Shenanigans with my van!

For those of you who saw the Bloody Basin post, you already know I was having trouble with my van and why. There are steep, winding turns on that road, especially the last bit before you get to the campgrounds. Enough that I put my van in low for the first time since I got her last fall.  It went into first fine, but when I put her back into park, it felt wrong.  Stiff and like it did not want to work correctly.  When I started her back up and put her into drive, again she did not want to shift.  I pulled just a little harder than I used to have to and there was an ominous clunk.  She was in drive so I came back up to the freeway.  I was originally going to head into Cordes Junction for ice, but something told me I had better check her out before I got on the freeway.  So I pulled off to the side of the road but she did not want to go back into park.  In fact, I could not get her to go into reverse.  I was counting myself lucky that I was able to get her into neutral! Then, just as I got her into neutral, there was one more bad noise and suddenly the gear shift was very easy to move.  Flopping around in fact.  But she was not shifting at all!  I shut off the engine and set the E brake on as usual.  I looked at the linkage on the column under the hood and it appeared fine, as it did underneath the van. It was obvious where the problem was.  I could reach the linkage from under the hood that was attached to the steering column, and I could shift it from there.  But this is not an area where I have any expertise, so I wound up stuck by the side of the freeway waiting for a tow truck.  It was not a good place for me to be since there were one of those big power towers right there by the side of the road!

But wait!  There is more!  When the tow truck came out to get me, there was no where to take me.  Most of the shops were closed for Easter weekend. The only place I had to go to, was back were I was.  So back down Bloody Basin road to that spot where I was eaten alive by some kind of nasty bug.

All I could do was wait.  How did I get back down there?  I am glad you asked!  The Tow truck driver put her into drive for me and I went and parked back in my spot.  Set the E-brake. Firmly!   Said a little prayer.  Got out of the van, lifted the hood, reached down in and pulled that bar all the way back up til she was in Park again.  Whew!

So.  I am safe, but I am running low on ice.  I spend the night thinking about it and realize I am going to have to go to the store.  Time for some planning.  Get a Big Rock, okay maybe a medium rock and put it in front of the wheel so she cant run over me.  Start the engine.  Prayer is still continuing at this point believe me!   I am aiming for neutral, then I will know one more click will be drive.  Unfortunately, I found reverse, which I was hoping to blow right by and she started to roll away on me!  Half hanging on, half chasing her, I get her into neutral and she stops rolling!  Take a few moments to just breath.  Get TWO, BIG rocks.  One in front of the tire and one in back of the tire.  YES, before you ask, I had the E-Brake on, but evidently that was not enough.  So, after a very shaky start. I get her into drive.  Rocks are holding.  I get back in the van and drive over the rock in front.  Stop, set the e-brake, and it holds.  Out of habit I start to put her into park with my flopping gear shift.  Smiling ironically to myself, I carefully get out of the van, pick up my rocks and put them in the van.  After all who knows if the gas station will have good rocks!

I go Cordes Junction.  6 miles away and 3 on the interstate.  I am praying the whole time! I get there scope out the gas stations.  One has a fairly level parking lot and an area no one is parked in!  Great combination!

I park up against the curb.  Feeling smart!  I get what I need and then take a deep breath!  Yup.  Now I am going for just one click   Reverse.  Rock is in place. Click, Reverse.  Rock is holding so I get in and drive over it and it breaks!  I back up all the way across the parking lot to the curb behind me and stop her.  Set the brake.  Curb is holding.  Get out, place my other stone in front of the wheel and put her into park!  Take a deep Breath!  It sounds funny now, but believe me when I was in the middle of it, this is exactly how it was going!  One tiny step at a time, recheck, double check, pray, then move on.  Then I suddenly realized, I forgot about getting water.  No Way was I going to move the van again.  After all I only had one rock left!  So I got a gallon jug and walked back and forth around the store to get water to fill at least one of my six gallon tanks.  Then, time to start the van once again and get back to my spot on Bloody Basin Road.  

I got back okay!  Had a great Easter thanks to a wonderful BLM Officer.  Had some great conversations with him about all kinds of things!  But back to the van.  Talked to the shop on Monday, could not get her in until Tuesday.  Called to get a tow and guess what!  They will not pick you up if you are on an unimproved road!  That is right and it was the Tow Truck driver who told my insurance company that and forgot to mention it to me!  Arrrgh!  So.  Once more into the breach dear friends, once more!  Place two big rocks!  Front and back.  Got her in drive and did not stop til I got to the shop!

The Shop!  DBC Automotive Repair in Prescott Valley Arizona.  If you ever need work done and you are anywhere in the area!  This is the shop to go to!  Wonderful staff.  Knowledgeable and willing to go the extra mile to help you get back on the road!

Well this is what she looked like.  Nothing for it but to tear her apart and see where the problem is.  

They could not find the part anywhere.  

They could not find a replacement steering column either.  It was not long after 1977 that Ford changed from having the key on the dash board to having it on the column itself.  Makes a difference in how it will fit.  

It just does not look good, does it.  

 But it really looks strange when there is nothing there at all!  

If you have ever wondered what a steering column looks like, wonder no more!  :)

That is the space she goes into.  

So they took it out and they actually welded the shift arm into place on the steering column.  Because the two kinds of metal were different he said it was hard to weld.  Which means I need to treat it with lots of tender loving care.  Bumping the shift arm is also not a good idea since that can cause it to change gears even when you do not want it to!  

Here they are!  

My Heroes!  

Time to put her back together!  

Looks practically the same except....

There is no knowing what gear you are in by looking!  Well you can guess!  But I have to be sure before I head out!  I am being gentle with her as I always try to be!  She may be old but she is certainly gold to me!  So grateful to be on the road still!  Trying to move from place to place and having to reach down under the hood to put her into drive each time would be tough!  Besides I am running out of room for rocks!  

Looking back, it would have been really embarrassing to have my own van run over me don't ya think? What kind of epitaph could you write for something like that!  Home Run?  Home Run Over?  Vananigan Shenanigans?  LOL  At least I can shift her like normal.  Well close to normal and it means I still have my home.  This is a very good thing!