INDIAN 741 Supercharged...See you in 2011

[octane]

Thanks Ray !
Thanks Vintage racer Jill !...I'll get back to you




AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAauuuuuuurgh !!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am just about to loose my freaking cool !!!!!

This is NOT going according to plan....not at all:
to make a very long story very short:
was supposed to pick up the MH in Santa Fe Monday morning.
Not so; a last minute series of modifications because of the new Hedman headers
meant that I couldn't pick it up till this morning.

Took the darn thing to the MVD ( being an out of state vehicle , a VIN number inspection is required to register it).
Parked it, and lo and behold , it pi**ed coolant all over the freshly laid 'inspection lane'.
Now that wasn't the worst.
No;
The MVD just wouldn't accept the VIN number M28T7V5572
even though it is stated in both the ( Illinois ) title from the previous owner and
the ( Illinois ) title from the previous-previous owner
( I have a copy of that )
simply on the grounds that it should be a 'regular'
VIN ( with that long number of digits used today )
The rather impolite rude lady at the MVD required us to visit the State Police (!)
who wold have to make inquiries to Illinois and
run some checks.
We still don't know yet if we can make an appointment with them
within the next couple of days. They apparently are hard to reach.


This is all REALLY strange as we have been told that such an old
vehicle does NOT require a 'modern' VIN
and indeed checking the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
( who implemented the rule ) website, CLICK
it is clearly stated that the 'modern' VIN wasn't required till 1981
and my ARGOSY is from 1977



The MH cooling thing is fixed.

Dunno when I'll make it to Bonneville.
Maybe, just maybe...if we get this thing fixed Friday, when maybe, just maybe we can
get an appointment with the State Police....I can make it to Bonneville arriving Sunday.
Bummerbummerbummerfuc*ingbummer.


.

[saltwheels262]

maybe you'll get different results at another mvd office.

franey

[ol38y]

maybe you'll get different results at another mvd office.

franey

I was going to say the same thing Lars. If you have another mvd not too far away I'd try that. Remember, you're dealing with Civil Servents. Not always the sharpest knives in the drawer.  Good Luck

[ironwigwam]

Lars,
  Should I send someone down from Montana or minnesota to take you to Bonneville? There may be a New Mexico  connection somewhere, did we try on Landstroms site yet?

[octane]

Thanks guys !

I'm working on it.
I've found all the relevant ducumentation from
the guverment agencies on-line..printed them out...
clearly they made a mistake at the MVD.

I'll go to the MVD first thing in the morning
and talk to a VIN inspection supervisor.

If it all folds .... I have a plan B.

[panic]

The DMV doesn't want to hurt you - they don't want to make any decision at all.
If you give them something to hang their hat on (like the NATB book that gives samples of all VINs) they'll let it go through. Been there, done that.

[octane]

Guess it's a mixture of bad planning on my behalf
and some serious red tape bollocksnonsense.
Went to the MVD this morning to talk to the lovely lady there.
Good grief !!!!...She was rude beyound belief. I seriously don't think anyone, ever before, has been so rude to me.
Honestly; she talked to me as if I was a slightly demented 4 year old semi-retard and she was my school headmaster.
I demanded to talk to her superiour which didn't make her demeanor the slightest more charming.
Got a phonenumber to him. He was all pleasant, but what he said didn't make a whole lotta sense.


Anyway; gotta go to the NM State Police to get the VIN verified/checked ..or something.
They only do that here in Santa Fe twice a month.
That won't do, so tomorrow at 6 o'clock we're heading to the State Police in Espanola
and hopefully get this mess sorted out, so I can head up to Bonneville.

Wish me luck......well in fact, I don't need 'luck'...just that things make sense.



The MH has got a name by now:
"The Sponge"
Not only does it suck up money and gas like a sponge,
it has a spongy drivers seat,  spongy steering, spongy suspension and spongy brakes.
Coupled with a big V8 mother- , it makes for some ....er...interesting driving.

[MC 1314]

Lars.
 Rule 1, u don't know nuthin.. They feel you are challenging them if you know anything, if you don't many will try to help.
That rule holds true for most government agencies, including the Highway Patrol.
Best of luck with the spongmobile!
Bob

[Freud]

Lars ........don't let the   b a s t a r d s   wear you down.

If time starts getting close and one of us offers you help, ditch the Sponge and accept

American hospitality.  Then solve the problem when there is no time line crowding you.

I know there are people that will come pick you up and take you wherever you need to go.

Let us help you thru this headache.

FREUD

[ironwigwam]

Lars,
  Try calling Neal Olsen, if you need his number PM me, I think he has an answer to the dilemna.
  Should I move my departure from Pennsylvania forward to now? and finsh my liner after getting you to Speed Week?

[octane]

THANK you guys!

The Spongemobile performed faultlessly going over the mountains
to get the VIN thing done in Epanola.

...robocop in Espanonola could do it but he couldn't do it
...robocops partner could do it but he couldn't do it
...Albuquerque State Police could do it but they couldn't do it
...Santa Fe County Police could do it but couldn't do it..


Blackout

Plan B:
Tried every single rental agency but NO cargo van to get
( transport of bike from SLC and accomodation for me )
Got myself down to Albuquerque. Got a pick-up truck.
I find the notion of sleeping under the sky on the bed of a pick up truck at Bonneville
quite romantic.
Walmart: sleeping bag and stuff........leaving Santa Fe this minute.



I bow my head and repeatedly bang my forehead
down into the dusty earth of New Mexico, and say :
Thank you David.....bang/AUCH...Thank you David.....bang/ouch.....etc
for his incredible assistance here in Santa Fe.
He'll try to get the VIN thing fixed next week.
I'll go down here and get da' Spongemobile......on to BUB

[MC 1314]

Lars
Another racing season of great adventure! What more could you ask for?

Glad to see you are on your way, don't forget a tarp in case of rain.

I'll be there on the 26th, with or without the bike.

Good luck, see ya there.

Bob

[RidgeRunner]

Go, go Lars,

Nobody is carrying Burt's torch of determinatin higher than you right now!

All the best for a favorable tide change.  Looking forward to you seeing just rewards for all your hard work and determination.

Ed

[panic]

This is just using up all your bad luck in advance - leaving nothing left but success!

[SPARKY]

Lars,  I may can help  private message for my cell