1989 Westy Makeover: GoWesty 2.3L Engine plus plus plus

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Speaking of wheels, I turned my recent attention to re-doing the wheel wells with Gravel Guard aka Rocker Guard. According to the manufacturer, the stuff "Protects, soundproofs and insulates." I like to slather the fuel expansion tanks at the front with the rubberized gunk, let it dry and then top coat it with black Plastidip to hold the undercoating in place. I bought two smaller 14.3 oz cans on sale last fall and held them over until it warmed up this month. Gotta pick your days, though: yesterday was 21 degrees C and today it was snowing!

Canadian tire stocks what they label as Rocker Guard https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/rubberized-rockerguard-undercoating-550-g-0477935p.html . Auto Value sells the same thing as Gravel Guard at a much cheaper everyday cost (the larger 19.5 oz can is a better deal for $10.97 and I added a can to the two smaller ones that I'd already bought for the job): https://store.autovalueparts.ca/en/p/dominion-sure.../100609260 . Both versions have finicky nozzles that need cleaning or constant spray to stay usable.

The area around the fuel tank filler cap was rusty so I hit that back in 2020 with a combo of rocker guard and Rust Cure -- which I apply a couple times a year to keep it from going back to its old rusty ways.

Overall, I find the undercoating does give a quieter ride and I make my way around all four wheel wells when applying (I'm too lazy to remove the wheels and simply throw a contractor garbage bag over them in turn to protect the tires from overspray and drips). Keep the nitrile gloves and mask on as the stuff reeks of chemicals and is drippy at times. Low VOC it is not:

I was thinking of installing one of these under the front windshield washer tank https://www.vanagon.org/products/front-washer-bottle-repair-cradle but decided just to undercoat the bottom of the tank and then topcoat it with black Plastidip as added protection against exposure and weathering:

Done! According to the Rustoleum Rock Guard brand: "Rock Guard has been formulated for temporary use and is recommended to be removed after 3 months or less." Doesn't hurt to top it up if it starts to wear -- at least in a dry climate.

Next I was having a look at the condition of my Yokohama Y370s since the winter tires would be coming off soon. I ran over a fiberglass ladder on Scabby Dried Meat Trail at speed not long after I bought those Yokos back in 2017. The sidewall of one tire failed within a day and the other was suspect although still holding air. Within months, the latter also picked up a nail near the edge of the tread. Bad luck tire! It was repaired with a patch-plug at the time but I had it replaced with one of the few remaining available Yokos in the country. With its almost brand-new looking tread, I've decided to put the repaired tire back in action at the rear with the unworn spare rotated in next to it:

The "blob"/patch from the nail damage, repaired as shown in these videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cosm6N0Vs5Y + https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BqWQT23DP4 :

Close to the sidewall but still on the flat section of the tread (any further to the edge and this wouldn't be safely fixable):

A few more weeks and I'll shift the Vanco winters off and re-install the Yokos. Looking at the mileage I racked up this winter since I had the Vanco tires installed, I was surprised that I only clocked up 1,000 kms since early October. The Vanco winter tires are hardly broken in and look like new. COVID and cancer will do that to ya! Here's hoping I put more kms under the Yokos this summer. One good omen of that happening was a "V" of ten swans flying northbound low over the house this afternoon. Couldn't tell whether they were trumpeters -- which I've heard "trumpeting" in past years as they flapped overhead -- or tundra swans but I'll gladly take a welcome sighting of either this time of year.

Last thing I did that day after coating the wheel wells: Topped up my peppermint supply with some tea bags that were on sale at the grocery store https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=9399159&highlight=peppermint#9399159 . With brain fog coming and going, any edge to increase alertness on the road is a very good thing: https://trid.trb.org/view/1869211 . It might even help with nausea/car sickness https://multi.inhalio.com/blog/keith-kelsens-narrative-scent-scent-cures-car-sickness-vehicle/ . I now have the tea stored in an open weave bag tied to the driver's head rest and change them out at least twice a year -- especially before a long trip.

Looking back into the thread to see when I last undercoated the wheel wells I happened across a real price shocker: In April 2020, gas was selling for 57.9 cents/litre Regular and 79.9 cents Premium (91 octane). Add on a dollar a litre or more these days!
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"Fritz", a temperamental and unforgiving 1989 Westy that proudly bears his German flags and status as a member of the exclusive GoWesty Belly Flop Club.
1989 Westy Makeover: GoWesty 2.3L Engine plus plus plus https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0

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The path to enlightenment is normally long, challenging and fraught with interminable bouts of reflection and meditation. But ol' Doc Brandt -- renowned Vanagon psychologist, world traveller and lighting engineer -- came up with a neat way to speed the inner enlightenment process up after a quick trip to Ikea: https://www.instagram.com/p/CYnIFvePXdN/ . Kiddies, don't try that at home!

Each light is 65 Lumens and has a nice warm glow (2700 Kelvin) not like the regular blinding white LEDs: https://www.ikea.com/ca/en/p/halvklart-led-cabinet-spotlight-white-90463623/ .

Now I have to admit, I'm a Luddite. I don't want an extra battery installed and fancy electronics with numerous USB plugs front, back and everywhere. Simplicity is my game. Here's the entire electronics power source currently in Fritz:

Yup, the 30-year old cigarette lighter. Note that it doesn't stick out any further than the similar vintage, almost-flat temperature gauge that I bought at Canadian Tire decades ago:

I'd added a GoWesty car charger with two USB plugs some time ago but it hangs out a good inch and a half and pulls out if too much weight is added to it https://www.gowesty.com/product/cigarette-lighter-...-voltmeter :

Looking at the Ikea lights, I needed two plugs for attachment but they'd have to be a low profile design and ideally have glowing ports for use in the dark. Bingo! Scosche Low Profile Dual Car Charger to the rescue:

Snug fit and no problem with the weight load. The lights come with two-metres of cord so you can run them up to the rear view mirror, drape them over the sun visors or run them out the front doors (for working in the wheel wells). That would take care of lighting up the front of the vehicle -- general lighting as well as a decent map/reading light set-up (I still use paper maps).

But what about the back end? The cords could stretch but only so far.

The solution? A complete package that could be used together -- inside the van, outside the van and even upside down or backwards.

The newish Biolite Alpenglow 500 would do the trick: https://ca.bioliteenergy.com/products/alpenglow-500?variant=39546887798843 . At a modest cost compared to the full electronics shebang, this lighting set up would check off most of my needs -- and could also double/triple/quadruple as a home bedside lamp, outdoor patio light and emergency back-up light with umpteen colour options. Only one of the Ikea lights can be plugged into the 6400 mAh battery of the Biolite but that still offered the option of a long cord in the back of the van as well as outside at camp. The Biolite comes with four main lighting modes as shown here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBOZC3AcGs8 . Shaking things up, you can add more. The warmish setting pairs nicely with the 2700 Kelvin Halvklart string light and is plenty for reading:

The blinding bright white light would be better for troubleshooting under the van or changing a tire at night. Note that with a shake, the white light can appear on only one side of the Biolite so the glare stays out of your eyes. I have the single colour mode set on "red" for night vision. Amber is also available if you're concerned about attracting outdoor insects. The bonus is that you can run the Biolite sitelight string lights off the Alpenglow 500 https://ca.bioliteenergy.com/products/sitelight-st...gLt9fD_BwE or attach them (or anything else) to the Biolite power chargers: https://ca.bioliteenergy.com/products/charge-80-pd...gKLPvD_BwE .

Works for a simplicity seeker like myself. And, based on the numerous 5-star reviews online, it works extremely well. I bought mine from Sail.ca online at $89.99 CDN with free shipping. If you sign up for the Biolite online newsletter, you'll get the same price due to a 10% off deal. Best pricing -- which will make it more reasonable especially with complementary Biolite products -- would be available during the 20 or 25% off seasonal sales around July, Black Friday or Christmas.

Light up your life. Become enlightened!
_________________
"Fritz", a temperamental and unforgiving 1989 Westy that proudly bears his German flags and status as a member of the exclusive GoWesty Belly Flop Club.
1989 Westy Makeover: GoWesty 2.3L Engine plus plus plus https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0

[dobryan]

Nice!
_________________
Dave O
'87 Westy w/ 2002 Subaru EJ25 and Peloquin TBD

"To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive." Robert Louis Stevenson

MD>Canada>AK>WA>OR>CA>AZ>UT>WY>SD
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=620646

Building a bus for travel in Europe (euroBus)
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=695371

The Western Syncro build
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=746794

[VicVan]

I love the look of that thermometer!
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'90 Little Blue Truck, 2WD auto, FAS GenV 2.0 NA (AVH)

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[khughes]

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[khughes]

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Make that SNOW Bunny day!

https://calgary.ctvnews.ca/snowfall-warning-issued-for-calgary-1.5868125

Of course, a Westy part set that I've been waiting on for two weeks arrived at the Post Office yesterday. It can sit there for a few days until this mess melts away and temps warm up.

More to come on that upgrade...
_________________
"Fritz", a temperamental and unforgiving 1989 Westy that proudly bears his German flags and status as a member of the exclusive GoWesty Belly Flop Club.
1989 Westy Makeover: GoWesty 2.3L Engine plus plus plus https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0

[VdubVanner]

Yesterday's message from Post Office: "April 19, 2022, 2:32 PM Attempted Delivery [In a record snowstorm? Not wise or likely.] -- Item being held, addressee being notified."

Today? Bingo! Delivered by the postie at 2:24 PM. I was thinking I was going to have to walk over in the melting muck to finally get that package. And here it is in all its "original" form complete with a VanGuy sticker:

I found this nifty product quite by accident. I was doing a Google search to find the cheapest rocker/gravel guard spray cans several weeks back and stumbled across a Vanagon website that offered up something I hadn't seen before -- a unique wheel well rock guard: https://vanguy.net/collections/vanagon-products/products/wheel-well-rock-guards . Although I wasn't interested in that item, I had a look at others in the catalog and there it was in all its glory -- a 2WD steering stiffie kit dubbed The Original (as opposed to what else, I hadn't quite gathered yet):

The goal was to stop/reduce the flex in the steering rack cross-member by adding the stiffeners where the red arrows point to below (photo credit: Peace Vans, click to enlarge for detail):

Best of all, the kit was on sale and will perhaps remain that way (back story to come on that pricing): https://vanguy.net/collections/vanagon-products/products/newton-steering-stiffeners . Master Vanagon mechanic/know-it-all Jason Newton came up with the idea/product and is using Branden Floyd's VanGuy site as the storefront. Jason -- who's featured in the installation video at the bottom of that page -- is a regular face on the vintage side of Peace Vans in Seattle: https://www.peacevans.com/inspections . The best starting point for your vehicle? Jason! He looks to be the experienced star of The Vintage Team (I won't mention the earlier video of the dark side/The Modern Team): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBtjw41RLWs . If you haven't looked through the Peace Vans site including their blog and videos I highly recommend it. The best part is discovering the cost of a modern Mercedes Metris full camper: https://www.peacevans.com/full-camper . $107,000 U.S. = $134,000 CDN. That folks is BASE cost. Ouch! And you thought Westies were expensive.

Eventually I checked the Samba to see if there was a thread on the steering stiffies -- I like to call them that since "stiffeners" sounds so stiff -- and did indeed find one: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=750784&highlight=steering+stiffener . Based on the starting date of that thread and the date of the installation video, it looked like The Original first made its retail appearance at the end of February 2021. By November 2nd it was going on sale:

Why? Well, the fact that Christopher at T3 Technique came out with his own beefy, billet aluminum version with additional shiny hardware bling the day before at the same price point might've had something to do with it https://t3technique.com/collections/025-motorsport...nt-kit-2wd :

According to Chris, the product was in his thoughts for eight long years before he finally sprang into action. His steering rack "movement" video shows quite clearly what goes on under the van when the steering wheel operates: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QphpMsolThU . Chris also provides his own installation video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wtfk5vWHPXU and points out that the work was done on a driveway with no jacks/ramps. Even a fumble-fingered, feeble-minded home mechanic should be able to handle that simple install (not that I know anyone who fits that description).

The nice thing is this -- Jason did the right side installation in his video while Chris did a left side installation. They each had their own way of doing things, too. Jason fed the second bolt from below ...

...while Chris dropped his in from above...

Same end result. Note that the plain-Jane Originals come with only the Driver's Side (left side) stiffener labelled. Chris has gone whole hog (as usual for a perfectionist) and slapped Right and Left on each of his items. As long as you have one side labelled for the initial install, Bob's your uncle. Or just figure it out as you go since the angle of each stiffener is different.

Both of these Vanagon/Westy geniuses think the steering stiffies are the bee's knees. So do I -- especially for anyone who's still running 14-inch tires. Anything that adds to the stability of a van on narrower 14-inch tires when a white-knuckle wind gust hits is a good thing. Here's the T3 Technique explanation: "When you encounter a wind gust, especially from the side, the first reaction you have to it is through the steering wheel, usually by steering into the direction of the gust. When you turn that steering wheel, the unreinforced crossmember must move a certain amount before you achieve any actual steering input to the wheels. By the time this delayed input occurs, often the wind gust is over and now you have to react by steering the opposite direction. This back and forth motion of reactions creates a very unstable feel in the van. By reinforcing that crossmember, we shorten the reaction time in the steering system. This in turn allows you to react to things like wind gusts much quicker, thus making the van feel more stable. Handling in corners is also improved as is the overall steering feel."

With Fritz, everything seems incremental. Whether it's soundproofing or suspension work, even a wee addition on the positive side all adds to the sum total. Eventually that positive accumulation becomes apparent and transforms the ride to a more modern feel and tone and greatly increases the pleasure of driving an aging Westy or Vanagon.

Once the snow dump melts in a few days and the temperatures rise some, I'll be back out in the alley and having a go at those powder coated, rock-solid steel Originals that saved me $25 CDN. Forty prototypes were used in the field testing and I reckon the offspring will outlast most vans/van owners. If you're hankering to get one of Chris's top notch anti-roll/sway bars (seen on Fritz below), consider adding one of his 2WD stiffening kits which should save on shipping cost. Unfortunately, at the moment, those T3 kits are out of stock. Alternatively, go with The Originals -- nuthin' wrong with them at all -- especially if they're priced cheaper and in stock. As a steadfast traditionalist, I'm partial to original equipment.

Melt, snow, melt! A little upcoming mood music for the alley install: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BJ7MDOmLPE&list=RDNJoZLj_OHGg&index=3 . Note the prominence of the Westy steering wheel upfront and center at the 10 second mark. Although often overlooked or neglected, the steering system is important stuff. If you have a 2WD, why not stiffen it up some?
_________________
"Fritz", a temperamental and unforgiving 1989 Westy that proudly bears his German flags and status as a member of the exclusive GoWesty Belly Flop Club.
1989 Westy Makeover: GoWesty 2.3L Engine plus plus plus https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0

[VdubVanner]

Okay, let's continue on with our "stiffie kit adventure" using Jason Newton's The Original stiffeners. The snow melted, the temperatures warmed up to a suitable level (15 degrees C+) and the alley awaited. After the fun was all over with, I awarded myself the honour badge of a VanGuy.net sticker in yellow and orange which just happened to match up nicely with a nearby Bus Lab sticker on the back of my rear cabinet:

Before I begin the adventurous tale of stiffener derring-do, I'd like you to soak in the ambiance of the last photo in the previous post. And I mean soak -- the underside of Fritz is still coated with slimey goo after a generous application of Rust Cure, my fave product (after "Greek Windex" i.e. silicone sealant): https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/rust-cure-formula-3000-14-oz-0477985p.html . That weighs heavily in the upcoming story...

Looking at those two bolts below the rack in that photo, you'll notice something -- they sure as heck aren't as clean and pretty as the ones Jason Newton was removing and replacing in his instruction video. You could eat off of those ones, they're so dang clean! Mine? Gooey in the extreme. Ghostbusters would be proud:

Since Jason and Branden are firm believers in recycling -- unlike a certain fella at T3 who dangles shiny new hardware bling in front of customers -- they advise you to keep the old washers under that goo/dirt/what-have-you and re-use them. Of course, you could always ignore that professional tip and buy some new bling/shiny washers at a local hardware store. Being the eager (cheap) student in stiffener science, I opted for the recycling route. In no time at all, I freed a gooey bolt and washer and cleaned things up:

All it took was a metal paint scraper and about 10 minutes of elbow grease on each washer. I deliberately made sure not to clean them up too much. Heck, they wouldn't fit into the general scenery if they were too flashy. Besides, the next Rust Cure application was just going to goo them up all over again. Why waste too much effort cleaning them up? After you get done with the Driver's Side stiffener, the lone location sticker will be staring down your way:

That's an indication that you did something right. Carrying on to the right side, clean the washer and repeat the process. When you're all done, the rack area will look like this with two new bolts and two recycled washers:

Now doesn't that look as easy as Jason and Chris at T3 claim in their videos? Piece of cake! Note, however, that Professor Newton was working on an immaculately clean van that was on a lift. Chris gets bonus points for making things more difficult since he was doing the installation on a paved driveway but I don't see any goo or gravel anywhere. Me? It was an absolute fumble-fingered, gravelly goo fest. I should mention upfront that the chemo has caused me to morph into a Pillsbury Doughboy with the gain of almost 10 lbs from water retention (well, I'm saying it's all water but I haven't lost my appetite either). Now picture a somewhat slimmer version of that well-known doughboy squeezing into the rather confined goo-filled space between a gravel garage approach and the underside of a Westy. Not a pretty picture. Although I had placed some carpet underlay on the gravel to soften the blow(s), every time I squirmed to get into position to do some wrenching/removing/cleaning/replacing that cushion seemed to mysteriously move away from me. Hard gravel on your back isn't conducive to throwing comments of "easy peasy" around. No, siree, sir. The air was turning blue as I was basted like a Thanksgiving turkey in Rust Cure goo. By the end of it all, I wasn't sure who had more slime on them -- Fritz or me. Somewhere along the way, I made the executive decision to follow the T3 technique of dropping the second bolt on each side in from above. With a little bit of fiddling, that worked fine on the initial driver's side install.

On the right passenger side? Not so good. By this time I was sweating slime. To liven things up even more, when I tried to drop the bolt in from above again, I just couldn't line things up for the final descent. Then the best part of the adventure occurred: the bolt slipped out of my hand overhead and disappeared into a gooey Bermuda Triangle. Somehow it disappeared into thin/blue air. Not a trace of it was found -- and I tried running my hand over that dang frame as far as I could with no result. Even my normal fumble-fingered cure of the magnetic pick-up tool came up empty. Oh-oh! Finally I gave up and admitted defeat. Off to Home Depot with the lock nut so I could get an expert there to come up with the right size bolt. I actually got two lengths to make sure one would fit. I added a couple of washers and an extra lock nut, too. No sense taking chances. In the end it all worked out -- but it was not what I would call a pleasant experience. The old clothes I used for the "basting" were ready for the garbage. So was I but I eventually settled on a good scrubbing in the shower. That's when I noticed some scraped skin and a few cuts on my wrist from the unsuccessful exploration in the Bermuda Triangle. That isn't good for a guy on chemo with low white blood cell counts (which makes for easier infection). The nitrile gloves only go so far and in all the excitement of exploring I got nicked a few times. So I slapped on some antibiotic and hoped for the best.

Taking Fritz out for a spin today to test things out -- while I was driving my wife and daughter to the dentist for appointments -- the ordeal the day before seemed like a distant dream (or nightmare). But I will say this: those stiffie kits really do work. I could feel a firmness in the steering that wasn't there before. Maybe it was my imagination but the van wasn't pulling to the right as much as it usually did either. Hands off the wheel at speed and it was straight ahead as it goes! Fritz seemed to be a bit smug and self-satisfied -- likely because he was behind the shenanigans of yesterday. I almost swore I heard him chuckling as the air was getting bluer!

But that was behind us. Today The Original stiffie kit was in and working and Fritz was on his best behaviour parked at the dentist office in the inner city:

Off in the distant background I could make out a worthy slogan for Westy owners:

Now I don't know if that admonition was aimed at me or those following in my gooey footsteps. But take heart brave stiffener installers, NO ONE can possibly do a worse job of it than I did -- and I survived the ordeal with a great story about the Bermuda Triangle of the Westy world. Don't be a coward, get under that van and get to it. And don't let the three-eyed, toothy fumble-fingered demons scare you off along the way.

_________________
"Fritz", a temperamental and unforgiving 1989 Westy that proudly bears his German flags and status as a member of the exclusive GoWesty Belly Flop Club.
1989 Westy Makeover: GoWesty 2.3L Engine plus plus plus https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0

[Abscate]

Is that whole rack held on with two fasteners? I would go to 12.9 and use new stuff from Belmetric or McMaster on those. In contrast, my Volvo rack has six bolt on attach points using M12 bolts
_________________
.ssS!

[dobryan]

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Speaking of stealing....


Then (April 2020 when I replaced the old scruffy one):

...and now, only two years later:

Is it just me, or is there some serious price gouging going on these days?? I note that GoWesty still has the rear emblems priced at about 35 bucks U.S. but its currently out of stock: https://gowesty.com/products/rear-hatch-emblem?_pos=2&_sid=33243be55&_ss=r . Even cheaper at Van Cafe but also out of stock: https://vancafe.com/chrome-rear-hatch-emblem/#product-reviews .

Dang, my timing was good! 30 bucks CDN translates to about 23 U.S. these days: https://www2.cip1.com/vwc-251-853-601-b/ . Current Cip1 May Daze sale = $42.24 in U.S. and $54.92 in Canada. Runaway inflation? Or highway robbery?
_________________
"Fritz", a temperamental and unforgiving 1989 Westy that proudly bears his German flags and status as a member of the exclusive GoWesty Belly Flop Club.
1989 Westy Makeover: GoWesty 2.3L Engine plus plus plus https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0

[VdubVanner]

I decided to commute the "death sentence" of the garbage-bound, Rust-cured jacket and instead hang it up in the garage, as is, well away from any other clothing. No need to fuss with it further. It now stands on guard for the next gooey/messy assignment.

As you might recall, Fritz was last seen sitting peacefully -- and contentedly -- at the dentist's office. There was a reason for that passing bit of short-lived bliss on his part: he'd managed to snooker me into completing another quick job while waiting to go back into the stiffy Bermuda Triangle with the new hardware from Home Depot.

It all started innocently -- and strangely -- enough with a rather bizarre and unusual event in the old neighbourhood: the moving of a bungalow off its foundation for a road trip to an acreage near Lethbridge hours away via highway. Here it sits parked in the middle of the street waiting for the midnight crawl through Cowtown's usually busy road network. That blocked-up street is my normal approach to get to the back alley and my garage.

My neighbours around the corner had sold that house for the grand sum of $20,000 CDN to a couple in the windy city who wished to save some bucks on building a new country home. The plan was to clear the lot of that house and attached garage (moved separately due to overall size) and then build a new infill that would accommodate the needs of a growing family. Fritz and I routinely drove by each and every time we made our way back to our teeny alley garage. And Fritz was keeping an eye on things at each pass looking for new developments -- and finally spotted what he was looking for in the foundation debris.

Chaotic as it looked, that basement was literally a gold mine ready to be plucked. The target? The abundant R20 yellow "underwear" that Fritz had been patiently waiting for. Some avid readers of this thread might remember that I'd done him a favour by scrounging some pink insulation from renovators doing work across the street. That would fill in the missing bits in the sliding door that I'd discovered a couple years ago while doing the Frost King insulation/sound deadener work.

Although I'd thought I was doing Fritz a major favour, as a tempermental Germanic manly type he felt slighted with the introduction of frilly pink underwear. No, siree, sir! He'd had enough of that embarrassing nonsense. Even though no one could see that pink underwear beneath the sliding door panel, Fritz knew it was there. This was his big chance to get some of that yellow insulating attire -- and the price was right. Since those neighbours were friends of ours they gave me free rein over the R20 and I could take what I needed. In no time at all, the deed was done -- with gloves and mask on. At the end of it all, not only did Fritz have some suitable masculine undies but he was now carrying an historical artifact and memento of the original house donated by the generous neighbours. BTW fiberglass insulation may not suit everyone: https://www.vacayvans.com/best-natural-insulation-...aNycGzNCFE . I'd driven the van for decades with the old insulation in so didn't switch to wool a couple years ago. The only place that the fiberglass particles might get a chance to circulate is behind the fridge when the fan kicks on. The rest of it is behind panels. Good thing I don't normally use the fridge and now have an Engel 50 cooler onboard.

As usual, there were complications during the installation. When I popped the panel off, I found one of the plastic panel clips had broken and I didn't have a spare. It would not pound in flat. So off the whole panel went to the basement and I followed what I'd done to the rear hatch backer-board: I used Gorilla wood glue to strengthen each of the clips at their base before trying to pound them back in tight. The R20 was shaved down in thickness until it no longer forced the panel against the rear fender flare. I eventually decided to keep the lower section "original" with the old yeller underwear and place the new stuff in the upper part of the panel. If I, or Fritz, were hot-blooded Latinos we certainly would have gone with new yellow underwear all-round for luck: https://www.ctvnews.ca/lifestyle/why-latinos-eat-g...lay%3Dtrue . The broken plastic clip? That took a bit of thinking but as always, the solution was ... "Greek Windex" aka silicone sealant. I filled the inner space of the clip with silicone, fashioning an arrow like projection off the edge that would hopefully grab when hardened overnight and then pounded in. Did the trick!

Fritz has been on his best behaviour ever since that new attire arrived on the scene. Never fear, he's looking for the next opportunity for special treatment and hoping my guard goes down. Dang it, it already has: stay tuned for an upcoming special feature on Fritz's latest fancy upgrade...
_________________
"Fritz", a temperamental and unforgiving 1989 Westy that proudly bears his German flags and status as a member of the exclusive GoWesty Belly Flop Club.
1989 Westy Makeover: GoWesty 2.3L Engine plus plus plus https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0

[VdubVanner]

If you're interested in the Biolite line of lights etc as described upthread on this page, now is the time to load up with a 25% Off Victoria Day sale in CANADA ONLY:

https://ca.bioliteenergy.com/collections#solar-panels

Comparison shop at Sail.ca and Breathe Outdoors https://breatheoutdoors.ca/ with a 20% off stated price on the Biolite Sunlight 100 lights on clearance at B.O. The latter deal is a steal!
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"Fritz", a temperamental and unforgiving 1989 Westy that proudly bears his German flags and status as a member of the exclusive GoWesty Belly Flop Club.
1989 Westy Makeover: GoWesty 2.3L Engine plus plus plus https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0

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The U.S. turn at a big Biolite sale: https://www.bioliteenergy.com/products . 25% OFF Memorial Day Sale which lasts until May 30th.

This is the best/largest discount that you'll see over the year.

MPowerd is also throwing a 40% OFF Memorial Day Sale your way (until May 31st): https://mpowerd.com/ + https://mpowerd.com/products/luci-color-solar-string-lights (self-powered with solar panel if need be).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h57IdEE_FdI

The non-colored version has three light output levels which may suit your needs better:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfdNJZKR_z8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-w4T0St-rU

Good deals. Stock up!
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"Fritz", a temperamental and unforgiving 1989 Westy that proudly bears his German flags and status as a member of the exclusive GoWesty Belly Flop Club.
1989 Westy Makeover: GoWesty 2.3L Engine plus plus plus https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0

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Reminder: Only 24 hrs left to those Memorial Day lighting sales....
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"Fritz", a temperamental and unforgiving 1989 Westy that proudly bears his German flags and status as a member of the exclusive GoWesty Belly Flop Club.
1989 Westy Makeover: GoWesty 2.3L Engine plus plus plus https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0

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The Gregory Alan Isakov theme song for this lengthy continuing episode is Second Chances, co-written with his younger brother Ilan -- lovingly referred to by sibling G.A.I. as "a f--king killer songwriter". The Weatherman and a wild flying object figure prominently into the tale as well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=makCY8JSqgE + https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HvOxfWlsss .

Isakov was the debut musical artist in GoWesty's wonderful Westy Sessions in 2016 and his distinctive blue, pin-striped '87 van -- "Squeaky" -- features prominently in the header for the popular Westy Sessions page. Presumably Squeaky's second engine is a GoWesty (2.3L??) since the well-known musician is also an official GoWesty Traveling Ambassador. "A lot of traveling makes it into the songs, into the writing,"says Isakov. "I constantly have my satellite out." Squeaky? " I use it for work. I use it for everything." If you don't see that van out on the open road -- or festooning a GoWesty page https://www.instagram.com/p/BD8_CFMxn8A/ or elsewhere https://www.lostlustsupply.com/shop/gregory-alan-isakov-van-pin -- you might see it parked or hauling veggies on Isakov's Starling Farm, a six-acre, bio-intensive market gardening outfit now in its 8th growing season serving local restaurants and dozens of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) members in Boulder County, Colorado: https://starlingfarm.merchtable.com/? + https://www.cuindependent.com/2020/02/21/gregory-alan-isakov/ . Who knew? He's a first class farmer and a Grammy nominated musician to boot. There is a satisfying symbiosis of sorts going on between the musical and agricultural sides of the man as Starling Farm includes a barn studio where much of his creative output is captured. In fact, that Grammy nominated Evening Machines album refers to Isakov's many nighttime forays into the equipment-laden studio.

So what's my connection with Second Chances? Awnings!

If you look carefully at Squeaky in various poses -- on or off the farm -- you'll note that Isakov has no heavy awning weighing down his van/hanging-off-in-a-wind-catching-way (think five dollar a gallon gas $$$$). The fact that you can't see an obvious awning doesn't mean that he doesn't carry a smaller portable one. He might have it tucked away in a back cabinet ready for action when needed -- saving gas and weight.

Once upon a time, I inherited a solid old Norseman Apollo awning with the purchase of my van in 1994. It weighed a ton (about 50lbs all up) and eventually ended up cracking my rain gutter, front and back on the passenger side, from years of bouncing and banging around on rough logging roads. I was not impressed.

I rarely used the heavy burden yet routinely carried it at all times in case the need arose. Sanity eventually prevailed and I gifted it to my mechanic some time ago. "Charlie" (Brown), on the left, enjoying my classic 1980s, tan-striped Norseman Apollo awning:

I reckoned it was time to look at simpler and lighter options ranging from El Cheapo tarp set ups to something that looked worthy of being attached to finicky Fritz, recipient of umpteen $$$ to run better and look good while doing so. He would not take kindly to a blue flapping Walmart tarp! On the other hand, he certainly didn't need or want an ultra-expensive Fiamma F45S -- roughly $1600 CDN for the 11'6" version with the mounting kit. I was looking for something inexpensive -- not cheap -- and versatile so it could be moved between family vehicles and set up independently away from the vehicle as well. Could a Fiamma or ARB or aging Norseman Apollo do that? No Chance!

My eye finally settled on the latest tailgate type awnings/configurations. The tailgaters are nice because they are much more versatile -- and adaptable to many vehicles -- than a large custom awning structure attached rigidly to your van sometimes with hole-drilling involved. No thanks!

On April 25th, Fritz and I were given "Second Chances" with a new lightweight awning that popped up on Amazon.ca for $99.99 as "Used -- Very Good", down from its normal price tag of $159.99 CDN. At the time, that under $100 price translated to $76.94 U.S. satisfying even the stingiest of U.S. tarp/awning skinflints. It even came with a separate side wall for extra privacy, shade, wind protection and rain protection if attached over the top of the awning. Inexpensive not cheap. I'd bought used items off Amazon in the past and had no problems, usually receiving either a brand new item or something that required 5 minutes of sewing to make it right. I could always send the awning back if it was rougher that expected.

Here's how the small package looked on arrival. It was all of 2' X 6"X 6" in its storage bag and weighed less than 10lbs. In other words, I wouldn't get a hernia trying to lift or install it.

I liked it because it was sold by a Canadian company based in Vancouver, BC -- Offroadinggear.com -- that had a sense of humour: https://www.offroadinggear.com/pages/about-us . "Offroading Gear is based in America's largest national park, better known as Canada. Driving in Canada is tough. Even in August, we're forced to drive through meters of snow to just to get to the ice rink or our lumber jack training. This means we understand off-roading better than a Saskatchewaner understands the Rough Riders. Don't worry Americans, we fulfill our products from warehouses in the U.S. and our prices are in U.S. dollars, not loonies. As passionate off-roaders ourselves, we are committed to offering the best quality products and the best prices possible. Deep within our igloos in Vancouver, we've spent countless hours researching and developing all of our products. Through our network of warehouses throughout the United States and Canada we make thousands of happy offroaders each and every month. If you have any questions or comments and you're daring enough to try and interpret thick Canadian accents and slang, feel free to contact us at any time.
Oh yeah, and remember, life is better off of roads.
Dave Bryant
Owner, OFR Brands Inc."

The video on that page made an important point -- Dave actually pays regular visits to the company's Chinese factories to maintain quality control which can be a big problem with these types of awnings. There are at least three lookalike awnings with the same color patterns that come from China: The Offroadinggear one I purchased, KingCamp and Coastrails. These canopy awnings can be installed in at least half a dozen configurations https://www.offroadinggear.com/collections/awnings...-extension + https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UzSPV07iYY :

1) Lean To: Angled downwards from the side door(s) for immediate privacy, shade or wind screening
2) Off the rear-end of any vehicle i.e. a tailgater
3) At a 90 degree angle from a vehicle's side door(s)
4) Parallel to the full length of the vehicle
5) Set up independently away from the camp/vehicle, over a picnic table or in conjunction with a nearby screen tent, tree or chain link fence
6) Set up independently sideways as a low wind screen and/or shade structure
7) Completely freestanding with the addition of two extra poles
8 ) Flat on the ground, staked down as a domed cover over stored gear

Let's say your Westy is in for lengthy repairs and you substitute your Dodge van aka "The Duke" for a quick adventure. No problems:

To be continued...
_________________
"Fritz", a temperamental and unforgiving 1989 Westy that proudly bears his German flags and status as a member of the exclusive GoWesty Belly Flop Club.
1989 Westy Makeover: GoWesty 2.3L Engine plus plus plus https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0