by Bob finally is getting his leaks fixed. And anyone got answers for him?????
Bob says,,,,I found a steel fabricator in San Marcos who took a good long look with me at the issue. It turns out that way back in 1973, when they built the aftermarket CamperVan, the manufacturer did not caulk the rivets all the way around where the fiberglass meets the van "roofline". This allowed water to leach in each rivet hole and begin it's work at rusting.
To make matters worse, the aftermarket folks put the 2" wide rubber gasket all the way round to cover their "work". This gasket acted to hold in the moisture and really created an incubator for rust. At that point I felt like a guy in the last round of a game of Texas holdem. I already had so much in the van. Was I willing to just give it away.
Hell no!
So we devised a plan to find a "doner" top which was located in Victorville. The fabricator went up there and cut off the top and brought it home to San Marcos. My fiberglass top was removed and the doner was carefully subsituted for the old rusty belt, all the way round the top of my van.
Today they are finishing the installation of the fiberglass top on top of the doner roof. They also ground away any rust spots down below and the old decals that were an issue in getting a regular paint job.
You can see most of this in photos and even a short Youtube movie at www.cruiserbob.com/marty.htm
I must be crazy for sinking thousands of dollars into this CamperVan, with gas prices being what they are, but here are my questions.
1. On Tuesday it comes out of the steel shop and goes right in to get a new windshield.
2. Than I take it to Maaco or Earl Sheib or some other place and get it painted ginger . . . the original color.
3. Than I begin detailing out the interior and making it showable.
Back to gas prices. I have been told that there are two things that could increase my gas mileage . . . currently at 11mpg
considering it's a brand new 302.
* electronic fuel ignition
* headers and an efficient muffler system like magnaflow.
My engine builder says the electronic ignition will increase power and add maybe 1.5-2 mpg???
The steel fabricator guy says the headers and magnaflow exhaust could add 3-4 mpg???
Is this BS and sales hype or could one really expect 5-6 mpg better performance by investing in these two projects?
Bob says,,,,I found a steel fabricator in San Marcos who took a good long look with me at the issue. It turns out that way back in 1973, when they built the aftermarket CamperVan, the manufacturer did not caulk the rivets all the way around where the fiberglass meets the van "roofline". This allowed water to leach in each rivet hole and begin it's work at rusting.
To make matters worse, the aftermarket folks put the 2" wide rubber gasket all the way round to cover their "work". This gasket acted to hold in the moisture and really created an incubator for rust. At that point I felt like a guy in the last round of a game of Texas holdem. I already had so much in the van. Was I willing to just give it away.
Hell no!
So we devised a plan to find a "doner" top which was located in Victorville. The fabricator went up there and cut off the top and brought it home to San Marcos. My fiberglass top was removed and the doner was carefully subsituted for the old rusty belt, all the way round the top of my van.
Today they are finishing the installation of the fiberglass top on top of the doner roof. They also ground away any rust spots down below and the old decals that were an issue in getting a regular paint job.
You can see most of this in photos and even a short Youtube movie at www.cruiserbob.com/marty.htm
I must be crazy for sinking thousands of dollars into this CamperVan, with gas prices being what they are, but here are my questions.
1. On Tuesday it comes out of the steel shop and goes right in to get a new windshield.
2. Than I take it to Maaco or Earl Sheib or some other place and get it painted ginger . . . the original color.
3. Than I begin detailing out the interior and making it showable.
Back to gas prices. I have been told that there are two things that could increase my gas mileage . . . currently at 11mpg
considering it's a brand new 302.* electronic fuel ignition
* headers and an efficient muffler system like magnaflow.
My engine builder says the electronic ignition will increase power and add maybe 1.5-2 mpg???
The steel fabricator guy says the headers and magnaflow exhaust could add 3-4 mpg???
Is this BS and sales hype or could one really expect 5-6 mpg better performance by investing in these two projects?
