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sped372
Samba Member
Joined: March 30, 2006
Posts: 653
Location: Waunakee, WI
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 Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2018 6:28 am Post subject: Dead Mouse, Interior Pull, and a Couple Mods |
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After going through the various stages of knowing something died inside one's vehicle (denial, anger, depression, acceptance) I set out to locate the source. Smell was strongest (so gross) near the water cabinet but nothing was visible in any of the accessible areas. Sigh.
This is uncharted territory for me, thankfully the procedure in the Bentley was fairly helpful. The further I dug the more disheartened I got, it's maddening to take more and more things apart that were all fully functional. You just know things aren't guaranteed to go back together perfectly.
Several hours later, found him behind the panel behind the rear corner closet. Yuck. Thankfully he was still "solid" unlike the one I had to remove from my old Subaru. :pukeright:
My new "garage living room" setup.
And much cleaning ensued...
Much better
While everything was apart I figured I should treat the (thankfully small amount of) rust I found back there. Here's a shot after wire brushing and primer.
Also ordered up some Assuan Brown in a can, turned out to be a fairly good match. Especially for behind the cabinets where nobody will see it anyway.
Then I set about implementing the city water fan modification. Made up an adapter plate to mount the fan into the GoWesty box. Just a simple aluminum plate with the correct hole patterns sandwiches everything together, trapping a bug screen too.
Redneck CNC mill action:
Voila!
And then running wires to power the fan and also a new 12v socket back by the rear table. I used piggyback terminals to tap into the thermostat on the back of the fridge. Three way switch up behind the drivers seat for always-on, on with the thermostat, and off. Should give some flexibility.
Curious to see how much of a difference the fan makes. I would have probably not gotten around to doing this if I hadn't had everything apart anyway.
New water lines:
New stove panel too, what the heck, why not?
Reassembling clean parts is such a much more positive experience!
I've since "finished up" and tested the fridge on 110v (it works!). The weather has been garbage here so I haven't had a chance to try propane yet, hopefully that all goes smoothly as well. In the end, I would really have preferred to not have to do this but it feels nice to have everything cleaned up and to have gained a better understanding of how it all fits together. I'll try to post back on the results of the fan as we camp next summer. If anyone can use the dimensions of the adapter plate and/or what fan I used I'm happy to share.
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1971 Karmann Ghia - 1600 DP
1984 Westfalia - 1.9 WBX |
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jlrftype7
Samba Member
Joined: July 24, 2018
Posts: 3574
Location: Chicago
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| Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2018 6:51 am Post subject: Re: Dead Mouse, Interior Pull, and a Couple Mods |
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Nice work, VERY tidy-
Was Rolling on the floor with the first part about Denial, Anger, etc.....
Great thread.
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'68 Westy- my first VW and vehicle/Bus- long gone.- sold it to a traveling Swiss couple....
'67 Type 3 Fastback, my 2nd car- gone
'69 Semi-Auto Stick Shift Beetle-gone
2017 MINI Coopers, our current DDs
‘84 Tin Top - Hilga....Auto |
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shagginwagon83
Samba Member
Joined: February 07, 2016
Posts: 3794
Location: VA/TN
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| Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2018 6:58 am Post subject: Re: Dead Mouse, Interior Pull, and a Couple Mods |
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Wow. Great work. Lucky you found little rust. I removed my fridge and found quite a bit. I have several questions if you don't mind answering.
1. How long did it take you to remove/reinstall the interior?
2. Where did you get the new stove face?
3. Did you keep the stock insulation back there?
Thanks,
Brandon
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Brandon
"Jo Ann" - '83.5 Westfalia EJ22e w/Peloquin
Instagram @joannthevan |
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sped372
Samba Member
Joined: March 30, 2006
Posts: 653
Location: Waunakee, WI
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| Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2018 7:19 am Post subject: Re: Dead Mouse, Interior Pull, and a Couple Mods |
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| shagginwagon83 wrote: |
Wow. Great work. Lucky you found little rust. I removed my fridge and found quite a bit. I have several questions if you don't mind answering.
1. How long did it take you to remove/reinstall the interior?
2. Where did you get the new stove face?
3. Did you keep the stock insulation back there?
Thanks,
Brandon |
Thanks!
1. All told, if I would not have done any modifications, I'd probably have about 10-15 hours into taking everything apart, deep cleaning, painting, reassembling. Planning and executing the fan modification added quite a few hours but I figured now was the time.
2. https://www.buslab.com/255-070-128A-p/255070128a.htm - it's not a 100% perfect match to the original but much better than the rusty one and far less trouble than trying to refinish the old one. Took a chance with limited information and it seems good to me.
3. I went around and around over the decision but ended up just leaving the space empty. My existing insulation was "mousey" and seeing the little bit of rust starting confirmed the logic against using it anyway. I see plenty of threads starting to recommend wool but in the end we don't camp when it's that cold anyway and I figured 'empty' was the least risky option.
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1971 Karmann Ghia - 1600 DP
1984 Westfalia - 1.9 WBX |
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crazyvwvanman
Samba Member
Joined: January 28, 2008
Posts: 9915
Location: Orbiting San Diego
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| Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2018 7:49 am Post subject: Re: Dead Mouse, Interior Pull, and a Couple Mods |
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One modification to make removing and replacing the kitchen unit simpler is to enlarge the hole in it's plywood bottom where the propane lines come though. Just cut the oval opening all the way to the back edge. Then you can just slide the cabinet in and out as needed while the propane lines stay in their normal positions.
Mark |
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sped372
Samba Member
Joined: March 30, 2006
Posts: 653
Location: Waunakee, WI
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| Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2018 8:10 am Post subject: Re: Dead Mouse, Interior Pull, and a Couple Mods |
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| crazyvwvanman wrote: |
One modification to make removing and replacing the kitchen unit simpler is to enlarge the hole in it's plywood bottom where the propane lines come though. Just cut the oval opening all the way to the back edge. Then you can just slide the cabinet in and out as needed while the propane lines stay in their normal positions.
Mark |
Now there's a great idea. I left the whole cabinet in the van, just tipped it forward and onto the front face. There was enough movement in the propane lines with them disconnected at both ends. Would have been nice to be able to completely pull that cabinet though.
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1971 Karmann Ghia - 1600 DP
1984 Westfalia - 1.9 WBX |
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pinetreeporsche
Samba Member
Joined: June 11, 2009
Posts: 752
Location: Falls Church, VA
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| Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2018 9:53 am Post subject: Re: Dead Mouse, Interior Pull, and a Couple Mods |
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I've had westys off and on for 2 decades, and have never hooked up a hose to on front flip-up. But what's the fan for-- ventilating the whole behind-the-'frig area to minimize rust? And maybe to cool the space back there enough to increase the efficiency of the 'frig itself? Please verify if this is the point of this part of the project. I like the mount with the home-fabricated plate-- good approach. Was the fan particularly chosen as a best fit (where to buy?) -or was it just any old 12v computer cooling fan you came across?
And btw: I've had 7 vans since '74, in 2 states and one continent abroad, and never had a mouse problem. A bee or yellow-jacket nest, yeah. Mice by the dozen in apeartments or houses (literally- live-trapped over 40 one winter in Boston, and a rat in the household plumbing chases, but not in my vans. I hope my luck continues. |
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dschaftlein
Samba Member
Joined: October 11, 2016
Posts: 105
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| Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2018 10:07 am Post subject: Re: Dead Mouse, Interior Pull, and a Couple Mods |
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I had a leak in the fresh water tank, so I pulled the interior to let things dry out.
I'm currently working on the same project, putting everything back together as we speak. Of course I'm doing a lot of the same upgrades you are... sound deadening, rewiring all the shore power, powder coating trim pcs etc.
I spend most of my time off road and the cabinetry has always creaked and squeaked. I'm using UHMW tape in areas where the cabinetry is rubbing. it seems to be helping so far!
project looks great! |
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fishgo
Samba Member
Joined: June 21, 2018
Posts: 127
Location: Madison, WI
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| Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2018 10:38 am Post subject: Re: Dead Mouse, Interior Pull, and a Couple Mods |
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A couple of thoughts:
I first noticed your collector license plate. I'm a new and first-time owner as of this summer hand just received my blue WI collector plate to put on my '83. I live in Madison so we're practically neighbors.
Second: I took out the external fridge fan when I replaced my old hookup boxes. I have new ones installed but #1 will eventually be put back in use as an external fridge vent. I'd love to see your template and the install and had been thinking of how I modify the GW back to accommodate a new fan.
Third: Pulling the interior will probably happen in a year or 2 to do a rewire, insulation replacement and rust check/repair. My future is in your photos.
Thanks! |
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spitsnrovers
Samba Member
Joined: December 17, 2005
Posts: 924
Location: Calgary, Canada
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| Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2018 10:55 am Post subject: Re: Dead Mouse, Interior Pull, and a Couple Mods |
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AND notice that cute little Karmann Ghia? Very nice.
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'88 VW Westfalia
'75 Triumph Spitfire 1500 |
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sped372
Samba Member
Joined: March 30, 2006
Posts: 653
Location: Waunakee, WI
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| Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2018 11:15 am Post subject: Re: Dead Mouse, Interior Pull, and a Couple Mods |
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| pinetreeporsche wrote: |
| ..to cool the space back there enough to increase the efficiency of the 'frig itself? |
Yes, for fridge efficiency and even just to help pull that heat out of the interior for our comfort. The extra warmth is really noticeable on those hot summer evenings.
| pinetreeporsche wrote: |
| Was the fan particularly chosen as a best fit (where to buy?) -or was it just any old 12v computer cooling fan you came across? |
It was my best attempt at selecting based on fit, lowest power draw and sound level. We often camp for a week or more and I don't have an auxiliary battery. The fan I selected only uses 1/3 of a watt at 12v so I won't worry about leaving it on full-time if needed. I'm not sure if I'll run it that way or as triggered by the thermostat, some experimenting will be required.
https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/sanyo-denki/9...cycode=USD
| pinetreeporsche wrote: |
| I live in Madison so we're practically neighbors. I'd love to see your template and the install and had been thinking of how I modify the GW back to accommodate a new fan. |
Nice! Maybe we'll cross paths sometime. If you want to PM me your email address I can shoot you a PDF of the plate I made. Just print it out and it will be full scale. You can see how I began modifying the GoWesty city water hookup at the end of this thread (I did this last year before the mouse episode, for the record, just having an 'opening' didn't really seem to do much but it was possible to do this without pulling the cabinetry):
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=683477
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1984 Westfalia - 1.9 WBX |
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djkeev
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Joined: September 30, 2007
Posts: 32563
Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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sped372
Samba Member
Joined: March 30, 2006
Posts: 653
Location: Waunakee, WI
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| Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2018 1:50 pm Post subject: Re: Dead Mouse, Interior Pull, and a Couple Mods |
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I've thought about that, but here's the thing... I am positive, based various evidence, that we brought it home with us from our last camping trip. There's a very high probability it even just climbed in through the open sliding door (we leave it open all the time while at the campsite). That might also explain why it didn't leave since it couldn't just go back out the way it came in?
I might still look into doing some of those things anyway, just so I feel like I've taken some precautions.
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1971 Karmann Ghia - 1600 DP
1984 Westfalia - 1.9 WBX |
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SyncroChrick
Samba Member
Joined: January 10, 2005
Posts: 1010
Location: San Francisco, CA
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| Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2018 2:02 pm Post subject: Re: Dead Mouse, Interior Pull, and a Couple Mods |
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It looks really clean - nice work.
I hadn't realized you could still buy this front panel. Mine is also in need of refreshing (like they all do). |
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Nuthin2It 
Samba Member
Joined: December 31, 2011
Posts: 306
Location: Marietta, GA
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| Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2018 2:30 pm Post subject: Re: Dead Mouse, Interior Pull, and a Couple Mods |
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i got a front panel from Gunzi through Frank Condelli. You'd never guess that it was the right part from the page - they call it a "Stainless Spool Trim, T3."
https://www.vwbusshop.de/epages/GuenzlClassicParts...255070128A
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1985 Westfalia 15 degree EA288 Boxeer |
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sped372
Samba Member
Joined: March 30, 2006
Posts: 653
Location: Waunakee, WI
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| Posted: Tue Jul 23, 2019 10:02 am Post subject: Re: Dead Mouse, Interior Pull, and a Couple Mods |
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After a few camping trips I've decided the fan does, in fact, make enough of a difference to warrant the hole I had to drill to mount the toggle switch. I still hate making irreversible changes but it's a small, inconspicuous hole that could easily be plugged someday.
I don't have scientific data regarding fridge performance, but I can feel heat coming out the exhaust when the fan is on so I know the interior of the camper is benefiting at a minimum.
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1984 Westfalia - 1.9 WBX |
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chiefpete
Samba Member
Joined: May 11, 2014
Posts: 18
Location: California
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| Posted: Tue Sep 19, 2023 2:28 pm Post subject: Re: Dead Mouse, Interior Pull, and a Couple Mods |
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Thank you to original poster @sped372 and TheSamba for saving me quite a bit of time. I smelled a dead mouse in my van after trapping one and suspected she'd left babies behind.
My nose knew it was near the water tank, but I came here to sniff out posts about where other people have found mice nesting around there before tearing it all apart. I found a nest EXACTLY where sped372 did behind the clothes cabinet, and saved myself the effort of removing the seat and water cabinets. I only needed to remove the overhead and clothes cabinet to access the nest, the dead, rotting wee one, and a whole lot of poo.
Seems a vertical line of expanding foam between frame compartments would prevent mice from migrating that far back... tho I know too well they can chew right through that. Hardware cloth it is!
Thanks again  |
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