THE PORTAL HUB - Pinzgauers, Haflingers, Volvo 303s and more!

As many of you know. I started my pinz fab tour this week and I wish I had been posting since day one.
The definition of adventure should be...

the undertaking of a difficult mission with questionable equipment and inadequate resources.

My week started out with my moms VW square back having a transaxle malfunction. (This was to be my backup transportation while fabricating.) I decided it would be flat towed to Ca. due to the plentiful repair resources.

Trying to get the service truck registered prior to leaving Tx. added 2 more days of repairs to pass my vehicle safety inspection.
Then only to find out they would only issue me a temp reg. while I deal with title issues.

I get loaded and roll out with all my tools and the S/B in tow.
It took almost 16 hours for me to get from Mt. Pleasant, Tx. to El Paso, Tx. This 9hr drive was extended due to a 3 hr nap and slow rolling due to what I now know was a failing fuel pump.

I got a flat just East of El Paso and managed to roll into a tire shop where I performed an aluminum weld repair in exchange for a good used tire mounted and balanced. Not bad for a Sunday morning. They offered a free spare tire and wheel for the work as well but the rim wouldn't fit. They want me to stop back in on the way home where they will have a bunch of work lined up for me.

While in El Paso, I stay overnite with an old high school buddy. He borrowed my white van trailer to move and I could now load the S/B into it to tow the rest of the way to cali. The added weight and continuing failure of the fuel pump left me on the side of the road 20 miles east of Las Cruces, NM. The truck was so gutless It failed to run over 30 mph due to the fuel starvation.

After discussing the issues with Jim Laguardia on the phone(Thanks for the late nite Tech call!), we decided a race day tune up was in order. After 2 of those attempts, I decided to break it down and rebuild it right there on the side of the road.

So from 2300 to 0200 I deal with rain and road traffic while I rebuild the carb by flashlight. I tried to use the generator to provide light and keep the battery charged while the 4 way flashers ran but the rain caused my generator to not function correctly. After I get everything back on, the rain stops and my generator starts working again. So I sit and wait for one more hour to let the charger bring my battery back. I'm glad I travel through the deserts at nite.

The truck ran well after the rebuild and got me into Deming, Nm. by 4am. The Wal Mart parking lot security decided to tell me his life story after telling me where he wanted me parked. He asked why I had painted my 81 dodge service truck hunter orange camouflage. I told him of my work on Military vehicles and that the customers like when I play army too.

The truck ran well from Deming but by the time got into Tuscon, the failing fuel pump and rising mercury had crippled the truck with fuel starvation due to vapor lock. You see allot of country at 45mph.
I limp the truck into Tempe, Az. where I meet up with a former shipmate. After having dinner and allowing the truck to cool a bit, I decided to get a 12v fuel pump to help out the stock one.
(pump was only 3-7psi and designed for use with carbureted vehicles)

My prayers had been answered! The install was simple and went without a hitch. I get 65mph, Up hill, fully loaded and towing and everything is great untill.....

Not sure your plans but if you make it to San Francisco, your welcome to stay @ my warehouse in Oakland. Have a large yard if you want to do any builds. But I guess Scotts place is better for that.


And if your stuck in AZ I got a pinz I need driven from Mexico.....*grin*

Everything was going great until....

The truck starts sputtering then I loose all power. I check my mirrors and the truck is smoking bad. As I'm pulling over I notice the flames creeping out from the edges of the hood. I head up a nearby off ramp and manage to get the hood up and the fire out prior to the fire department arriving. What a bummer.

I believe the fuel pump flooded the carb enough to spill onto the manifold where an old spark plug wire ignited the fire.

The wiring harness is toast. All my fuel and vacuum lines are toast. The carb is obsolete so it needs to be replaced. My radiator and heating hoses need replacing. The break master cylinder reservoir melted. I did manage to save the battery by disconnecting the terminal before putting out the fire(one was loose).

We got the truck towed to the hotel where we spent the nite and got pricing on the parts needed to repair the truck the next morning.

I decided it best to rent a u haul truck and load up the tools and continue towards Cal. I will come back for it when Im through working on the west coast.

Got the U haul van.

Ill start transferring tools this evening when it cools down a bit.

Big thanks to Mike out at Ramona Motors for offering to fire off emergency funds towards his work. The gesture alone is the best compliment I can be given. I'm glad I'm good for it.

The pinz gods are smiling down upon me. I just finished loading my tools to continue on my fab tour and received a most pleasant call.

I give much thanks to the pinzdoctor, Tony, president of the SWPA for his generous offering to store my truck until my return.

Hopefully I will have my pinz with me on the return trip so as I can enjoy a trot around the desert.