Toilet paper shortage!!

[bertvorgon]

A bit later..if no one minds...I will post up something completely different...there is an automotive tie to the story.

[Byron510]

I’m trying to figure out if that me on the far right, Ice racing at Barnes Lake. The first year I aged that car for Malc and we shared driving - I ran rubber to ice, Malc ran studs. The following year I had Sahara up there...
I think it Richard next to me, Don, Malc, Dave, Gary, Jason and Sean....

Also the Solo was at Whistler - was that my photo of yours Keith?
I ran my 68 that season, was the same colour as Cams car shown.

Byron

[bertvorgon]

The photo of Cam I do not think is at Whistler, at no time that I ran there did Cam run with us. It says Silverstar, I will ask Cam if he remembers.

That is you on the far right for sure, in looking at my actual picture.

Matt and I came up a few times in later years, last time was 2012 to cover the Ice Enduro Race, even Scott was there.

Seems like 2 lifetimes ago.

Here is a picture of my poor 1972 wagon at virtually "end of life", it had 200,000 Km on it. This was at an Ice solo we did at Barnes Lake in the 70's. That is my sister and a friend driving it. The turbo motor had long been taken out and put into my 72' 2 door for racing. That car went though hell, was solo'd, drag raced, gavel mountain roads, you name it.

Also, my story for your morning coffee reading pleasure, when I took my family up one weekend and Gary Koehn let me drive his ice racer.

The "yellow" light was Gary's shift light.....


ON DRIVING AN ICE RACER

or

HOW TO ADJUST THE "BOW WAVE" ON YOUR 510


January 27. 9:30 A.M.. Just cleared Boston Bar in the Fraser Canyon, the Aerostar cruising along nicely at 140k.. This section to Ashcroft is perfect for that long legged pace that just eats up the kilometers, and, still lets you look at all that incredible scenery. The mountains have a good couple of inches of snow on them, really letting you see the scale of distance. This is my second trip to Barnes Lake since the seventies, and I am really looking forward to watching the 510 gang do those great long slides, door handle to door handle.

Approaching the lake I can hear the sound of engines at full song. At this point the kids have been cooped up in the van and are ready for a leg stretch...RIGHT NOW!! They have been looking forward to some serious tobogganing all winter. There is a great hill just before we get to the lake, so, we stop here. My son jumps out at a dead run and heads for the top of the hill, sliding disc in hand. You'll have to imagine how slippery these things are. Imagine a freshly waxed floor, then spray it with silicone, Armour all, and some Teflon thrown in for good measure.

He starts off and immediately by passes Warp factors 1 9 and hits 10. He does a 360 degree spin about halfway down, careens over an exposed rock, then augers through the ditch, biting one side of his tongue off! His sister immediately cracks up and starts to laugh her head off. Well, if his tongue didn't hurt the laughter sure did. Should be a good weekend I thought to myself...

Climbing back into the van we headed down the road to the REAL action. We arrived to the sight of Gary and Noel Koehn slugging it out on the straight. I thought there was no way they were going to make the turn. Then, Noel threw the car completely sideways, followed by Gary in perfect unison. Carving a perfect drift, they slide through the turn, finally exiting the corner with great jets of shredded ice coming from the tires. Driving into the "pits" is always the same no matter where or what type of race it is. A great beehive of activity usually exists. People were changing tires, beating out body work, and setting up the "hot" pits for the Enduro. Dave Doan asked me to help fuel him up. His co driver had backed out at the last minute, so Dave was going to drive the whole race himself. I was also interested to see if the waste gate I had lent to Scott cured his over boosting problem. It had. Other than a "tired engine",it seemed to be running fine. After 20 years it is nice to see somebody else trying turbo charging. Unfortunately during the race the thin walled exhaust tubing failed. Just have to use that ugly old cast iron manifold like mine. Dave Doan decided during the enduro to lighten the car while he was driving, pumping some of his piston out the tail pipe! Rats, I never got to demonstrate my lighting fast re fueling. Noel managed to peel a tire off the rim, likely costing him and Jamie the race. Next year! We had to check into our motel before 4:00 p.m., so, we did not see the end of the race. At least a Datsun won, a 1200 to boot.

That night an incredible wind blew down through the mountains from the coast and brought above freezing temperatures. Saturday was about 5, Sunday greeted us with +8c.. After a leisurely breakfast we headed up to the lake. Wow, it looked like the hydro plane races, there was so much water on the course. One of the races was halted to fix a hole in the lake. Then the last two races were cancelled due to the amount of standing water on the course. Noel suggested that we might want to stay around till most of the others had left, then they would have a bit of a 510 T & T. I thought that might be fun to watch. Then, Gary came over and asked if I would like to try his car!!! Do I like boost? Is horse power good? Containing myself, I casually said, "Sure!"

Gary quickly went over the switches and important stuff like that. He kept mumbling something about a "yellow" light, but, I was so excited I really didn't think it was that important. After all, I have a "race" car too. As I was buckling in I started to get quite worried. Would I be able to do this? When I was up here in the seventies I was in my Station wagon with the turbo, on rubber tires. I could not make that thing go any where, spinning out more times than I care to tell. I sure did not want to spin out, what with all my friends watching. I also did not want to be dead slow either. I know, I'll just take it easy! (Right, Noel!!)
Then, I'll build up to speed. Off down the straight I went, marvelling at the torque of Gary's engine. Third gear, fourth gear, yee haaa, some fun now. Holy S T!! 100 M.P.H., and It's time to turn. I breathed on the steering wheel and it instantly oversteers. Oh God, I've lost it! No, I've got it! No, It's got me! Power, more throttle, more steering, more something. I made it...next corner, opposite lock, more power...SSPLASHH! I hit this "puddle" that was the size of the Georgia Straight. A wall of water came up the side of the car and through the little open window on the drivers side.(I think Gary deliberately neglected to close it for me) My feet and legs are now wet up to my knees, but, I'm really getting the hang of this now. Back onto the straight I go, fighting traction and weaving side to side to miss the bigger "lakes" on the course. I finally found the wiper switch and could see where I was going, kind of. Now that I have done my "easy" lap, I can be a hero. Hurtling down the straight I decide we will actually use the brakes, as my velocity, and the corner, are rapidly approaching the point of no return. Stab the brakes! Nothing! O.K., so much for being smooth. Panic sets in, drive the brakes...HARD! Nothing!!! Please God, not Gary's car, not in front of my kids. Throw the steering to the left, then to the right, trying to get a big slide going. No dice. I'm heading towards a snow bank that looks about the consistency of #4 cement. One last ditch effort, close eyes and saw madly at the wheel. Snap, does a 360 and comes to a steaming stop just touching said snow bank. Snicker. NO PROBLEM. Hee,Hee. This is some kind of fun.

Off I go again, glancing at the fuel gauge, figuring I could be out here for at least and hour, unless they blocked the track. Only criticism I have of Gary's car was this damn little yellow light on the dash, right in your field of vision. The darn thing was always on, never went out while I was driving the car. Had some funny marking on it, 5.8 or something like that. Wish I could remember what Gary said. Maybe it's some kind of service light, change your oil in 5.8 hours. The car really does handle well, once I slowed my hands down(just like slaloming). You can pull in any gear and still have good throttle control. I could really get into this. Lets see, pull the interior out of the Toyota, some big bumpers, and, look out. Thanks for the drive Gary, that was truly a blast, even if it was a little "DAMP". Speaking of "Bow" waves, with that much water on the course I could see why they cancelled the races.

Going down the straight you don't so much as go through the puddles as skip over top of them. I think the ice racers could learn from those Florida mud racers who have a kind of rudder built into the front suspensions. What do you think Gary, Trim Tabs off the rear quarters?

[bertvorgon]

As I found these pictures buried with all my newspaper clippings of Gold Refineries that went bust and the nightmares that created for people, I thought I would just post them up for interests sake and a small story to go with it.

Dave, as the story is about, taught me everything about how to work on my 69' wagon and of course subsequent 510's.

Hope you enjoy.

Just a small story, to cover the attached pictures, as I have finished going through my tubs of… STUFF.

In September of 1969 I bought my first Datsun Wagon, bright red. I bought it from one of the new Datsun dealerships, Valley Datsun, in the lower mainland, a leap of faith if you will for this unknown Japanese car.

As the months went by through the winter, I got to know the mechanics, one very well. Things were very low key then, so they did not mind me being in the back of the shop, which was very small.

I was curious as to how to adjust the valves, something that seemed very complicated at the time.

Dave, who I built the friendship with over the years following, took it upon himself to show me how.

On that day, he was leaning over the passenger fender, head under the hood, I was leaning over the radiator support watching.

All of a sudden there was a tremendous BANG right behind Dave.

Dave shot backwards, his head hitting the hood! I snapped back, looking to see what happened. I heard laughter…..!
Dave reeled around, dropping his wrenches and feeler gauge, and grabbed the mechanic, who had snuck up behind him, by the throat, lifting him off his feet!!! He stuck his face right into the other mechanic and said; “You Mother F@#*er’s EVER do that again, I will beat all of you bloody!!!!” He then threw the guy to the floor! I was shocked!

So here is Dave’s story I learned over the following months and ultimately the following years.

Dave was a genuine, Decorated U.S. of A. Marine and had done some serious time in Vietnam, at one point he was stationed at Whidbey Island. He was in a barrack when a person threw a grenade into it, which exploded and killed 3 around him. This is what had triggered his reaction to the stupid mechanic “banging” a lunch bag filled with air. They had done it one too many times. If I had not seen his pictures, medals, decorations and citations, I would have thought he was BS’ing me.

I won’t go into detail but he left the US to lay low in Canada after realizing that that war was un-winnable and the civilians were suffering.

When I met him I was just starting in my gold refining business, of which he was fascinated with, and, over the years, he got major “Gold Fever”!

In 1972 I hired him to be an outside sales rep to the jewellery industry. He lived and talked gold all day long.
Also, in 1970, I hired my friend Evan, whom I had known since 7th Grade and I still see to this day.

As our business was starting to make in-roads with the placer mining industry, Dave wanted to try it himself.

So, the three of us headed up the Fraser Canyon, stopping and looking at some of the more accessible gravel bars. Over a few months in the fall (low water) we settled on trying a spot close to the Saddle Rock Tunnel, named after a huge piece of B.C. that sticks out of the river.

We packed all our gear down there and setup our small sluice box, digging deep into the natural cracks in the rocks, or, “riffles” if you will. Those natural cracks trap the fine placer flakes.

In the pictures, that is Evan in the black rain slicker and Dave with the white hat.

We spent a whole weekend digging our hearts out, in the rain, shoveling tons I swear through the sluice box.

When all said and done, the amount of placer we got did not cover the two cases of beer we drank!

I have always wanted to take the 510 crowd there to do some gold panning, as you can get gold and it is fun to see the odd bigger flake show up.

Dave helped me with installing my turbo kit on my 1972 wagon, and then with swapping the turbo motor from the wagon into my 1972 2 door.

For Dave, the trauma of the war and what he did and saw, gave him what we now know as PTSD. He always seemed a lost soul and looked at the bottom of a gin bottle far too long.

In sitting around a camp fire with him over the years he always seemed lost in some fantasy treasure hunt he wanted to do.

In the late 70’s he disappeared, finally heading back to his Dad’s place in Oklahoma, never letting Evan and I know, and, left a wife and 2 kids here.

In the mid 80’s, I heard a knock on my door one day here in White Rock. Who should be standing there….DAVE…all dressed in white, pants, shirt, hat and vest…think of a stocky Elvis Presley.

He wanted me to go with him to a place in the mountains that he was sure had some Spanish treasure, down in the Cascades.

I listened politely, got caught up on his journey home to see his ailing dad, but, had to defer the treasure hunt as I was totally caught up in work.

That was the last time I ever saw Dave. Evan and I worked together off and on for over 40 years in the gold refining business.

He even went to Fairbanks Alaska to run a melt facility there.

We laugh to this day of all the hard work we did shoveling gravel…and not even did we cover the cost of our beer!

[gooned]

Great stuff Keith!

[RONSLYCHUK]

Chapter one in your novel

[datzenmike]

Has anyone noticed that they are spending more time, more enjoyable time talking with their spouse or any other friends and loved ones? Talking or not talking, maybe just sitting and not watching TV? I started cooking a supper for me and my wife, not every night but nearly. It's only a stir fry, (barely) and no two are the same but it used to be just grab what you want on the go. Now there's nothing but time. No where to go, nothing to be somewhere for, no appointments, no meetings. It's her birthday today and I find her witty and fun to be with just like she was over 30 years ago when we met. Like she's always been. It's nice to know shes still around. The world has slowed down from a blur, enough that you can more clearly see things as they slide past. Like train pulling into a station.

[gooned]

I like that Mike!

I’m still working and both teenagers are home schooling so it hasn’t slowed down quite so much in our house, BUT...we have no once turned the tv on (except fri night is movie night) so I can relate there.

[bertvorgon]

What both my son and I have noticed is.....HOW MUCH QUIETER IT IS!!!

So much less traffic in White Rock, the trains do not blow now, generally less of the back ground white noise that we are so used to in our daily consciousness.

Matt is right under where the incoming jets from the U.S. start to make their turn for YVR...there are hardly any now.

TV has been a wasteland for so long now, I stop to watch Global in the morning and then a U.S. channel to see what the crazies down south are doing next. Then I get stuff done. I power washed my porch, stairs, sides of the house, for 4 hours the other day, I'm a bit sore but it felt good to move.

I have a wonderful view of the beach and ocean, I find myself actually LOOKING at that more.

Must be less pollution too, I have had great views of the Olympic Peninsula for over week now, usually only see it a few times a year. Less from Tacoma, Seattle, Everett and of course Vancouver blowing around to straights.

Way more people walking here, Matt and I got out for a 10k bike ride on the dyke. He is working from home and needs a mental break occasionally.

I still do most of the cooking right now while my wife recovers from the bloody knee surgery, been a painful one. I like to cook and like you Mike, I can throw something together no problem. If those damn raccoons don't stop digging up my yard THEY are going to end up over the fire!

[datzenmike]

Much quieter here also. I'm walking more and yes there are more people but this could be normal for the time of year. I haven't been walking long enough to know. Definitely more than last month. Seems like fewer con trails overhead going up/down the length of the island?. I assume these are to/from Asia? Generally there is always one and usually more in sight at any one time.

Stopped watching TV shows over 5 tears ago, watch Netflix and Prime now.

I used to somewhat admire some Americans, now it's W in TF????? It's true what Jefferson said long ago.... "you get the government you deserve".

[James]

We're not all crazy down here in yankee-ville (or villa here in the old Mexico of so-cal)! The air quality in California is unreal. No planes overhead, very little traffic. I haven't started a car in over a week, and am spending more quality time with the fam. Every-time I watch our government briefings, I want to throw things at the TV. So maybe I should join the ranks of the non-watchers!
My 17 year old son wants to move to Canada. I can't blame him. But I've always held on the ideal that rather than flee, we should improve the place where we live. Hard to do in the hyper-polarized, media mis-information state that the US has become, but worth the effort. We shall see where it leads. I try and remain hopeful, in spite of the willfully un-informed US citizens who tend to lead on the news. I'm hoping to get more time to work on the datsun as this progresses. Hope everyone stays safe and healthy!

[bertvorgon]

No, I know there are some very good people in your country! I see things from my 70 year old perspective of a lot of things that COULD have been done better, for the betterment of the people.

But that holds for many places in the World.

You are right, we all chose our news feed(s) that tend to have our bias built in.


We are no different here, money spent on bizarre things. Watched an art forgery documentary last night....which then made me remember the Government of Canada spent $1,000,000.00 CDN dollars and a piece of canvas that had 3 colour bars on it. What could that have dome at the time for health care or education.

Our collective countries have so much, yet we still seem to not be able to make it right for the masses. Those with money will always have TONS of money and the "System" is biased to them.

[James]

I really wasn't disagreeing with you. I cringe multiple times a day when I see what is happening. It is interesting to get a little insight into how it is perceived from the outside. And while every country definitely has its issues - I feel the U.S. is setting the bar pretty damn low right now.

An un-educated populace is much easier to manipulate. You are old enough remember the world prior to the 24 hour news cycle. While there was still bias at that time, It has hard to get into people's thought process with an hour of news, and a paper. It was also way more apparent when there was a opinion piece or show vs. a news story. Now there is SO much info - good or bad - that most normal people grab their major news information in a blurb or a headline trolling across the bottom of something. I hope for better for my kids. My daughter is hell-bent on going into politics. She will be be a good one for the world to have in a leadership position. I worry for her what ideological trade offs will have to be to enter that fray. We shall see.

I have enjoyed being on this site, and seeing snippets of Canadian life and thought process. Similarities to be sure, but a refreshing point of view from normal.

[bertvorgon]

Morning World,

How is everyone surviving this madness? I can sure hear the mental strain in a lot of the conversations I have had with people on my walks and people going up my back alley.

With our Provincial government shutting down the PNE, the Fireworks, and other events, this pointed out to me (which I had already thought) the long term shutdown we all face.

Matt and I decided to try an urban trail we had never done before, riding from the Delta Watershed at #10 to under the Alex Fraser Bridge, some 17 Km round trip. It parallels #91 on what was likely a main road WAY back in time. There used to be both a fresh water well at the bottom of the Watershed, and, farther along, there was a peat processing plant. It was a really nice ride, mostly level and at one point followed along a salmon steam that the beaver(s) had dammed up.

The trail spits out right under the Bridge, and, when crossing to the Fraser, takes you right to where there was an archeological dig they discovered when building the Bridge. It then looks like there is a trail to the AnnieVille Slough, so that will require further investigation, when my ass recovers from this ride.

I thought the “510” on the barge was funny.

Started to work on car, and, as I have my air dam off, time to check my air cleaner. Over time the K&N ones will develop small pin holes and as it turned out, mine finally did too. It sure does not owe me anything. Mine is down below the rad support and well behind the airdam, but, it is amazing how much bounces up there

Andy checked and one could not be found, at least here locally and the number on it did not match up with anything…GREAT!
So I get online, the numbers I had did not match anything. I decided to phone K&N directly down in Riverside California.

Wow, the fellow was super helpful, did a big search and found the current Part#. Then he said they are back-ordered with NO delivery time….first time he had ever seen that! We had a chat about the major Covid lockdown there too.

I then thought on a lark I would try Amazon.ca…found the EXACT same one, should be here this week. I ordered 2 just to have one in stock for the next century.

Next project will be to check the methanol spray, get to use my borescope!

[bertvorgon]

Air filter position