Last Friday the van hit the 200k mile mark. The same van that I just fixed so it would pass inspection. Yes the check engine light is on, but really it would be more surprising if it wasn't. As my mechanics observed vehicles like this are not known for lasting this long.
The big event itself happened while I was driving back from the Kol Nidre service. I glanced at the odometer and let out a big whoop. Nate, who was riding shotgun, said we should take a picture so I told him to use my phone. The resulting picture is a bit blurred, but it is legible.
As for the timing of the picture, Nate gave me the following explanation. He wanted the number to be 200,013 since it was Friday the 13th and the year is 2013.
Showing posts with label cars. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cars. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
And I Repair Cars
Last week I brought the van in for new tires. One tree was shot to heck and I was driving around on the spare. I had a sneaking suspicion that at least one other tree needed replacing and had the shop check them all out.
I was right and in reality all needed replacing and after the *ahem* slightly overdue inspection it turned out I had a burnt out reverse signal light and the third tail light was so dim it was effectively nonfunctional. Thus my van earned a big old reject sticker. Since my van is rather geriatric, 9 1/2 years to be precise, and a discontinued mode my mechanics didn't have the tail light on hand. They told me I had 15 days to correct the problems and maybe I should look around for a tail light in a junkyard. It is a complicated part and it would be silly to spend a lot on such an old vehicle.
After a bit of research I discovered exactly how complicated the part is, in order to replace the third light I would also have to replace the windshield wiper motor. Yes,that's right, the Ford motor company in all its wisdom combined the tail light and the rear wiper motor. The above picture shows the entire part. Every mechanic I've talked to this past week has shook their head and said that's crazy.
Unfortunately I could not find a used one, this was after two junkyards and a dealer in salvaged auto-parts. So I was stuck going to the dealership and ordering from them, note the parts department thought the combo was crazy as well. Today the part came in and I was able to successfully install the new wiper motor and tail light. Toss in a new reverse light buld and I was good to go for inspection.
It's nice to have a vehicle without a rejection sticker.
I was right and in reality all needed replacing and after the *ahem* slightly overdue inspection it turned out I had a burnt out reverse signal light and the third tail light was so dim it was effectively nonfunctional. Thus my van earned a big old reject sticker. Since my van is rather geriatric, 9 1/2 years to be precise, and a discontinued mode my mechanics didn't have the tail light on hand. They told me I had 15 days to correct the problems and maybe I should look around for a tail light in a junkyard. It is a complicated part and it would be silly to spend a lot on such an old vehicle.
After a bit of research I discovered exactly how complicated the part is, in order to replace the third light I would also have to replace the windshield wiper motor. Yes,that's right, the Ford motor company in all its wisdom combined the tail light and the rear wiper motor. The above picture shows the entire part. Every mechanic I've talked to this past week has shook their head and said that's crazy.
Unfortunately I could not find a used one, this was after two junkyards and a dealer in salvaged auto-parts. So I was stuck going to the dealership and ordering from them, note the parts department thought the combo was crazy as well. Today the part came in and I was able to successfully install the new wiper motor and tail light. Toss in a new reverse light buld and I was good to go for inspection.
It's nice to have a vehicle without a rejection sticker.
Tuesday, April 09, 2013
Go Big
Or go home.
I spotted this car while out shopping today. The whole thing, from the mismatched door, the completely unaligned door molding, and to the "Big Sexy" on prominent display, was too good to not photograph.
So here I am sharing with the world the "Big Sexy."
Why this happened I'll never know and honestly I don't want to.
I spotted this car while out shopping today. The whole thing, from the mismatched door, the completely unaligned door molding, and to the "Big Sexy" on prominent display, was too good to not photograph.
So here I am sharing with the world the "Big Sexy."
Why this happened I'll never know and honestly I don't want to.
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Grateful
Today I am very grateful for my van.
It had a breakdown today while I was out and about taking Max to one of the specialists he sees. And it wasn't a little "Ooo what's that odd sound, maybe I should take it in." No, it was a full on grinding clunk of a noise as I hit the accelerator to go through the green light. Shocked by the horrific din I pulled my foot off the gas and threw it into neutral. The engine sounded fine. I tried putting it into drive and the second I took my foot off the brake the din returned.
Nuts.
I coasted back down the incline I was on, snugged the car against the curb, and hit the flashers. The van was clearly dead in the water. It is nine years old with 186,000 miles, so I am not completely shocked that something has gone wrong. I called up Allstate for a tow and was able to garner Max a ride back to school with Meryl. The tow was promised to arrive at noon and I just had to sit and wait.
Now why am I grateful?
The van decided to break on the one nice day we have had so far, it wasn't raining, sleeting, nor snowing.
I did not make it out of the quiet side street and onto the extremely busy road that was, due to road work, narrowed from four lanes down to two.
It broke after Max's appointment while I was leaving to take Max to school.
The whole mess happened during normal business hours.
The tow guy was able to pick me up at 11:30 am.
And the best part, it wasn't the transmission. Just the the cv axle, a far cheaper part to replace.
I was back on the road in a few hours. Thank you trusty van for taking care of us.
It had a breakdown today while I was out and about taking Max to one of the specialists he sees. And it wasn't a little "Ooo what's that odd sound, maybe I should take it in." No, it was a full on grinding clunk of a noise as I hit the accelerator to go through the green light. Shocked by the horrific din I pulled my foot off the gas and threw it into neutral. The engine sounded fine. I tried putting it into drive and the second I took my foot off the brake the din returned.
Nuts.
I coasted back down the incline I was on, snugged the car against the curb, and hit the flashers. The van was clearly dead in the water. It is nine years old with 186,000 miles, so I am not completely shocked that something has gone wrong. I called up Allstate for a tow and was able to garner Max a ride back to school with Meryl. The tow was promised to arrive at noon and I just had to sit and wait.
Now why am I grateful?
The van decided to break on the one nice day we have had so far, it wasn't raining, sleeting, nor snowing.
I did not make it out of the quiet side street and onto the extremely busy road that was, due to road work, narrowed from four lanes down to two.
It broke after Max's appointment while I was leaving to take Max to school.
The whole mess happened during normal business hours.
The tow guy was able to pick me up at 11:30 am.
And the best part, it wasn't the transmission. Just the the cv axle, a far cheaper part to replace.
I was back on the road in a few hours. Thank you trusty van for taking care of us.
Friday, November 16, 2012
Fighter Jet, Err Car
Cars for the most part are boring. Sometimes you get to see an exotic such as a Lotus, or antique like an old Chevy. License plates are a bit more interesting, but again nothing terribly dramatic. But every now and then you see a car that screams photograph me, and last Sunday I saw such a car.
What initially drew my eye was the ridiculous amount of stickers covering the back end. It was an unbelievable collage slapped willy-nilly and completely covering every surface, rear window included. As I walked around the car it got even better.
The owner had painted a shark mouth on both sides of the front end.
Wow.
I thought it was great and I had to take a picture. This ranks right up there with the yellow volksie I found last year. I wonder what oddity in the parking lot I'll find next.
What initially drew my eye was the ridiculous amount of stickers covering the back end. It was an unbelievable collage slapped willy-nilly and completely covering every surface, rear window included. As I walked around the car it got even better.
The owner had painted a shark mouth on both sides of the front end.
Wow.
I thought it was great and I had to take a picture. This ranks right up there with the yellow volksie I found last year. I wonder what oddity in the parking lot I'll find next.
Wednesday, February 08, 2012
Artist of the Week: Blastolene And The Decoliner
There is a little part of me that is a would-be gearhead and this week's artist reflects that part. Below is an interview with Randy Grubb a member of the artistic collective known as Blastolene.
During the interview a couple of pulse engine vehicles are shown, but the main story is the Decoliner. It is a beauteous beast of a vehicle with some very startling features. At one point in the clip it is stated that isn't so much the miles per hour, but the smiles per hour that matter. I completely agree. Watch it and enjoy.
There is some incredible craftsmanship that went into the creation of the Decoliner and it certainly qualifies as a piece of art.
During the interview a couple of pulse engine vehicles are shown, but the main story is the Decoliner. It is a beauteous beast of a vehicle with some very startling features. At one point in the clip it is stated that isn't so much the miles per hour, but the smiles per hour that matter. I completely agree. Watch it and enjoy.
There is some incredible craftsmanship that went into the creation of the Decoliner and it certainly qualifies as a piece of art.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Well That's Different
While tooling around the Far West End of Richmond I happened upon this rather... unique vehicle. Looking like something from either Vermont (aka the land that the hippies washed up on when the 60's retreated) or the more modern counter culture scene of Burning Man, it was decidedly out of place in the land of the Volvo.
The picture really doesn't do the van justice. It's hard to see, but if you look closely you can just make out the decoration top. Some sort of assortment or bare branches and/or small bush has been affixed to the top of the van. Very tinsel garlands and ornaments decorate the naked limbs. The overall effect is quite bizarre. I will grant, however, that the quality of the paint job is rather high. Much better than some of the patchwork paint jobs I see all the time.
The picture really doesn't do the van justice. It's hard to see, but if you look closely you can just make out the decoration top. Some sort of assortment or bare branches and/or small bush has been affixed to the top of the van. Very tinsel garlands and ornaments decorate the naked limbs. The overall effect is quite bizarre. I will grant, however, that the quality of the paint job is rather high. Much better than some of the patchwork paint jobs I see all the time.
Thursday, March 03, 2011
Good Grief
This is my absolute favorite car and I don't even own it.
I've always had a soft spot for VW Bug's. I prefer the original (since that was what I once owned), but new one has a little corner of my heart as well.
I was out and about doing errands when I laid eyes on this little gem. The paint job was what first grabbed my attention, bright yellow with a jagged stripe. Coupled with the distinctive domed shape of a Volksie, the first thing that sprang to mind was Charlie Brown.
When I stepped out of my car to snap a few pictures I took a gander at the plate. I nearly fell down laughing, it very cleverly spelled out GOOD GRF. The little capper being the Scenic Autumn plate.
I have found Charlie Brown's car and it's sweet ride.
I've always had a soft spot for VW Bug's. I prefer the original (since that was what I once owned), but new one has a little corner of my heart as well.
I was out and about doing errands when I laid eyes on this little gem. The paint job was what first grabbed my attention, bright yellow with a jagged stripe. Coupled with the distinctive domed shape of a Volksie, the first thing that sprang to mind was Charlie Brown.
When I stepped out of my car to snap a few pictures I took a gander at the plate. I nearly fell down laughing, it very cleverly spelled out GOOD GRF. The little capper being the Scenic Autumn plate.
I have found Charlie Brown's car and it's sweet ride.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Six Cars and a Mud Pit
So as I mentioned yesterday, there was a little old thing called a demolition derby at the fair. We had never been to one before and we thought to would be fun to actually see one in person. As an added bonus it was part of the fair so we wouldn't have to shell out any more money.
We went with high hopes and we were not disappointed.
At first I was surprised at how small the area for the cars was. Somehow I envisioned something far larger, but after the first heat I understood that the small size resulted in far more intensive action. It was fun watching the big cars slew about in the mud, shooting up rooster tails of red clay. The crowd cheered with every impact. And in the end it all came down to two smoking wrecks.
We went with high hopes and we were not disappointed.
At first I was surprised at how small the area for the cars was. Somehow I envisioned something far larger, but after the first heat I understood that the small size resulted in far more intensive action. It was fun watching the big cars slew about in the mud, shooting up rooster tails of red clay. The crowd cheered with every impact. And in the end it all came down to two smoking wrecks.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Almost Unobtainable
A few months ago the air conditioning in the van developed a truly awful rattle.
At first it was intermittent, sometimes you would hear the whockity, whockity noise, sometimes you wouldn't. And when it happened it would just be for a brief staccato burst of sound. There was no real rhyme or reason to it.
Then it changed, it would happened at the higher blower speeds and would linger on for longer and longer periods. It got to the point that I would avoid the higher fan blower speeds, because I really didn't want to hear something akin to my car's a/c death rattle.
I developed a theory that something was getting bound up in the blower fan. I asked the kids to help pinpoint the sound and we settled on an area located up front, just behind the glove box. At this point the noise was pretty much continuous. Feeling bold, I took a peek and saw what could a blower motor.
And that's exactly what it was. After a bit of unplugging wires and unscrewing the motor from it's mounting I looked inside the and found nothing out of the ordinary.
Nuts.
Then a few weeks later the noise stopped. Unfortunately the lovely cool air from the a/c also stopped coming out of the front vents. This is unacceptable this time of year in the south.
So I once again pulled the blower motor out to try to puzzle out the mystery.
And there it was, a big old crack across the top of the blower wheel, radiating out from where it is pierced by the spindle of the motor. The rattle was the sound of it working loose and when the crack was big enough, it no longer worked. This was something I could do. All I had to do was to get a new blower wheel.
Easier said than done. I scoured the net for a replacement, but I could not find it. I could find the motor, but never the wheel. Which is pretty stupid considering the wheel is made of plastic. I even took it in to three different car parts stores and got the same story, no can do. I ended up going to the dealership and had then order it for me. Once it came in. it took all of 5 minutes for me to install it with just a bit of help from the nice guys in parts- they got the old wheel off, saved the retaining clip, and put the new wheel on- chivalry is not dead in the parts department.
Now sweet, sweet cool air fills the front of the van.
At first it was intermittent, sometimes you would hear the whockity, whockity noise, sometimes you wouldn't. And when it happened it would just be for a brief staccato burst of sound. There was no real rhyme or reason to it.
Then it changed, it would happened at the higher blower speeds and would linger on for longer and longer periods. It got to the point that I would avoid the higher fan blower speeds, because I really didn't want to hear something akin to my car's a/c death rattle.
I developed a theory that something was getting bound up in the blower fan. I asked the kids to help pinpoint the sound and we settled on an area located up front, just behind the glove box. At this point the noise was pretty much continuous. Feeling bold, I took a peek and saw what could a blower motor.
And that's exactly what it was. After a bit of unplugging wires and unscrewing the motor from it's mounting I looked inside the and found nothing out of the ordinary.
Nuts.
Then a few weeks later the noise stopped. Unfortunately the lovely cool air from the a/c also stopped coming out of the front vents. This is unacceptable this time of year in the south.
So I once again pulled the blower motor out to try to puzzle out the mystery.
And there it was, a big old crack across the top of the blower wheel, radiating out from where it is pierced by the spindle of the motor. The rattle was the sound of it working loose and when the crack was big enough, it no longer worked. This was something I could do. All I had to do was to get a new blower wheel.
Easier said than done. I scoured the net for a replacement, but I could not find it. I could find the motor, but never the wheel. Which is pretty stupid considering the wheel is made of plastic. I even took it in to three different car parts stores and got the same story, no can do. I ended up going to the dealership and had then order it for me. Once it came in. it took all of 5 minutes for me to install it with just a bit of help from the nice guys in parts- they got the old wheel off, saved the retaining clip, and put the new wheel on- chivalry is not dead in the parts department.
Now sweet, sweet cool air fills the front of the van.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
"He's dead, Jim"
Or something to that effect was what my mechanic said about the van's transmission.
I dropped the van off yesterday to get inspected, an oil change and have something done about the transmission. The van's tranny has been acting up for quite some time. mostly just an occasional warning light and a slight hesitancy between gears. I've been meaning to take it in for the past couple of months but between our crazy schedules and actually needing the beast to haul around flowers and food for Jake's Bar Mitzvah it has been put off.
Sunday was the last straw, I had already arranged with Larry to drop it off Monday night and I think it knew. As I drove to Richmond for a dog show it was awful. The van struggled to reach the higher gears. I was very grateful when we got to the show on time and were able to limp back home.
When I dropped it off Monday I was told they don't "do" transmissions. I was a bit puzzled as I had gotten a quote for a new one a month or two ago, but I shrugged it off. On Tuesday and three new tires later I had a car that was legal to drive, but could only at best struggle up to 30 mph. I talked to the day manager and about the transmission issue and he clarified that they only replace transmissions, not rebuild. That was fine by me, at just over 100 k miles I was willing to spring for a new (or rather rebuilt) one. So the van was towed back to the shop (I refuse to drive it until it's fixed). This afternoon I got the call I was expecting. Ma' am, you're right, the transmission is no good.
Parts have been ordered and should arrive on Monday and I should get it back by Wednesday. It won't be cheap, but it's better that getting a new one.
I dropped the van off yesterday to get inspected, an oil change and have something done about the transmission. The van's tranny has been acting up for quite some time. mostly just an occasional warning light and a slight hesitancy between gears. I've been meaning to take it in for the past couple of months but between our crazy schedules and actually needing the beast to haul around flowers and food for Jake's Bar Mitzvah it has been put off.
Sunday was the last straw, I had already arranged with Larry to drop it off Monday night and I think it knew. As I drove to Richmond for a dog show it was awful. The van struggled to reach the higher gears. I was very grateful when we got to the show on time and were able to limp back home.
When I dropped it off Monday I was told they don't "do" transmissions. I was a bit puzzled as I had gotten a quote for a new one a month or two ago, but I shrugged it off. On Tuesday and three new tires later I had a car that was legal to drive, but could only at best struggle up to 30 mph. I talked to the day manager and about the transmission issue and he clarified that they only replace transmissions, not rebuild. That was fine by me, at just over 100 k miles I was willing to spring for a new (or rather rebuilt) one. So the van was towed back to the shop (I refuse to drive it until it's fixed). This afternoon I got the call I was expecting. Ma' am, you're right, the transmission is no good.
Parts have been ordered and should arrive on Monday and I should get it back by Wednesday. It won't be cheap, but it's better that getting a new one.
Thursday, January 03, 2008
New York Moments
As part of our trip up north we spent a day in Manhattan to visit friends and meet someone (Ethan) for the first time.
The parents of Ethan are the very same people who got married last February. He is just a smidgen over a week old and we got to see him and his parents before we drove back home. There he is snug in his father's arms. I think his father is very happy with his new title of daddy.
Of course no trip to NYC is complete without pictures.
Since all six of us were heading into the city we decided to drive. I haven't driven much in NYC, so it was fun for me to play navigator and snap pictures while Larry manned the wheel. I got some classic shots when I remembered to take them.
We crossed over Manhattan to the west side and then cut across at 57th and then dropped down Broadway. It was fun pointing out landmarks to the kids as we drove down Broadway. The Flatiron building is one of my favorites and I was pretty happy with the picture I got. Traffic was moving fairly well until we headed into times square. At which point we then realized that the next day was New Year's eve.
All sorts of things were being erected in Times Square, from stages to sound systems and a car up on a pedestal. We tried to figure out where the ball was going to dropped, but it was too quick. I have never done the Times Square thing at New Years, standing outside endlessly in the cold surrounded by strangers is very unappealing to me. I'd rather be at a party (or parties!). Anyway the crowds were not too bad, but we did get redirected to 7th ave. Which we didn't realize until a few blocks later. But it was not a big deal and we got to show the kids Madison Square Garden, a far more meaningful landmark to boys.
In addition to all the landmarks NYC is filled with surprising details. At one point we were driving by one of the ubiquitous fast foods joints when something caught my eye. There was a line of seahorses done in what appeared to be ironwork above the restaurants awning. I don't know why they were there, but I was able to grab a quick photo as we passed by. I found them to be utterly charming and I was glad I saw them.
Then there is the downright odd.
It was a true "only in NYC moment" when this decidedly bizarre vehicle was in front of us. At first I only saw the two "Santas" hanging off the sides and the pile of junk on top. I didn't deem it picture worthy until I got a good look at the trunk. The dead Santa inside with a bony claw snaking out to clutch a club's name on a battered piece of wood was worth breaking out the camera. We followed the car for a few blocks and every time traffic slowed pedestrians would take pictures. It is a very effective for of advertising.
It's a good thing we don't do the Santa thing or I think this would have traumatized the kids. There was the potential to freak out Max (skeletons are very bad in his books), but his siblings had enough sense not to point out that aspect of the display in front of us.
Soon we reached our destination. I think the hardest part of the trip was finding a parking space for the van. The rocket box was on top and quite honestly when it is on the van it is too tall to fit in most parking garages. After dropping me off with the kids Larry was able to find a legitimate (and free!) spot not too far away.
It was great seeing our friends again. The new daddy is Larry's oldest friend and is called Uncle Johnny by our kids.We hit it just right and got to see the rest of Jon's family. Ethan's Bris was that morning and Jon's parents (who were almost Larry's second parents when he was growing up) along with Jon's brother (another good friend) and his family were still there.
Those of us over the age of eight got to hold the baby. Rebecca was kind of interested, but didn't sit still long enough. That's Larry's hand helping Nate support Ethan's body. It was a good visit and Ethan looks like a fine addition to the world.
The parents of Ethan are the very same people who got married last February. He is just a smidgen over a week old and we got to see him and his parents before we drove back home. There he is snug in his father's arms. I think his father is very happy with his new title of daddy.
Of course no trip to NYC is complete without pictures.
Since all six of us were heading into the city we decided to drive. I haven't driven much in NYC, so it was fun for me to play navigator and snap pictures while Larry manned the wheel. I got some classic shots when I remembered to take them.
We crossed over Manhattan to the west side and then cut across at 57th and then dropped down Broadway. It was fun pointing out landmarks to the kids as we drove down Broadway. The Flatiron building is one of my favorites and I was pretty happy with the picture I got. Traffic was moving fairly well until we headed into times square. At which point we then realized that the next day was New Year's eve.
All sorts of things were being erected in Times Square, from stages to sound systems and a car up on a pedestal. We tried to figure out where the ball was going to dropped, but it was too quick. I have never done the Times Square thing at New Years, standing outside endlessly in the cold surrounded by strangers is very unappealing to me. I'd rather be at a party (or parties!). Anyway the crowds were not too bad, but we did get redirected to 7th ave. Which we didn't realize until a few blocks later. But it was not a big deal and we got to show the kids Madison Square Garden, a far more meaningful landmark to boys.
In addition to all the landmarks NYC is filled with surprising details. At one point we were driving by one of the ubiquitous fast foods joints when something caught my eye. There was a line of seahorses done in what appeared to be ironwork above the restaurants awning. I don't know why they were there, but I was able to grab a quick photo as we passed by. I found them to be utterly charming and I was glad I saw them.
Then there is the downright odd.
It was a true "only in NYC moment" when this decidedly bizarre vehicle was in front of us. At first I only saw the two "Santas" hanging off the sides and the pile of junk on top. I didn't deem it picture worthy until I got a good look at the trunk. The dead Santa inside with a bony claw snaking out to clutch a club's name on a battered piece of wood was worth breaking out the camera. We followed the car for a few blocks and every time traffic slowed pedestrians would take pictures. It is a very effective for of advertising.
It's a good thing we don't do the Santa thing or I think this would have traumatized the kids. There was the potential to freak out Max (skeletons are very bad in his books), but his siblings had enough sense not to point out that aspect of the display in front of us.
Soon we reached our destination. I think the hardest part of the trip was finding a parking space for the van. The rocket box was on top and quite honestly when it is on the van it is too tall to fit in most parking garages. After dropping me off with the kids Larry was able to find a legitimate (and free!) spot not too far away.
It was great seeing our friends again. The new daddy is Larry's oldest friend and is called Uncle Johnny by our kids.We hit it just right and got to see the rest of Jon's family. Ethan's Bris was that morning and Jon's parents (who were almost Larry's second parents when he was growing up) along with Jon's brother (another good friend) and his family were still there.
Those of us over the age of eight got to hold the baby. Rebecca was kind of interested, but didn't sit still long enough. That's Larry's hand helping Nate support Ethan's body. It was a good visit and Ethan looks like a fine addition to the world.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Remedial Car Repair
Generally I don't do much in the way of car repair. I do have a decent idea of how an engine works, but I have neither the inclination or the tools to try to fix it. I can change a tire, replace fuses, and jump start it. If pressed I can even reset the various warning lights on the dash. But that is pretty much it until today.
The poor left bumper of the van has had a fair amount of trauma. It has a multitude of scuffs from not quite judging the garage opening when we first got the van. (In order for both cars to fit the van has to be on the far left. The van has a slightly, maybe two inches, longer front than the old one and it took a while to get used to it.) Then I was driving along and got lightly side swiped this year from someone who decided to make a left hand turn across oncoming traffic. Fortunately no one was hurt and all that happened was that my van gained a few more scuffs on the front left bumper.
Then this weekend the poor bumper got bonked again. Sadly it was not just a scuff, but a big dent right in the corner of the front left bumper (stupid garage). Luckily nothing broke. I decided to give it a good look today and see if there was anything I could do about it. The dent was in the bumper cover, which is made of some sort of heavy duty plastic. I first tried to remove the cover, but after 4 screws and a dozen or so more to go I stopped. This was getting far too complicated. I then felt around under the car and discovered the dent was in an empty space I could actually reach from the inside.
While laying on a somewhat grubby garage floor I could reach up into the space and push the dent out.
Whoo! Hoo!
It's not a perfect fix, but the van looks much better now.
Now if I could just make the scuffs disappear.
The poor left bumper of the van has had a fair amount of trauma. It has a multitude of scuffs from not quite judging the garage opening when we first got the van. (In order for both cars to fit the van has to be on the far left. The van has a slightly, maybe two inches, longer front than the old one and it took a while to get used to it.) Then I was driving along and got lightly side swiped this year from someone who decided to make a left hand turn across oncoming traffic. Fortunately no one was hurt and all that happened was that my van gained a few more scuffs on the front left bumper.
Then this weekend the poor bumper got bonked again. Sadly it was not just a scuff, but a big dent right in the corner of the front left bumper (stupid garage). Luckily nothing broke. I decided to give it a good look today and see if there was anything I could do about it. The dent was in the bumper cover, which is made of some sort of heavy duty plastic. I first tried to remove the cover, but after 4 screws and a dozen or so more to go I stopped. This was getting far too complicated. I then felt around under the car and discovered the dent was in an empty space I could actually reach from the inside.
While laying on a somewhat grubby garage floor I could reach up into the space and push the dent out.
Whoo! Hoo!
It's not a perfect fix, but the van looks much better now.
Now if I could just make the scuffs disappear.
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