We pretty much ran out of Moonlight busses last night.
On Friday night, I got 971 red-tagged (doesn't go anywhere until the mechanics look at it) because a wheel bearing was grinding. The bearing looked low on oil, there was metal on metal noise (faint, but over the road noise, it was decently loud), and there was a mess around the bearing that looked like an oil leak. Ok, swapped into a low floor (YAY!).
Saturday night, I go to start up 972 (because 971 isn't fixed yet). Power on, press start button, "CHUNK*click*" as the power goes out to the bus. It figures itsself out, powers back on... but every time I press the starter, it chunks, cuts off power, and resets itsself. Not managing to start in the process.
Ok, so I get a low floor again. Wheee! People try to open the window, and pull the emergency window handle. I told them to push the handle up, they did, but apparently it had come slightly open, so that bus was swapped out for another low floor (after I had been taken out for a break).
Slightly later, "Uh... 955 to base. I heard a clicking from the tire, so I checked it at the endpoint, and I have a bolt stuck in the tire."
Base: "Is it just in the treads, or did it go all the way in?"
955: "Oh, it's all the way in. I just see the head."
Base: "*sigh* 10-4, we'll switch you out as soon as possible. Don't try to take it out."
I then proceeded to drive C shuttle. It goes from campus, past towers, down Duff to the airport area, and back. I carried 5 people in 2.5 hours. C shuttle is boring... though in the snow it would be an absolute blast to drive. No passengers, running in a rear wheel drive minibus, on roads with no cars, and a lot of turns. Sounds fun to me!
Homework is not fun. Procrastination isn't good, m'kay?
I find out Wednesday what the courts say about my license. Then I get to beg DOT to not take my license. Then I get to go job hunting and car selling.
After a good look at the 'Ricer (currently minus an exhaust system - it's VERY loud right now), for $200 or so, I could fix it up to the point that it was usable for the next few years. Some form of exhaust system, replace the thermostat, and possibly replace the radiator (if the thermostat doesn't fix the overheating problem). The lack of a heater really doesn't bother me after surviving last winter without it. Not a good car if I ever have to commute to work, since I suspect most companies won't let me leave it in their parking lot, but I can deal with that as it comes (if anyone ever hires me after showing up for an interview in a car like that). *shrug* It made it to Chicago multiple times, the frame is in decent shape, and the engine is a more or less indestructible 4-cylinder attached to a more or less indestructible 3-speed automatic. It should last a few more years. I don't think I'll be autocrossing in it, though.
-=Russ=-
Posted by rgraves at September 19, 2004 05:16 PM