I just found and bought a 70 baywindow panel for my good friend and fellow STF'r Eddie Brown for a shop bus on wednesday and part of the story is just too funny to keep to myself. Eddie is owner of Eddie's Vee Dub (formerly Daniels) in Bakersfield.
Yes, I bought this bus for a friend, not myself, because time was of the essence. Why did I buy something like this for a friend? Because I know I could get my money back from him and more from ebay. THAT is how good a friend Eddie is to me!
Seriously, I knew if I didn't snatch up this bus when I found it then it would be gone within a day, the price was just too good to pass up.
Quick version: I drove her home from a bar at 1:30 am without taillights and I didn't even drink.
Long version: Wednesday afternoon about 2pm I was going to work when I saw her on the side of the road in a trailer park on the way. As I approached I thought "that would be a cool shop bus for Eddie." As I got closer I saw a "For Sale" signs in her windows. I didn't think much as I figured the owner would want a fortune for a panel. Then as I passed by, doing about 50mph, I saw "$1200 OBO". I got my Bronco turned around so fast with a 4 wheel drift I think the tire tracks are still on the side of the road. Anyway I called the number on the sign and within 5 minutes I had a deal for $1000. She has a new battery and an almost full tank of gas and she RAN.........not well, but she limped away from the trailer park under her own power, something no VW has done for me in a long time. Anyway, he had a bunch of his handyman work tools in the bus so as I went to the bank he took it to his trailer to unload. I got back from the bank and showed up with the cash. By this time I had called my work telling them I had an unexpected situation and I would be a little late. I look over the bus again and by now it's all cleaned out. He produces the key and a title and I jump in and take off on 3 cylinders. I am so stoked I forget to match the VIN on the paperwork to the bus until the next day (it's ok). I decide to go just up the street to my local watering hole bar and park her for now. I go in and ask, after she's parked, if I could leave her there. The owner says fine, just don't let it sit too long. I buy the bar flys in the place a round and head out to work. I am only an hour late and because I am usually johnny on the spot my boss let's it slide this time. Cool!
Now, for the story of how I got her to my house.
Later at work, I tell a co-worker about the bus and he says since it runs he can give me a ride back to the bar to get the bus after dropping the Bronco off at home. I plan to drive the bus if the lights worked, which I had not tried yet. Yes, that comes into the story. If the lights didn't work I would wait for the next day.
We get my Bronco home and head to the bar. It's about 1:30am thursday morning at this point. She is right where I left her, waiting to get home. She starts right up and I hit the lights. Headlights come on fine and I ask my friend to check tail lights. He goes around back and then comes back up saying I have nothing in back. I put her in gear and yell out "I'm going anyway" and head for the street. My buddy runs back to his car and gives chase keeping on my back bumper to hide the inop taillights. Now at this point, I had not driven her faster than 25mph or more than 300 feet and that was kinda shaky. Now I am going about 5 miles, in the dark, without taillights and expired tags, at speeds up to 45mph. Hopefully Fate is kind on this one. Going up thru the gears I realize third gear is Done, as in bump and grind instead of a gear. So, wind her up in 2nd and ease into a bog in 4th. The first 2 miles are fine and I get thru the first of 2 traffic lights without any problem. The next one, luck was pressed. Cross traffic has the light changing as I approach. I hit the brakes and as she slows the front brakes let out complaints like FWA-FWA-FWA-FWA-FWWA-FWWA-FWWA-FWWWWA-FWWWWA-FWWWWWWWWWAAAAA. I come to a stop about 6 inches into the intersection but none the worst for wear. The light changes and I fight the shifter back into 1st and take off again. Only a block to go and I can turn right off the main road onto my block. Not a cop in sight, thank God this isn't Friday night. Anyway as I start my turn I attempt to downshift to 2nd. The trans isn't having it and refuses to comply with my request. I am stuck with 4th gear only and slowing down to 25mph for a 90 degree turn to the right. I feather the clutch and blip the throttle as I take a wide swing to the right and somehow we get around the turn. Now I am on my neighborhood street and only about 200 yards from the safety of a driveway. I come to a complete stop and wrestle the shifter into 1st, praying a coupler doesn't come apart and leave us stranded. She goes into gear and we take off with my following buddy wondering what the $&#^@)_* I was doing. I am 1st and 2nd gear only now as I am determined to get all the way home without any more stops. Remember, she is doing the 3 cylinder putt and the whole neighboorhood knows we are passing by. One more turn to the left and my house is the 2nd on the right. Now, the last issue is my driveway is blocked by my parents RV parked while they are visiting me on vacation. I am planning on putting the bus into the next door driveway for now, a neighbor who is out of town. I told my buddy I might need his help rolling the bus back into the driveway as reverse is an unknown quantity at this point. I fiddle with the shifter a bit and she settles into reverse and begins to back up as I ease the clutch out. It's about 1:45 in the morning now, the engine exhaust leaks are as loud as I have ever heard from an ACVW, and I need to get parked before I wake more people up. She slides back and into her temporary parking spot without further fuss and I shut her down. I did it, she is home! My buddy, a car guy himself and completely understanding of my situation, gives me a congratulations for a job well illegaly done. I thank him and he leaves.
The story almost ends there, but the next day I am out with my parents for lunch before they leave back for the road on their trip when my cell rings. My good friend and watchful neighbor has discovered a VW bus in the empty house driveway and since I am the local VW guy I am his only real suspect. I confess and assure him it will be gone and into my driveway today as soon as my parents leave, which I make good on.
And now the only thing to do is have her new intended owner take delivery of her..............and pay me back!
Lucky Eddie, a real pro now with his own shop truck. The classic SoCal vw shop!!
