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We got the new pop-top canvas for the van on Tuesday. This weekend I installed it (disassembly on Thurs afternoon, cleaning area on Fri morning, assembly on Sat). If you want to know how to install a pop-top canvas, jump on youtube and there are lots of videos explaining how easy it is to do. One of the early steps is taking the top off the van and putting it down where you can work on it. To do that you need 4 tall friends who can each lift a corner of the top when it's on the van without risk of dropping it. If you have less than four people, short people, people who don't normally lift weights, or people on weight restrictions, well, you're screwed.

I started out changing the top by the common instructions, but realized there was no way we were actually going to get the top off the van without breaking the top or one of the humans, so I resorted to the hard way, changing the canvas with the top still on the van. I did it that way on previous van that way, so I knew I could do it, but I was younger then. I was feeling a bit under the weather and possibly as a result I screwed up everything that could be screwed up and everything took way longer than it would have normally. Working upside down in cramped space, standing with arms stretched overhead, or sitting balanced on the luggage rack for hours, it was a slow process putting a million screws in at just the right angle for each. I bumped my head many times. One of those times I unknowingly produced a gusher. A few minutes later I looked down and said "Where am I bleeding from?" So in short, more fun than anyone should have.

I did get the job basically done (one screw still isn't in place) and the canvas looks good, mostly smooth and tight, no real bunching.

I'm not as pleased with the new Go Westy tent as I was with the one I got for the first van (an early 3 window canvas tent with rounded front window and ribbon ties for holding the unzip windows). The canvas looks considerably thinner on this one. The window setup for the front window isn't as good with cheaper feeling zippers and velcro in some places. The fit in the back was tight enough that I'm worried stitches might pull, but I think I had that concern on the prior one and it lasted for many years.

I'm curious if any of the other vendors canvas tents are better, but I'm not going to go through this again just to find out.

I noticed a hole in the dash of the van where there wan't anything in our prior van. Some research revealed that in some models there was a map light in the dash. Apparently, a previous owner had ripped it out and not covered the hole. These days people are always filling in spaces on the vans with new accessories, so it didn't take long to find a USB kit to fill in the space.

( Cut for pic spam and project details. )

( Rambling about van repairs )

After much cleaning and replacing of parts, the back part of the shift linkage is laying on the ground and the front portion is sitting at the bottom of the shift box.

I'm so glad I'm not using this vehicle as my daily driver!

Yesterday I took on a large van related project. I had parts for replacing the brake booster, master cylinder, both rear flex lines and both rear brake cylinders. The shop would have charged me $1,000 to do the whole job. At this point I didn't feel like I could lay out that kind of cash for just labor. So I started with the brake booster and master cylinder which are the bits that take the most labor.

The catch is to replace the brake booster you have to remove the entire dash. I've pulled the dash before to replace the heater core and blower, so I knew just how big a job it is.

I got off to a slow start yesterday because of the anti-histamine haze (it's not purple). I started to disassemble, then we went to breakfast with Hawk and Hawk's mate. When we got back I really dug in and put in a marathon session. Pulling the dash with all the assorted bits went well. Getting the brake booster out was one of those jobs better suited to Mister Fantastic than a normal human. Did finally get the old unit out. The new unit went in much easier and from there it was the long slow process of reassembly. While I had all the electrical bits strewn about I pulled the last bits of the car alarm from the Boston era. I had dash back in and most of the electrical wires lined up to their components before stopping for the night at 6pm.

This morning I was really sore and not in a mood to finish, but I went back out and finished assembling all the bits from the dash and electrical. I took a look at the back cylinders, but decided that they were two rusted into place for me to take off. There is one bolt and one brake line to remove on each. If either broke, I wouldn't have the tools the clean up the mess. On the other hand, it will be a quick job for someone with the right tools. So I put things back together and bled the front brakes thoroughly. Now the brakes are functional but soft. I will take the car in and have the rear cylinders and hoses replaces and have the whole system bled again.

Yesterday I caught a sudden case of ambition, I decided I was going to change the front heater fan and core. Those of you who have been following derien's journal already know that turning on the heater resulted in blowing the fuse, a sure sign that the fan had gone from failing to failed.

I'd already done the research and found out that it required pulling the entire dash in a process that would take an estimated 10 hours. I started about 8:30am and worked steadily throughout the day. When I finally got everything torn apart it was easy to tell that the fan was toast. I could barely turn it with my hands. The heater core didn't really need replacing, but I'm not planning on doing this project again, so I replaced it while I was there. Then came the fun of putting the whole thing back together. I got most of it back together. By 3:30pm I was too tired to mess with the bits that were still to be done, so I stopped for the night.

This morning I could hardly move. Nearly 10 hours of contortions under and around the dash while kneeling nearly the who time was not my body's idea of the way to spend a Saturday. I was sore all over and had bruises in various places from repeated encounters with metal protrusions. I wandered
back down and finished putting things together. It was a good project for a sunny warm weekend and I'm delighted to have it done.

Now if I could just get all the other things done that I had on the schedule for this weekend.

Too dead to post much. In four hours after work this evening I managed to get the passenger side spring and upper ball joint changed. The quite simply involved ripping apart that entire side of the suspension. It cost me my pound of flesh, well, okay, not a pound, less than an ounce probably, but it felt like it a pound. The passenger side suspension no longer squeaks.

I'm hoping it rains tomorrow afternoon so I can take a day off. Otherwise it'll be round two tomorrow. I go to work to get rest. Sad.

Picture me trying to put the rear shock and wheel back on the van while the second thunderstorm of the afternoon came rumbling in with electric vengeance. I just got in before it started to downpour and the strikes cause the lights in the house to dim.

"If ain't braggin' if it's true,
yes, sir, yes, sir."

I got the shock on one side changed before the downpour. I didn't get the spring on that side changed. Someone on the web was able to get his spring out just by dropping the shock. I don't know how. I have real doubts if mine was going to come out with anything less than explosive force. Explosive force isn't cool when it comes to large chunks of steel, least not when my body parts are in the vicinity.

"Don't want to end up a cartoon,
in a cartoon graveyard."

No mention of rain in the forecast tomorrow. I do hope it's accurate.

"I used to be disgusted,
now I try to be amused."

Today despite all initial indications to the contrary, I did get some things done.

( cut for length and because it's boring to anyone who doesn't own a Westy )

My to-do list on the van is still massive, but now I feel like it's getting shorter instead of longer.

I've got to get going on housework and programming.

I hurt. I'm sure saying I hurt all over is an exaggeration, but I'm not sure I can think of a part that doesn't hurt at the moment. I spent most of the day working on wiring in and under the van. The contortions involved in automotive wiring generally induce fatigue and pain. The fact I could see my breath the entire time made it worse.

( Today's project was replacing and rewiring the auxiliary battery. )

I'm happy to have gotten as much done as I did, but my body is not at all happy with me.

This weekend has been a study in contrasts. Yesterday everything I touched went wrong, but because I'm pigheaded, I insisted on trying to get things done. Today, I didn't really try to get much done, but everything I tried I accomplished to some degree or other. Two beautiful sunny days: one wasted in frustration, one mostly blissfully wasted.

( some details )

Note the icon, this is the van in it's newly painted state.