(The earlier promised Gallery didn't materialize. We'll do that here.)
The Brakes are Done. So What's Next?
New front brake calipers and pads resolve the issue.
Everyone knows: When you buy a used car, you are going to find things you didn't know about that need attention. The Tug is no different.
1) The brake problem came out of nowhere. The rotors and pads had obviously been serviced in the recent past. One stuck slide pin created a new serious issue. I now have new re-man calipers and new pads on both front axles.
2) There are holes rusted through the floor pan on the driver's and passenger's side, right where snow-covered boots sat day in and day out for ten winters or so. I will be patching those holes.
3) There had been a parasitic drain (load) on the battery. Someone decided to address the issue by installing a remote battery disconnect under the hood. That's obviously not going to remain. I've already removed it and identified two different culprits, one being a horribly corroded fan resistor pack, and the other being a problem with the head unit (radio) which caused the CD player to run its eject cycle repeatedly even when the key was not in the ignition.
4) The seats, especially the drivers seat, are shot. I'll be replacing all or part of both before too long. Again, no surprise and no problem.
5) I have one broken exhaust stud at the passenger-side manifold/pipe junction.
The Van Has a History
I discovered evidence in the van that it started life with the Washington Area Metro Transit Authority in Washington, DC. At some point it was involved in an accident resulting in it getting two new front fenders and a new grill/headlights assembly. It looks great. The frame appears to have been unaffected.
As stated earlier, it was sold and wound up in south Alabama. That's where it was when I discovered it. The dealership drove it to Pensacola where I bought it.
I'm not worried about any of the things I have found.
The issues that presented thus far are not remotely troubling. Overall, this vehicle is in very good shape. I can deal with all of these things. The rust can be stopped. The electrical problems are right up my alley. No problem. Suspension and steering parts wear out. No problem.
I'm enthusiastically optimistic about the future of Tug. I believe this is going to be a very useful and capable vehicle very soon.
The Gallery
Things get old. They wear and have to be repaired. This is just normal life to me. The Bug Tug may not be a Thing That Works today, but it will be soon. I'll be seeing to it.
