Around 2 pm Katie called and said Phoebe was ready. I couldn't believe it!
I packed up and got to the shop where Keil told how he'd been touched by my story. He'd come in at 6 a.m., "Before the madness," he said, to work on her. It seems there's a square tube that fits around a rod that actuates the clutch cable. The tube had split. After removing the pedal assembly, he filed the rod square as it had become rounded as the tube wore and split. He then reformed the tube and welded it. He said he's not a certified welder so doesn't advertise it, but he didn't think I'd have any more trouble. $240.00, including tax. The shop rate is $115.00/hour.
I picked up a couple of cases of Busch Lite as a token of gratitude. Keil and another mechanic followed me in Phoebe to the U-Haul place where I returned the truck.
It took a full hour to transfer everything.
Phoebe seemed delighted to be back on the road. Her Check Engine Light was off and she seemed to have more power. I've yet to total up the bill, but it was alot less than anticipated.
We camped atop the mountain north of Alder Dune Campground.
You were fortunate to find a mechanic who actually fixed what was broken instead of ordering a replacement.
ReplyDeleteThis afternoon I visited with a retired mechanic I met a couple of weeks ago when I hiked to the beach from the camoground he hosts. He had a bad interaction with the garage that fixed Phoebe. He felt they prey on tourists and retirees in the Florence area.
DeleteI had to wonder as when Tony's diagnosed it they said they couldn't find a replacement part. Then they said it needed welding, but they don't do welding. Then they said they could take it out so I could get it welded, but didn't know when they could get to it.
After my first night in the 15-footer I drove back and threw myself on their mercy (it'd have been humiliating if I had an ego). It was then they said they'd help. It was fixed the next day. It turned out that Keil can weld but isn't certified so they say they can't. But he was touched by my story so fixed it.
Eric, the camp host, bought a Kia that the bolt that holds the harmonic balancer on had broken off. The bolt goes into the crankshaft and can be drilled out. Tony's Garage said they'd need to replace the crankshaft. Eric felt they were "shafting" him. He knew the bolt could be drilled out. He finally found a guy who's running his shop by himself cuz he can't find any good help.
It took him a while to get to it, but he drilled it out and did a bunch of other work including replacing the harmonic balancer (it got damaged when it came off) and installed a new battery...all for $450.00. Eric was more than satisfied. But he was really pissed at Tony's.
Great news as man needs his own wheels.
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