1986 Dodge B-250 extended bubble-top van for an unconventional guy

[debit.servus]

Guess what: receiving assistance from the people around you is always going to cost you something in time, energy, and even emotional expenditure--yes, perhaps even some money, too.

You've just burned someone on the forum, and demonstrated that you have zero consideration for all the hassle they went thought to try to help you. How likely do you think it is that others on this forum will help you next time you're in a bind?

...

Your reasoning is sound--if you want to live your life completely selfishly. Don't expect anyone to help you twice, though.

Yes it will.

I didn't mean to burn Steamjam. Money talks, if he had put down a deposit I would have held the van until he was able to move it and pay the rest of the sale price. I feel bad for him and if I could reverse the sale to who I sold it to I would.

It is not likely people will want to help someone with a bad track record.

I learned long ago that any time I am requesting help from someone else, I need to be prepared for that to add inconvenience to my life. I must "budget" my energy for that beforehand, prior to accepting help, so that I can reciprocate the goodwill being thrown my direction. When it isn't reciprocated, the other person feels sucky for helping you, and are less likely to help you or anyone else in the future.

When I go out of my way to express appreciation and do what I can to make life easier for those helping me, it helps smooth over any rough patches that might come up in the process.

When a local mechanic training program did some work for free that required me to come back a few times, I baked the class 3 dozen chocolate chip cookies. I was feeling like crap, extremely ill, I got 4 hours of sleep that night and the cookie dough cost $12, not including the gas to run to the store and the time it took to bake them all when I could have been sleeping. There was some mix-ups with communication, and some of the work had to be re-done. But because I baked them cookies, everything was smoothed over. They still had a positive impression of me, they asked if I lived in my van by choice (how else could I do things like bring freshly baked cookies?), and I have no doubt they would welcome me back in the future for more mechanical work.

I sacrificed maybe a total of $20 and 4 hours of sleep at a time I desperately needed both money and rest, in order to maintain the goodwill of those who were helping me. And as a result, my safety net is larger and stronger for any future troubles that might arise..

Comprehending the above is not in my time budget right now.

Nothing in this process surprises me. Not even the failing to mention that there was no title.

Guy

I have a mountain on my plate and unfortunately steamjam slipped through the cracks. Would steamjam have helped me with the title process, taking some of the time load off of me? The hour he saw the van is a few clips and words in my mind.

I fielded inquiries with 3 dozen people since I listed it to the point when at the point-of-sale, I was just tired of it and wanted the van SOLD ASAP.

I am not superman, I need 10 hours of sleep to be at my best and most productive; and prefer not to be forced to do things.

 

[Txjaybird]

I  am too tired and sick to take the time to say what I'd like to about this van deal.  The song lyric "baby did a bad bad thing" comes to mind.  Like ol' Earl I think Karma is gonna catch up with you soon.         TJB

 

[NeedAnEscape]

I forgot to mention that I would have had to get a duplicate South Dakota title, which would have been a several step process and costing $50 (fuel, postage, notary, SD duplicate title fee, etc.), with no guarantee that Steamjam would buy the van.

You wouldn't spend $50 and 2 hours max to get an extra $150? I'm kinda shocked you even got $250 for it with no title and an overheated transmission.

 

[debit.servus]

Two years ago, Steamjam came out and tried to help you. FOR FREE.  Has he ever lied to you?  :dodgy:

Has anyone on the forum tried to steer you wrong?  :huh:

I remember, and am forever grateful for his help; who has never lied to me.

Steering me wrong no, pushing their views of the frugalista life yes.

I spent 5 hours today putting together the 12v DC hub box that will distribute 12v DC power throughout the van. This is the kind of stuff that is on my plate, so I don't have to do it on the road this summer. Need to find the continous duty solenoid to install in the box, so I can tap into starter battery power while the engines running. This may sound like I am only out for myself...

"You wouldn't spend $50 and 2 hours max to get an extra $150? I'm kinda shocked you even got $250 for it with no title and an overheated transmission. " There was no gurantee other than Steamjams word that he would buy the van... How would you feel about a van you're selling after missing workdays (lost wages, costing you money), having your boss be on your case about fielding inquiries at work to a conga line of tire kickers (potential buyers don't close the deal), and on top of that no leads after sharing the van sale with your family, friends, acquaintances, store clerks and social groups?????????? I am imagining aching to close the ******* sale so you aren't spending anymore time on it, even if you get less than asking price!

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

Badmouths parents regularly, lists his van on craigslist with a two page story about it but never mentions it has no title, promises it to a guy then sells it behind his back, the same guy that helped him work on it for free in years past no less!, frequently demeans others for their chosen life style, claims he's disabled but works for cash on the side..........hmmmm starting to see a trend here. He's still young, not young enough to be acting like this, but he's still got plenty of time, hope he finds his way. Not wasting anymore of my time trying to pass on any advice though. Good Luck D.S.

 

[bcbullet]

I can say this is the last time I click on this thread or any other from this "boi". Don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out debit.servus.

 

[FALCON]

I just don't get why people bother writing out anything more than a sentence or two of advice for him when he disregards all of it. You folks are so patient.

I was thinking last night "there's got to be some redeeming quality in this guy".. I suppose one thing is that other people are reading this thread and are reading the advice given to him, and I'm sure some of those other people are learning from the advice.

 

[GotSmart]

I just don't get why people bother writing out anything more than a sentence or two of advice for him when he disregards all of it. You folks are so patient.

I was thinking last night "there's got to be some redeeming quality in this guy".. I suppose one thing is that other people are reading this thread and are reading the advice given to him, and I'm sure some of those other people are learning from the advice.

Some of the advice and attitude shared by the tribe has sunk in.  

Debt, you have gotten better, but perhaps take notes on what is being said to keep track of the details.  when I ave anything important going on, that is what I do.  It keeps people from getting upset when you can show what the details were.

 

[Gary68]

if there was ever a thread that needed to disappear it would be this one

 

[Ballenxj]

Some of the advice and attitude shared by the tribe has sunk in. 

The "BEST" sentence in this whole thread! I like the notion that we are a Tribe!

 

[FALCON]

Some of the advice and attitude shared by the tribe has sunk in.  

Ok, yeah, I can see that. His plan for outfitting the Ford is pretty reasonable. No crazy hydrogen or wood stuff.

 

[debit.servus]

Ok, yeah, I can see that. His plan for outfitting the Ford is pretty reasonable. No crazy hydrogen or wood stuff.

I still plan to break free of the oil monopoly, with an underunity system or best yet overunity system. Looking at running on water using an HHO wet cell. The process uses electrical energy (electrolysis) to form chemical energy (hydrogen and oxygen gas) which will run the engine to generate mechanical energy (alternator belt to turn over alternator) which generates more chemical energy than what it took to complete the previous cycle (overunity, more energy out than in. It IS possible, think outside the oil paradigm). Unlike underunity woodgasification, this doesn't take a van size system to accomplish.

Ask this question: If overunity is not possible, why have inventors been robbed, mobbed and killed over their purported overunity devices?

 

[highdesertranger]

oh boy here we go again. you do realize that the amount of energy it takes to produce the Hydrogen is always more then the amount of energy you can get out of the Hydrogen produced. I know, you saw it on the internet so it must be true. here's a shocker it's NOT true. you would be better served to stop wasting your time on these pipe dreams and get a little education in the field of physics. my 2 cents. highdesertranger

 

[GotSmart]

This thread has outlived its usefulness.  

It should be closed. 

The van is gone.

 

[highdesertranger]

I find it entertaining. highdesertranger

 

[TMG51]

Be extremely careful with modifications to that diesel, you wouldn't want it to run away.


Guy

What causes this exactly? I assume it's to do with how diesel engines combust fuel spontaneously and somehow this gets into a chain reaction that can't be stopped?

That train was friggin' insane! And it didn't look like anyone was slowing it down while it was spitting fire.

I noticed in the clip with the old red truck in the shop, looked like the older guy covered the air intake to shut it down. It appeared this was the only engine in the video that didn't end up destroyed. Would that be the only way to shut down a diesel stuck on like this?

 

[highdesertranger]

good explanation Guy. highdesertranger

 

[debit.servus]

New chapter for the dodge van, it turns out after it was auctioned to a dismantler it returned to AutoReturn in SF because of unpaid citations I didn't know about. I was so burned out after I sold it that I never sent the paperwork to the buyers as promised. The van got towed in July 2016 and was in the yard for 30 days and since I am the registered owner I could have been on the hook for $3000 in storage costs, but thanfully I didn't have to pay a penny since the van was valued by the DMV to be less than $500. I got a letter that says the van is back because of 15 unpaid citiations totaling over $2800. That and it's accruing storage costs which are eclipsing a grand today.

What can/should I do? I requested a tow hearing today and will call Monday to confirm.