Franz, Chapter 2

[Sneaks]

You're crazy for wanting to be an engineer, but then I'm in Computer Science so I'm not any better.

I have a degree in ME that I'm not using and haven't for years, I'm an MIS, so much for the tuition my parents paid...

I might have a case for you. Stray Catalyst offered me a universal case for my Westy but I'm selling the Super I just got so I'm going to use the 1776 in the bus so I don't need the case. If David doesn't mind, I'll pass it off to you. I also have some front disks you can have. The rotors I'm not sure of the condition and the calipers will need a rebuild but I have two pair of them so between the 4 of them you should be able to get 2 rebuildables. If you don't want to go the cut and turn method on the front beam, I have a set of new adjusters you can have as well. I have to make a trip down your way in the near future, AJ has a windshield for me plus I might need to go shopping at the Alex Bus Store for some parts for the Westy, I can bring them down if needed.

[fusername]

which is interesting cause I have a set of NOS ghia spindles that I am on the fence about keeping. I am gonna have him make a list otmmorow as we pull the engine of all the upgrades he wants to make to Franzkenstien, will help him prioritize and sanitize it, then post it up here for input. good to see the torch keep burning bright in this car

[bajaherbie]

my daughter will graduate from The University of Oklahoma next may, we will owe zero dollars in student loans..... my wife is Chickasaw Indian (they own the biggest casinos in the state) and the tribe has been very generous with grants to both of our kids. my son (sophomore in HS) gets $$ for good grades and clothing also. Sissy just bought an I-pad with some of her extra money.

[fusername]

i think the right peron bought thi car. i wa awoken at 9 to the sound of the pitter pattter of 3 cylinder and one venting trait to atmo. pulled head tud, engine would be dribeable with a expandalbe puhrod to low the oil leak (2 MPQ) but the thing i dead and we can do one better. I am making coffee right now, and he i pulling the engine from my rail. gitrdone, he gotta move into the dorm by 1 today.

[Sneaks]

my daughter will graduate from The University of Oklahoma next may, we will owe zero dollars in student loans..... my wife is Chickasaw Indian (they own the biggest casinos in the state) and the tribe has been very generous with grants to both of our kids. my son (sophomore in HS) gets $$ for good grades and clothing also. Sissy just bought an I-pad with some of her extra money.

My wife is Mohawk, my son went the first year of college free. Unfortunately, he majored in schnapps and whiskey...now he works at Petco .

Sounds like yeh, the right guy got Franz. I'm sooooo happy he stayed in the family and didn't get parted out. Methinks NLW didn't want to see him get parted either...

[namelesswonder]

^Definitely not (wanting it to get parted out)! I'll be honest, I considered selling the body to this guy who wanted it in trade for a scooter (50cc vs. 1600cc...pretty f'ing funny to me for some reason). But it would've been a PITA to sell the engine separately. I'll get another vehimicle when I really need it. For now, I can bus to work (yes I got a job!).

One request: please paint some black accents on the car if you keep it orange. It just NEEDS to be black and orange. Racing stripes, something to indicate his thunder pumpkin-i-ness...anything. You know he would look sexy.

I wasn't gonna say anything about the college thing, but since it came up... Unless you have a rich uncle who has promised in writing with a lawyer's signature that you will have a job paying 75k/yr when you graduate... yeah, that's just not happening. I'll be getting something like min 20k (max closer to 30, if I work lots of weekends and more hours!) at my new job, and it took the whole friggin' summer to find it, and it's just a tech retail spot. I also have about that much in loans to pay off (which is admittedly not that bad and I'm eternally grateful to my parents for that). Don't lose hope though; you just have to find what you love and do it. That's what most guys do around here, and even though it's not quite the position I had hoped for, I'll be helping people with their computers and that makes me happy.

Also, on-campus spots are usually not too hard to find. There should at least be info on your school's website on it, if not with the financial aid office or something like that. I worked at the tech Help Desk for 3 1/2 out of 4 years (incl. two summers fulltime, with weekends for Franz), got two promotions to the point of being the highest paid student employee on campus. It was a sweet gig with very flexible hours. Most are like that, from what I hear, so you find a way to get school work done and at least pass your courses, if not better. I do regret not being able to focus more on schoolwork because of my job, but there was a need to pay rent for the last two years. [[shrug]] You buy what you can, when you can for Franz, and it works out pretty well, I can tell you. And hey, Lowell is closer than Worcester, getting back here on weekends won't be so bad!

I've got a nice mess of parts all sorted out and I'm 99% sure it's everything I've got that would be useful to the car. Guess it'll have to wait till next weekend to go to its new home, but my dad and I are excited for the extra space that we're developing in the garage. Workbench plans coming to fruition! Once these parts are gone, my involvement is done except for wishing anyone working the best of luck, and please do come to Transporterfest!

[kyle_pc_75]

You're crazy for wanting to be an engineer, but then I'm in Computer Science so I'm not any better.

I have a degree in ME that I'm not using and haven't for years, I'm an MIS, so much for the tuition my parents paid...

A degree is important in that is shows prospective employers you have the perserverance to complete it. My degree has very little to do with my work, but I couldn't have gotten the job without it.

It's good to see this car is still getting some love and staying in the STF.

Kyle

[fusername]

had it rolling around at 11, he helped me put the sad blown engine into my rail then sprinted off to lowell to get his room. runs like a top, needs a new throttle cable to reach WOT, but it's surprsingly quiet with the glass pack insert in the stinger. I think I have just gotten used to loud cars. had to cut and hammer the firewall out of the way to get my exhaust to fit, cause we figured it wuld be faster than swapping exhausts. then we found out we had to pull the HX off the old motor anyways cause they didn't clear the frame horn supports in the rail. ah well, he has a sexy looking exhaust now, even if it does cover the license plate a bit. plates can move. hell put the ohter exhaust back on soon enough, will need heat if he's gonna drive it this winter.

vrrooom, he is slowly hauling parts from NLWs place to wherever he is keeping them )which I hope is not my driveay, as there is a small pile building up(

[Sneaks]

I still have room up here....

[fusername]

haha i should probably get that engine off your hands. I should be getting the parts i need to save my bus on monday from AJ, then i can make a hike up. you get any of those bays running yet?

[Sneaks]

No hurry, it isn't going anywhere. I got the blue one (Ducky, Chrissy has claimed it now that I have the Westy) running for a little while, but then I lost juice to the pump. Monday I'll dig into it again.

[Lotrat]

Whoa! What kind of engineer you looking to be? My school promised big pay checks after graduation too. I got a EE 18 years ago and still kinda use it. Desk jobs get boring after awhile. Congrats on Franz. Now how about less words and more build pictures?

[BBoudy1215]

Time to update on the engine. I am finally moved in and have time to upload info and pictures from saturday.

I woke up about 8:15 on Saturday morning and realized that i was suppose to moved into my dorm by 11:30 that day. so what did that mean? I had to get swap an engine. just a little earlier and faster than i had planned. (would you seriously pass up a chance to swap out an engine?) so with that challenge in mind, i got out of bed, got dressed, and went out to wake up Franz. He started right up! (fuser and I replaced the starter, but the wire is still ify. sometimes turning the key works and sometimes i have to turn the electrical on and then crawl under the passenger side where i then have to fit my hand up to where the starter is and close the circuit with a screw driver. but not on this morning! Franz was ready to go. i let him warm up and put a little bit of oil in him and then we were off.

i got to fuser's house and threw a piece of cardboard under the engine (wouldnt want to leak all over the driveway. still did anyways. there is a line in and out. woops). next i opened up the garage and cleared way for the rail. after pulling it out into the driveway, i disconnected the throttle, unplugged the wiring harness, disconnected the gas hose and i think thats it. (and for all of you concerned with procedure, there was no battery to disconnect) next, it was time to do the same to Franz. after everything was disconnected, i drained the oil and the engine was ready to come out.

Oh yes! before prepping Franz, we had to get the bumper off, which was really rusted on there. so what did we decide to do? lets see if you can figure it out.

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After the bumper broke free, Franz lurched forward with very little room to spare. luckily, fuser has good reaction time and was able to stop before hitting the bus. so in the nd everything was fine. it just looked like they were kissing.

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(I have to go to a stupid "mandatory" pep rally so i will write more when i get back in about 45 minutes. Stay tuned!)

[fusername]

UML has pep rallies? hah, that sure worked well on me... anyways you owe me a bottle of driveway cleanup, coachy is pissed. I'll be up on weds, so let me know if you need me to put any spare parts in the bus for ya.

[BBoudy1215]

so i decided not to go to the pep rally. instead i will finish my post.

so we took the engine out of Franz and put it on a milk crate

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next we had to modify the car a bit to accept the new exhuast
here is the original

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