Happy Easter

After some neighborhood camaraderie this morning and a VERY large brunch feast at my neighbors, I settled in for some light tinkering on the Vanagon.  Mostly some cleaning, as the Thingamajigger needs a bunch of it.  I repaired the refrigerator door moulding as it had shrunk a bit over the years and had prevented the door from closing properly. 

This was achieved by simply removing the door hinges, carefully pulling the T moulding out of the slot that retains it all around the opening and replacing it in a manner that removed the tightness at the corners.  This left a 1 inch gap at the seam which I located behind the lower hinge and disguised.  To make sure the same geometry was maintained, I slipped a small washer behind the upper screw on that hinge so the action of the hinge would not bind.  Problem solved.

While I was doing this, I had an audience.  My better half settled into the front seat, a neighbor into the other and my son pulled up the rear table to exercise some creative license in a new coloring book. Beer was flowing freely and the first one was spilled upon my new foam mat (a Butternut's Pork Slap Farmhouse Ale), and the mat performed flawlessly keeping the hardwood behind it dry and happy.

My son began exploring the cabinetry, finding which ones he could fit into and which ones he could not.

Finally, a few more neighbors came by and it was a party in the Thingamajigger.  Just sitting in the driveway, its already drawing a crowd of interested people.

One happens to be a mechanic, and we discussed getting the transmission out to repair a leaky main seal.  I have ordered a new main seal and O Ring from Go Westy, a clutch kit from the Bus Depot and a felt pinion bearing ring from Van Cafe.  Why all the different places?  Mostly due to availability; if any of the companies had all three, in the brands I wanted and for the price I wanted, I would order all from one place. 

The Bus Depot is closest to me, so I tend to get things quicker and for less delivery cost, but they do not have everything.  Go Westy and their counterpart GoWestyAutoParts.com have a bigger listing but are the farthest away and delivery costs are higher, while Van Cafe is also farther away, their delivery costs as listed on site are even higher.  The felt ring was listed as a 2.00 item, but delivery costs came up as 11.32?  I sent an email inquiring about the possibility of slipping it into a first class envelope, but have not heard back yet.

All to fix a drip . . .



UPDATE: Van Cafe required a call in to them to correct the shipping query.  Turns out the system is automatic and there is nothing they can do unless you call into them.  One call led to a $1.00 shipping charge for the $1.00 pilot bearing felt washer.