (not even for minutes) because you can do serious damage to your engine - a bug is not like any modern car. A broken belt is indicated by the red light. (green light is oil pressure failure). A broken alternator/fan belt, besides causing your battery to not charge, also causes your engine to not get cooled. Not that it will happen on your trip, but if you ever see your red/green light come on, stop the car and see what's wrong. Don't keep driving with it.

I know a good locksmith in Derby, CT (Calvert locksmithing) that can help, but that may not be practical for you.

Remco

Hey, I've had adventures in less than trips that were less than 5 miles round-trip. It's what you make of it... :-)

WTF did I just say?

I thought that was a twice daily commute to work!

I did 7 hour each way trips. Thats 14 hrs driving a beetle for each trip. And did that trip 2 weekends in a row (28 hrs total). Orlando to Alanta and back, twice. Thats a trip.

Carry your tools at all times, the basics at least. 15mm socket, wrench, hammer, large flat screwdriver, jack, jumper cables, etc. Short trips can become very long if you get caught without this stuff.

On Sat, 02 Jul 2005 20:12:43 GMT, Shag scribbled this interesting note:

I was wondering the same thing!:~)

-- John Willis (Remove the Primes before e-mailing me)

HMmm, I just ordered a variety pack to check it out!

J.

I've got about 30 or 40 of the entrees out in the garage. I take a couple with me whenever I go offroading and take about 10 of them with me usually when I go camping. :-)

Yuck -- MREs taste better when you pay for them, then? :)

MRE= Meals Rejected by Ethiopians!

-- Paul Broadway

MRE's are actually sold in civilian sorts that are actually somewhat decent. I carry them on camping trips. But I also carry a cooler and we're usually not that far out of town any more. I don't camp in a Westfalia yet, we have just stuffed all our camping gear in a '95 Previa for now. ( I think the Previa is more what the Type 2 would have become more than the Eurovan in some ways.) Plus the Previa has air conditioning. At my age, getting along without it on the road is getting harder and harder. . . .

Charles of Kankakee

I was just remembering my military days. We had a terrible cook on the boat............ You are going to love the Westy! I don't know how I existed without one. I love my 1982 Westy.

-- Paul Broadway

There was a thread on what essentials to pack you might want to Google for.

Don't forget duct tape, flashlight, bailing wire and a cell.

Bon voyage!