DIRAC DUO TOUR 99  

Background

Everything started with a phone call from member Dirac Löfström to member Dirac Brogren one late June evening. At that time there were no plans for anything except two main goals were pointed out:

1. VW Bus with great music loving and computing fascilities. Name of the bus: Basecamp Blue(s)!
2. Play as much beachvolley as possible.
3. The coast of Spain.

These two goals (whoops! it's now three!)... These three goals are the base of the tour. Except these nothing was planned except a date for departure. Actually it was more of an approximate date of departure which was set to the 26th of July. One early idea was to never return back home again and we'll see what will happen...

At an early stage of the planning the departure was postponed one day. If I don't remember wrong it was several hours before the 26th! The plan was for the members to gather in Jonstorp for loading of the Basecamp Blue(s) (VW Bus). Nevertheless, member Dirac Löfström got some serious problems with his 'wheels' so he couldn't get to Jonstorp! A serious rebuild of the engine in the SAAB 99 Redshift had to take place. Member Dirac Löfström's good friend and mechanics mentor Michael was contacted.

Micke laid his hands on the engine and healed it,this allowed a safe and welcome (but late) arrival to the member gathering.

In the meantime member Dirac Brogren was working on Basecamp Blue(s)....

Preparation

The preparation of Bascamp Blue(s) took place in Jonstorp. A couple of problems had to be solved with the bus:

1. Clutch - Time to change which means removal of the engine.
2. Brakes - Definitively not as powerful as you'd like them to be.
3. Injection System - Not perfect but a little programming should fix the problem !?!
4. Audio System - The goal was to be able to have a disco inside...
5. baseCAMP - The possibility to sleep had to be fixed.
6. The speedometer cable was broken and had to be changed.

The cockpit of the BaseCamp Blue(s). The PC is needed for programming the Engine Control Unit....

The cable harness of the injection system is not VERY easy to follow. If you take a close look under the hood you can see some of the cables lying on the engine. The breaker ignition system disturbed the engine control unit so badly that we had to rebuild it into a breakerless system. The system was taken from a Peugeot 405 Mi16 and the ignition amplifier is mounted on the big metal plate seen on the back of the engine.

Backside of Basecamp Blue(s)...

The speedometer cable had to be changed....

Changing of speedometer cable....

Since the breaker ignition system makes a lot of electric disturbances a breakerless ignition was installed. We needed this interface, hand made for this application, built into a small plastic box. Without this box the camp is totally impossible to use. The camp wouldn't move an inch! Very nice !?!

Interface (Fix "spezziale") from breakers to breakerless ignition.

The final touch! This was supposed to be the final preparation of Basecamp Blue(s). The "S" is needed to satisfy the authorities throughout Europe.

Final touch...

Shortly after the above picture was taken we said goodbye to the parents of member Dirac Brogren and headed for Helsingborg and then Italy & Spain...

Departure

At last time for departure 'Take One'. A few kms later this picture was taken...

Bus stop

The injection system didn't take us more than 3 kms on the first attempt. But now the decision to give up hope was taken, new software was downloaded to the engine control unit and we headed back home to take the rally Saab 600 instead.

Preparing of the MossLancia instead. Named by: Emmalin

A few days earlier the belt of the camshaft was changed so that evening all we did was:

1. Installed CD-player and loudspeakers.
2. Installed power outlets for computers, GPS and mobile phones.

Then departure 'Take Two'....

© DiracDuo
Last updated: juli 07, 1999.