Date:         Mon, 12 May 2003 12:22:56 -0400
Reply-To:     Jonathan Clay <JonnyC22@MSN.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jonathan Clay <JonnyC22@MSN.COM>
Subject:      90 westie vs Family of MICE!!
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Hey Volks,
    I've been on the list before and can't imagine what would happen if this resource was not available!!!  (broke, walking, crying, etc, etc.)

    Here it goes...I have had my 90 westie for about 2.5 year, stored through 2 winters.  When I bought the van it always had a strange aroma coming from the a/c unit when it was on, so I never  used it (never really giving it much thought).  Last summer when I decided replace the rear speaker wires I pretty much discovered why!!  Piles of mice POO!! Man, I should have known.  So I used it last summer not quite prepared to tackle the task of taking down the a/c ducts and such.  Well, I'm a reguvinated person this Spring!!!  About 2 wks ago I decided.....It is time!!  My Westie (presently Naked inside{cargo van}) had mice Poo all over.  I found a  total of 5 Mive (4 this spring, 1 last fall).  2 were tucked behind sink/fridge/stove unit, the other were more difficult.  The other 3 were found after I pulled the a/c ducks, rear closet, water storage tank, and side covering before you see the insulation.  The back rear is where they were snuggled in, w/food and everything.  Piles and Piles of Mice Poo all though that side of the car..........got out the rubber gloves, plastic scooping spoons, and face mask.  THAT BAD!!
     I have removed all the old insulation from that side of the van, and above the headliner ( they made it up there too, and the fresh air tubes on the upper side of the van!!).  I have been cleaning w/Lemon Clorox and Lemon Lysol and ordered Nok-out (an odor eliminator!?) to finish the job!!  I air it out daily and clean daily, and its been about 2.5 weeks of this (w/o the Nok out, ordered about a week ago, should be here today).  It smells better, and better!  However I don't think I will completely eliminate the odor this year, eventually I hope it will go away.....its a good start though!!
     
    My real question, before I forget how to make my Westie a Westie again, is about INSULATION!  I removed all of the fiber glass yellow insulation that was on the left side of the van, in the headliner, and the rear hatch.  I do not want to replace w/same material, I don't like the idea of fiber glass in such a closed off, confined area.  I am wondering what people have placed in there in place of this yellow fiber glass.  I have looked at hewitts (?) web site and what he did to an older model van (air cooled bus) regarding sound proofing and insulating.  I have looked at the archives and people keep mentioning NASA insulation but have not found out much/nothing about it.   

The ideal material is/should be able to be cut to fit, offers sound dampening and insulating properties, water proof so it does not absorb water and rust out side panels (Were is the water to go then!?).  I am going today to visit some local Auto Body shops since I have been suggested to do!!!

It's a pretty long message, but its been a long and involved project!!  

I'll let ya know what I find out, I am interested in any comment/suggestions

Still :)ing
Thanks
JonnyC
90 Westie
88 Van