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Date:         Wed, 16 May 2012 11:18:18 -0500
Reply-To:     Jarrett Anthony Kupcinski <kupcinski@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jarrett Anthony Kupcinski <kupcinski@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Good news (after bad news (after good news))
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

We got some rain here in central Texas last week. That was good for the plants and whatnot. Not so good for the developing leak in the bottom passenger side of the windshield.

There's always been a bit of a leak there. I know that there's been some previous bodywork and I suspected some current rust in the area, so I wasn't surprised. After one of the rainy days, I decided to diagnose the situation. That generally means poking and prodding things until I get a better picture of where things are amiss.

Unfortunately, the aforementioned prodding made the seal angry, and in a second there was a lovely spiderweb where before was solid glass. Bad news.

Found a body shop that found a new replacement windshield, and dropped the van off on Monday. I ordered a seal from Bus Depot (thanks Ron and company) and saved $50, even with expedited shipping. When the shop pulled the old glass, I got to see the full extent of the problem and the bad news. There had been previous work done (with a lot of Bondo), and the leak was due to an incomplete lip for the windshield. In both corners. Shooting from the hip they estimated that there was at minimum $1500 worth of work, most likely closer to $2K.

If I had a money tree planted, I'd be set. Unfortunately, the current Bostig conversion has got my Vanagon budget tapped out, so the shop offered me a different solution. They felt they could clean up the body around the windshield, treat and seal the surface rust, and using a urethane windshield adhesive in addition to the stock window seal, get the windshield in solidly with no leaks. It would be a temporary measure, but one that wouldn't mean having to do a lot of rework when I want to go for the more expensive bodywork, and it should hold indefinitely. I gave them the green light.

Got the van back today, and it all looks good. Plus, the bill came in at $200, including the glass. When I get home I'll spray some water on the windshield to test the integrity of the seal, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed. The staff at the shop were pleasant to work with, so if all goes well, I may have found a local body shop that can take care of other things when the time comes.

Now I can go back to reading my Bostig homework.

-Jarrett Oly, 89 Westy


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