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Date:         Tue, 18 May 2010 11:11:43 -0500
Reply-To:     mcneely4@COX.NET
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Dave Mcneely <mcneely4@COX.NET>
Subject:      Re: The story behind the horse skull, the luggage rack, etc.
Comments: To: craig cowan <phishman068@GMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <AANLkTimWFLui-0fR05mc_ae0MW2ApvqQjogOAHTv3v1Q@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8

Hey Craig, I'm near Texaco sometimes. I'll take your free gas :- )

Great experience you had. You can enjoy this for the rest of your life.

DMc

---- craig cowan <phishman068@GMAIL.COM> wrote: > The Mario Andretti story should be somewhere in the archives. But to sum it > up: > I'm cross country in Reno Nevada, run into him and his crew at a Texaco. > They spend an hour or so talking with me, checking out my engine swap, etc > before giving me all this free stuff and asking if they can post my story > and picture to their website. > I still have a ton of free gas from Texaco..... now if only i lived within > any reasonable range of a texaco...... > > > I'm more fun in person. : ) > > -Craig > > > On Tue, May 18, 2010 at 11:22 AM, Ryan Johnson <rhinoculips@gmail.com>wrote: > > > Now we understand the skull, but not why Marios Andretti is leaning on your > > van. Do tell. > > > > Ryan > > '89 Westy with EJ22 > > > > > > On Tue, May 18, 2010 at 8:31 AM, craig cowan <phishman068@gmail.com>wrote: > > > >> So thanks to those of you on the Vanagon List for chiming in and offering > >> help in my folly. Pittsburgh Vanagon Club, this is the first you're > >> hearing > >> of this (I kept it quiet locally). > >> > >> Last week my van went in for inspection from a shop I used to work at and > >> they gave me a good deal on replacing the ball joints it needed. I simply > >> didn't have time to do it myself, as I plan to leave for a "Great Eastern > >> Adventure" later in this week. Anyway, part of their inspection involved > >> removing the horse skull from the roof. Yes, there was a horse skull on > >> the > >> roof. I will attach a picture showing the horse skull (featuring Marios > >> Andretti as well!). The inspection mechanic took it off worrying that it > >> wasn't attached strongly enough. I guess I can believe that as a > >> reasonable > >> grounds of removal, so i'll embrace that. Now if only he hadn't told his > >> superior it was help on by only a bungee chord.... > >> The flaw here is that it was held on by 5 1/8'' nylon lines under tension > >> by > >> a small bungee chord, and a 1/8'' stainless steel cable crimped in place > >> and > >> secured through the base of the skull and attached to two bolts which > >> normally hold the front of the luggage rack down (With big washers on > >> them). > >> So I guess he failed to note that it was secured by 5 seperate places and > >> designed not to be stolen, or the fact that it had been up there for 9 > >> months and over 5,000 miles. It's seen both coasts up there. > >> But again, i'll embrace his reasoning for taking it off as I agree, from > >> his > >> standpoint it could have looked like a danger. I actually LIKE mandatory > >> state inspections here in PA for this reason! They point out things I > >> didn't > >> think about. > >> > >> Well, in removing the skull, he took off the two front bolts to the > >> luggage > >> rack as well. The bolts, along with the skull and everything were kindly > >> placed on the front seat of the van for my potential use later. Well after > >> passing inspection, I immediately headed up to my school apartment an hour > >> north in Slippery Rock PA. About 2 miles into my highway trek, I felt a > >> strong BANG and heard a sound as well. I immediately looked out my back > >> window to see something large fly safely to the side of the road. My > >> thoughts were "I hit a box" or something of that nature. It really felt > >> like > >> whatever I hit, I hit from below. The bus still ran well, so I took note > >> of > >> where It seemed to happen and continued on my way. An hour later, I get > >> out > >> of my bus and was in disbelief to find the poptop luggage rack > >> MISSING!!!!! > >> > >> Strangely, while driving, I found that there was not much additional wind > >> noise even though the poptop was now working as a funnell to bring air > >> into > >> the bus. I did notice that the canvas was filling up with air and even > >> remember reaching back and squeezing this huge pocket of air filled canvas > >> and remembered how odd that was. > >> > >> Anyway, immediately after getting up to Slippery Rock, I gave them a call > >> and they were shocked as well. I said "I think your mechanic took the two > >> front bolts out and didn't put them back on." I actually overheard the > >> superior asking the mechanic if this was the case and the mechanic > >> responding "ya, they're on the front seat". At that point we could both > >> agree this was a problem they caused. Luckily, they've been as good as > >> they > >> can to help me solve the problem!!! > >> I immediately sent them out pictures including images of the two side > >> bolts > >> still in place on the van with chunks of fiberglass under them. The shop > >> at > >> this point said "Well you're the expert, where can we get you a new one?" > >> This is when my heart really fell out and I realized just what a daunting > >> task that should be! I'm lucky I know great people and have great local > >> resources, but can't imagine what this would have meant if it was a > >> non-vanagon-savy person! > >> This is about the time I sent the first email out to the vanagon list > >> looking for a used top. > >> > >> A stroke of luck! > >> After telling my parents what had just happened, My mother jumps in her > >> car > >> and starts searching the highway. Within an hour I get an amazing call "I > >> FOUND IT! And it looks fixable!". SO, my mother drives up to Slippery Rock > >> to show me the top, scratched with some paint missing and a 9'' long crack > >> all the way up (and all the way through) in one of the corners. Alas, I do > >> believe it repairable but a shop looked at it and agreed it would be > >> cheaper > >> just to get a replacement if one could be found. > >> > >> I was able to source a top 110 miles away and yesterday drove the 220 > >> miles > >> round trip to pick it up with a check from the mechanics in hand to cover > >> the cost of the top. So for $100 I was able to get a replacement top in > >> good > >> shape. It's UGLY! So i spent last night scrubbing it up before going in > >> today to see about getting it painted. They won't be capable of doing it > >> in > >> the time frame I demand ( have to have it installed and ready to leave for > >> the summer in 2 days), so they've agreed to have it color matched the best > >> they can when I return in august. > >> > >> I plan to do my best to repair the "broken" one as well to have as a spare > >> for the next time this happens to someone! > >> Immediately after this happened I had a local friend calling me up to say > >> he > >> has one I could borrow untill I get mine fixed if need be. (I sold him the > >> top off a van 2 years ago and he's restored the top for a future poptop > >> install on his Carat. Then last night, another vanagon list member sent > >> out > >> new gaskets for me to put on! What amazing people we have here!!!! > >> > >> So I'd like to thank everyone who's given advice! > >> > >> Here's your closing image. > >> http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=30402158&l=91005335f5&id=1457880199 > >> > >> -Craig > >> '85GL turned WESTY > >> BOSTIG in the back. > >> > > > >

-- David McNeely


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