Day two - and I will state now that I will only do a few hours a day of this. My son deserves my time, and I try to give it freely. This morning I met with my friend the MB mechanic to do some maintenance on the S420. Transmission flush, filter and gasket, a couple transmission shift linkage bushings, new belt, and figured out that my vibration at speeds above 70 are due to flat (dead) motor mounts. They are hydraulic and no longer performing as needed.
So there went a couple hours. Couple hours to play with the boy and I was given the ok to tinker in the garage.
Started working on the van about 2.
I stuck bags on the air intakes to keep crap and debris out.
All the parts in one place, labelled and appropriately packaged. I had a bunch of small (2in x 3in) ziploc bags that were perfect for holding screws. This will make it easy to go shopping for replacement stainless hardware.
This crate is the takeoffs from the front end. I have others with parts all over the garage.
Well labelled parts make for a happy Chef, and an organized and easier re-assembly. Its a sickness.
Lay the tarp, tape off what I do not want endangered and get going.
First coat of the chemical stripper was applied. Looks as if the front end was stripped before. From what I removed, I could only see one coat of primer and paint, not two like on the rest of the van. Got my curiosity going.
With two coats of stripper, the picture on the right shows what I am left with. Its completely by chemicals, no mechanical apparatus as of yet.
I am doing sections so as to not overwhelm the garage with fumes, especially since I also have a propane burner providing heat. I could work in the colder air, but the chemical stripper needs warmth to work.
You can see the VW applied base coat, and where the base coat was removed during the prior work. From what I am seeing doing the right front, I was guessing that the front was chipped from normal road activities. They simply sanded it down to make it smooth for the new paint coat. Makes sense.
So while the chemical was doing its thing, and I am standing there looking at it, I don't know why I would not add to the fumes and light up a cigar. Today's flavor was a La Gloria Cubana Serie R. Good smoke, full flavor and one of my go to smokes in the humidor.
OK, now the cigar plug is over, back to work.
After the second application of stripper, I allow to dry. Wipe down with paper towels and a generic version of prep sol.
Once clean and dried, I took a scuff pad to clean anything else up on the surfaces. I did need to take my cordless drill and a rol loc disk to clean out the crevices near the directional mounting space.
Now that I have the passenger side done, I moved to the drivers side. After two coats, I find out the true reason the front end was stripped in prior paint job.
Yep, there is putty under that primer. Not much, but it will have to be removed and redone. Not that the job was not done correctly before, but now that I have had chemical stripper near the putty, it will all have to come out.
Good thing is that form looking at that corner from inside the grille opening, it does not appear to have been a major accident. More like a deer strike, or branch impact.
There is also a couple odd dings equally spaced, and centered on the upper part of the front end. Maybe from a bike rack, or something strapped to the front. Minor stuff.
Overall - nothing that I did not expect, and actually less than expected thus far.
I finished the smoke and went to play with my son in the snow.
Will have some sand blasting to do, spot blasting and attending to hidden areas with rust.
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| Still need to touch up around wiper shafts, and as soon as I can figure out how to remove the windshield washer fluid squirters without breaking them. |
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