Author Topic: The Journey begins... (Read 5002 times)

lord_verminaard · « **on:** December 16, 2004, 03:53:11 pm »

Well, the time has finally come. This weekend, I am going out to Maryland to pick up my beloved Scirocco that has been waiting for me for nearly six months. It's currently sitting at the VW dealership I used to work for. I have contacted some of my friends there and they will help me put on new tires and ball joints, and I will then attempt to drive her 430 miles back home to Ohio. My girlfriend will follow me in her Civic on the way back and be the "rescue wagon" if anything goes wrong. I'm taking with me for the trip a whole boatload of tools, spare belts, hoses, alternator brush set, spray lubricant, a few extra quarts of oil, coolant, duct tape, hose clamps, vacuum line, heater hose, plus a mess of other odds and ends that I may need. Barring catastrophic engine/transmission failure or alternator bearings blowing up, it should be good to go. From what I've heard, lots of people have bought old VW's thousands of miles away and driven them home. I actually spent three months fixing this one up while I was in Maryland before I even drove it around the parking lot, so I should be good to go. It's been so long, not a day has gone by where I havent thought about it. Wish me luck. Hopefully, I wont need any.

Report will follow on monday.

Brendan
84 Scirocco 8v
00 Camaro L36 M49

lord_verminaard · « **Reply #1 on:** December 20, 2004, 07:27:06 pm »

WOW. 10 hours later, (on a trip that should take 7) many, MANY stops later, and 430 miles in sub-zero tempratures, she finally made it. The cold, combined with a failing alternator, made it so that every time we stopped somewhere, we needed to jump-start it again. On two occasions, (once in the middle of Baltimore city and the other around a blind curve at night with no flashers) the car just died on me and required a panicked jump, with my trusty girlfriend in her Civic right behind me. Also had a big scare around Morgantown, West Virginia when the car popped out of fifth gear and wouldnt go back in. Drove it to the nearest gas station and saw some tranny fluid leaking out of the bellhousing area. After a call to AAA to find out how many miles I could be towed, (100 for free, we were still about 225 from our destination at that point) we decided to forge on in 4th gear for another 75 miles or so to keep the towing bill down. While merging on the highway, I decided to try 5th gear once more and it slipped in. COOL! It did manage to pop out of 5th a few more times but each time I could get it back in. By this time it was getting dark, and we were getting off of 77 North in Ohio to make the trek back to Mt. Vernon on 36, a two-lane state route. At this point, I noticed the headlights much dimmer than before and the dash lights going out. Not good. By the time we hit the next little town and slowed down, it died- thankfully enough the man behind me (my girlfriend was in front at this point, using her fully-functional bright lights) was kind enough to stop and use his flashers since we were on a dangerously blind curve in the middle of nowhere. A quick jump and we were off again. Fitting enough, when I pulled her into my driveway, she died a final time. My girlfriend and I had to push her into her "spot" in our garage. Now that I've made it back, my journey has just begun. I have a list about a million pages long of stuff that needs to be done, but at long last I have been re-united with my Scirocco. What an adventure, and I doubt it would have been as much fun in any other car.

Long live VW's!

Brendan
84 Scirocco 8v
00 Camaro L36 M49

RAMMSTEIN · « **Reply #2 on:** December 20, 2004, 11:35:39 pm »

Hey, nice "Road trip"... :wink:

You can copy/paste it in the road trip section of tdiclub if you want, you have the moderator's approval!

Glad you made it back.

So, will the rocco be diesel some day? :?:

lord_verminaard · « **Reply #3 on:** December 21, 2004, 05:38:03 am »

You bet she will be a diesel. Although I must say, the more time I spend with the little JH 8-valve the more I like it. Wonderfully simplistic, the CIS fuel injection is a marvel and it's a blast to drive. But the diesel in my blood is calling so it will get swapped someday. I'd like a 1.9 AAZ engine, or an all-mechanical TDI- but that is a lot of Franklins away from where my current budget is right now. Some minor fixes to the Scirocco and eventually I'll sell that hulking American beast that I currently own (Camaro) which will supply some much needed funds. But that's down the road a ways still....

I'm just REALLY glad I have her back in my sight and sitting pretty in my garage.

Brendan
84 Scirocco 8v
00 Camaro L36 M49