I returned to Pull a Part and retrieved the radio with cassette and cd player and a piece of plastic trim from the rear, that the soft top slips into. Two days after it was put in the yard, the grill, windshield, front wheels were already gone, the front seats were unbolted and laying in the back and the panel that covers the radio was ripped off... so at least they made it easier for me to get at the radio. four bolts, un plug the connection from the back and pull the antenna wire out... and ready to go.... I hope it goes in as easy as it came out...
I'm still looking for a tow bar to attach to the front, so I can tow it behind the RV and the carpet cleaning van, along with a hitch for the Caravan itself...
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Silver Tracker
Just got in the mood, and picked up a couple cans of silver (metalic) spray paint and gave the Tracker a good first coat. it actually took three cans because of the way the metalic paint sprays... no nice fan pattern, its just shoots all directions and the little pieces of metal flake were floating all over the place...
Lighter, shinny color made the larger rust holes, spots stand out a lot more, but I just figure, I'll replace the fender with the rusted hole. but the holes along the kick board on the sides, looked terrible in silver, so I gave them a shot of black primer and they all but disappeared... later on, I'll give it a light wet sanding maybe fill and sand the rust holes and give the whole car either another coat and/or clear coat.
I took I ride with Larry to drop off a junk car at Pull-A-Part and someone had just brought a tracker in (with a soft top in great condition) the fender I need was better than the one I had, but not sure I want to exchange a rusty one for a NOT as rusty one... but I stopped in Monday morning to see if they had processed it and put it out in the yard yet, and they hadn't, yet...
I dropped my son off for a job interview and made another stop at Pull-A-Part and they had just moved it out into the yard, so before anyone else could take the top or damage it, I unsnapped, unzipped and unvelcroed it off - ($29.00 + tax and their "enviromental"charge, for a total of $34 and change) better than I thought, I was expecting $50 - $75, so happy I caught it when I did.... going back in the next couple days for the CD player and a couple little bits and pieces that I can use.... and if someone gets them before I do... OH well... I'll make do with what I have.
It already looks much better silver than purple and pick (at least in my opinion) and with the newer top, it looks like a different vehicle already.... eventually, I'll clean and paint the rims and put some kind of trim/pinstripe or something? on the car to finish it off to MY taste. I also saw a jeep Rubicon with a soft top and it had the plastic windows tinted, so I think I'll look into that, whether it was made that way or just a film on the windows like I've done on glass ones before.
Lighter, shinny color made the larger rust holes, spots stand out a lot more, but I just figure, I'll replace the fender with the rusted hole. but the holes along the kick board on the sides, looked terrible in silver, so I gave them a shot of black primer and they all but disappeared... later on, I'll give it a light wet sanding maybe fill and sand the rust holes and give the whole car either another coat and/or clear coat.
I took I ride with Larry to drop off a junk car at Pull-A-Part and someone had just brought a tracker in (with a soft top in great condition) the fender I need was better than the one I had, but not sure I want to exchange a rusty one for a NOT as rusty one... but I stopped in Monday morning to see if they had processed it and put it out in the yard yet, and they hadn't, yet...
I dropped my son off for a job interview and made another stop at Pull-A-Part and they had just moved it out into the yard, so before anyone else could take the top or damage it, I unsnapped, unzipped and unvelcroed it off - ($29.00 + tax and their "enviromental"charge, for a total of $34 and change) better than I thought, I was expecting $50 - $75, so happy I caught it when I did.... going back in the next couple days for the CD player and a couple little bits and pieces that I can use.... and if someone gets them before I do... OH well... I'll make do with what I have.
It already looks much better silver than purple and pick (at least in my opinion) and with the newer top, it looks like a different vehicle already.... eventually, I'll clean and paint the rims and put some kind of trim/pinstripe or something? on the car to finish it off to MY taste. I also saw a jeep Rubicon with a soft top and it had the plastic windows tinted, so I think I'll look into that, whether it was made that way or just a film on the windows like I've done on glass ones before.
Thursday, May 17, 2012
tow vehicle found
From the same buddy, Larry, that helped me fix the RV, and had actually found the RV in the first place, I picked up a little Geo Tracker, that will be the RV's "dingy" tow vehicle, it needs a little work itself, but nothing major, a rusty fender that I'll replace or repair, the top needs replaced because the zippered plastic windows, are cloudy, almost impossible and I WANT to paint it, as it is purple (grape colored he calles it) with a pink hood that he put on it, to replace the rusted out hood.
I think, either gold, silver or gray for the color, but not quite sure yet, that decision can wait until after the RVs ready and the repairs are done to the Tracker
It's has a standard shift, 4 speed transmission, so I won't need to use a dolly or trailer to tow it, just need to pick up a tow bar and a hitch ball for the RV. I spotted one at the Flea market for $80, but thought I'ld look around before buying one, although that was probably a pretty good price.
I think, either gold, silver or gray for the color, but not quite sure yet, that decision can wait until after the RVs ready and the repairs are done to the Tracker
It's has a standard shift, 4 speed transmission, so I won't need to use a dolly or trailer to tow it, just need to pick up a tow bar and a hitch ball for the RV. I spotted one at the Flea market for $80, but thought I'ld look around before buying one, although that was probably a pretty good price.
RV relocated
It took a little effort, but I relocated our Class C, 25' 1986 Yellowstone Cavalier a short distance, from the back yard of our previous rental space to my mother in laws, where I can make some repairs and get it ready for the move South to NC.
After sitting Idle for about a year and a half, and almost as much time before I moved it to the rental from another parking space, I replaced the battery (by the way, I hate side post batteries!) or I should say, I installed a battery as I had taken the one from the RV and used it on an Astro van just after I moved the RV the last time, and then used about a half a can of starting fluid to finally get it running on it's own again.
Only about five miles, but with the fan belt squealing, everything inside rattling around and the lack of air in the air shocks had the rear suspension bottoming out agains the bushings every pot hole and bump I hit, sure made it feel like it was a lot farther.
But it made it, without any major issues... now it's a matter of making myself get to work on it. To fix all the little stuff, to get it ready to roll again. I'm hoping I can fix the water leaks, replace or repair some rotted wood and moldings, check the water system, to see what might have frozen (before I bought it, as it had sat for five years, after the previous owners blew the engine.
After I bought it, I pulled the engine with the help of a buddy (technically, I guess he did it with my help, but reguardless, it got done) we replaced the crank, oil pump, two pistons, water pump, fuel pump, had the alternator rebuilt by Fulton Armeture and re-installed the engine.
After replaced one front brake caliper and both flex lines, charging the rear air shocks and replacing one inside rear tire and rim which had the holes worn and ovaled, I took it for it's first drive, and found another problem. The reason for the blown motor in the first place, the transmission wouldn't shift into third gear. It was aggrevating in one since, "one more thing to fix, another expense I wasn't counting on" but, had it not been messed up, chances are, they wouldn't have blown the motor five years earlier and I would have had the chance to buy it (cheap)
So returned to parking place in a Alley by my buddy's house and we unbolted the transmission and pulled it and took it to Atlas Transmission the next day. I dropped it off around 10 AM and they called around 2 PM and said it was done... I picked it upa little after 4 and we had it installed a few hours later.
Since then, it went to Virginia for a family reunion and a short drive down to Southern Ohio for a prospecting trip, where I found my first few specks of gold and was told that the few tiny specks, smaller than glitter, were good for Ohio. That pretty much made up my mind not to waste my time prospecting in Ohio anymore... it was ok for a first time, and it gave me a chance to see "in person" how gold acts in the gold pan.
Now I just need to get back to work on the RV, doing some repairs to get it road worthy again. The first step will be fixing the alternator, so the belt doesn't squeal when it's put under a load, either excellerating or turning on electrical devices, lights or heater blower) and then changing the oil, which only has a little over a thousand miles on it, but it has been three years since it's last oil change. Then checking air pressure in all the tires and air shocks and then starting on the leak repairs, and the awning that I installed after stripping it from another RV, will need to be removed, it seems to be pulling the side panel off the RV, so I guess the screw I used, didn't hold it as well as I hoped, but I had found that the wind had pulled it open a few times and whipping around, maybe the was what caused the problem, but I'll figure out something, eventually.
After sitting Idle for about a year and a half, and almost as much time before I moved it to the rental from another parking space, I replaced the battery (by the way, I hate side post batteries!) or I should say, I installed a battery as I had taken the one from the RV and used it on an Astro van just after I moved the RV the last time, and then used about a half a can of starting fluid to finally get it running on it's own again.
Only about five miles, but with the fan belt squealing, everything inside rattling around and the lack of air in the air shocks had the rear suspension bottoming out agains the bushings every pot hole and bump I hit, sure made it feel like it was a lot farther.
But it made it, without any major issues... now it's a matter of making myself get to work on it. To fix all the little stuff, to get it ready to roll again. I'm hoping I can fix the water leaks, replace or repair some rotted wood and moldings, check the water system, to see what might have frozen (before I bought it, as it had sat for five years, after the previous owners blew the engine.
After I bought it, I pulled the engine with the help of a buddy (technically, I guess he did it with my help, but reguardless, it got done) we replaced the crank, oil pump, two pistons, water pump, fuel pump, had the alternator rebuilt by Fulton Armeture and re-installed the engine.
After replaced one front brake caliper and both flex lines, charging the rear air shocks and replacing one inside rear tire and rim which had the holes worn and ovaled, I took it for it's first drive, and found another problem. The reason for the blown motor in the first place, the transmission wouldn't shift into third gear. It was aggrevating in one since, "one more thing to fix, another expense I wasn't counting on" but, had it not been messed up, chances are, they wouldn't have blown the motor five years earlier and I would have had the chance to buy it (cheap)
So returned to parking place in a Alley by my buddy's house and we unbolted the transmission and pulled it and took it to Atlas Transmission the next day. I dropped it off around 10 AM and they called around 2 PM and said it was done... I picked it upa little after 4 and we had it installed a few hours later.
Since then, it went to Virginia for a family reunion and a short drive down to Southern Ohio for a prospecting trip, where I found my first few specks of gold and was told that the few tiny specks, smaller than glitter, were good for Ohio. That pretty much made up my mind not to waste my time prospecting in Ohio anymore... it was ok for a first time, and it gave me a chance to see "in person" how gold acts in the gold pan.
Now I just need to get back to work on the RV, doing some repairs to get it road worthy again. The first step will be fixing the alternator, so the belt doesn't squeal when it's put under a load, either excellerating or turning on electrical devices, lights or heater blower) and then changing the oil, which only has a little over a thousand miles on it, but it has been three years since it's last oil change. Then checking air pressure in all the tires and air shocks and then starting on the leak repairs, and the awning that I installed after stripping it from another RV, will need to be removed, it seems to be pulling the side panel off the RV, so I guess the screw I used, didn't hold it as well as I hoped, but I had found that the wind had pulled it open a few times and whipping around, maybe the was what caused the problem, but I'll figure out something, eventually.
Friday, May 11, 2012
garden procrastenating
Last year, I didn't plant a garden, because we thought we would be moved before summer was over, and hoped to just plant a small container garden where ever we moved to (somewhere between Asheville NC and Greensboro)
But the move didn't happen (much to my dissapointment) and to that off, no stuff coming from a garden, this year, thinking I'll go the other way and plant at least a small garden and maybe that will make the move happen...
But procrastenating... just a lot going on, between packing things up to move, emptying a house, going through 30+ years worth of stuff... packing some into a container from Pack Rat (8' x 8' x 16') Some to the Salvation Army, some to friends and a lot on the tree lawn. And in addition to going through our stuff, also going through my mother in laws stuff, helping her downsize, as she might be cominf with us when we move... Hasn't made up her mind completely yet.
As far as the garden, I haven't got out there to turn over the soil and get it ready, but not in a big hurry, as I'm not going from seed this year, and most of the stuff I plan to plant, is already growing well in green houses and box stores, waiting for me to pick them up and transplant them when I get the chance in the next couple weeks...
But the move didn't happen (much to my dissapointment) and to that off, no stuff coming from a garden, this year, thinking I'll go the other way and plant at least a small garden and maybe that will make the move happen...
But procrastenating... just a lot going on, between packing things up to move, emptying a house, going through 30+ years worth of stuff... packing some into a container from Pack Rat (8' x 8' x 16') Some to the Salvation Army, some to friends and a lot on the tree lawn. And in addition to going through our stuff, also going through my mother in laws stuff, helping her downsize, as she might be cominf with us when we move... Hasn't made up her mind completely yet.
As far as the garden, I haven't got out there to turn over the soil and get it ready, but not in a big hurry, as I'm not going from seed this year, and most of the stuff I plan to plant, is already growing well in green houses and box stores, waiting for me to pick them up and transplant them when I get the chance in the next couple weeks...
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