Well we got it, drove 128 miles and change to Santa Cruz By The Sea to construct the engine lift (a JOB), and haul the yellow Farymann Marine Diesel A30 to the truck bed. I eased her down, fasten her in, deconstructed the engine lift, straped it in, jump in the truck with Kelly and awaaaay we went!
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Not far at first, to the Santa Cruz Diner as seen on Diners, Driveins and Dives. Packed with milling people, waiters and waitresses and the smells of breakfast, lunch and possibly a dinner or two wafting over the scene. We sat in a wall booth as directed by a most polite hostess, water came soon enough and we spent the next while amide the hustle and bustle trying to sort out our choices for lunch. Kelly chose the steak sandwich "as rare as you can get it" was her command and I the patty melt, next the choice of drinks, I opted for a coke and kelly had her norm...H2O. Both came with a generous portion of golden french fries and Kelly's steak was as rare as it could be without mooing. She was happier with her meal than I was with mine, mine lacked something, under seasoned perhaps (for me who has a penchant for the saline) but it seemed more even than that. What I do not know but I've had better versions of this old favorite of mine. Meal eaten 16 USD and change with a generous tip for the fine level of service we were off for Highway 1 and the Pacific Ocean views it provides as one ambles north towards San Francisco. One old beach friends of days long gone slipped into view and past though throngs of people had come to sit, walk, sunbathe and ogle on this spectacularly sunny and warm day in the month of November. We did not stop as I knew this was a longer trip than the ride down on 680 to 17 and across the mountains, probably the better part of 4 hours at the restful pace we were going loaded down with the engine and the lift. Every hill a journey. I contemplated what work was going to be needed to get the Farymann into shape for installation in Zulu. Paint certainly, some derusting of the obvious, new filters, oil and such and the ever challenging finding it a home in the meantime in the already packed garage. Oh the garage! Soon the cutover to highway 280 was upon us at Pacifica and we motored carefully into the traffic bound for the east bay across the now infamous Bay Bridge. Though we were heavy it didn't collapse as we hunkered down in mid span and drove on. Up Hwy 80 to 12 and across the marsh past Walmart and home. In for the day and night we bedded down early exhausted by all our efforts at gawking and riding. The next morning I began The Undertaking...no not a funeral...maybe it WAS of sorts but certainly not intended as one. Removed the lift from the truck, assembled it and hauled out the objects necessary to create a spot for the Farymann and related equipment, tools etc. I went next door to summon Captain Vern to give me a hand positioning the Farymann on a wheeled trolley which took us about an hour to accomplish as the lift's long legs had to be assisted to roll uphill on the driveway towards the flat floor of the garage. A chore this was but once done the Farymann was loose of the chains that bind and on the trolley and, best of all, rolled into the garage for inspection and cleaning. About that time Kelly and Audrey returned from a lunch effort. They soon swept and removed the detritus that I had swept from the garage and placed it into the various rubbish bins. More about THAT later. I thinked them for thier help and they disappeared into the house. Upon closer inspection I found extensive corrosion, rust and deterioration of the crankcase, cylinder casting etc. As I rubbed off more dirt and grime it became apparent that this corrosion had consumed much of various metal parts over not a short time. I purchased the engine from a party unmentioned on eBay. I had paid with Paypal so there was a level of protection from this sort of situation therein. I sat at my computer and went to paypal, signed in and found my 455USD transaction shortly. Then I undertook the dispute process and emailed my findings and desire to be refunded the money to the seller. That is where it stands at the moment. I returned this morning and took photos of the corroded areas and sent them along to my diesel guru in North Carolina as well as to the kindly gentleman at Farymann whome I contacted about the engine earlier today. We shall see where this all goes. At the time the engine is in the garage sitting on wood blocks on the trolley. While feeling let down I have some degree of hope, if not for the engine and a possible repair, for our bank account and the refund it may soon see.
Later!
