Celebrations at my house tonight.

Today was not without it's trials and tribulations, but we got there in the end.

Still lots of fiddly little bits to finish, but at least I can use it now.





Some back story on the rear side windows:

The ones that came out of it were laminated glass. They were not matched, one had a dark tint, they other was clear. The clear one also had a small hole and was starting to delaminate.

I had another set of windows out of another van. They were not lam, but toughened glass. But it turns out they are a little bigger and won't fit (for sale if anyone wants).

While attempting to put the good rear window in, it dropped out while putting in the locking strip. Smash. Much swearing and kicking random objects ensued, much to the horror of my helper.

But really that glass was not a good fit and part of the reason it dropped out.

At this point I had the choice between making the hole bigger or getting new laminated glass cut. Cannot trim the toughened glass.

Since I had treated the shell with POR-15, and those window edges are prone to rust, I chose the new glass.

O'Briens were the cheapest of the quotes at $325 total. But they wanted the car there at the shop to make templates etc.

So the plan was to get the car prepped, get CTP insurance, get comprehensive insurance, drive it up in the morning, get the glass, then onto Blue Slip, then on to Queensland Transport.

Things started going wrong when at revs & under load it started running on three. This got worse till it was only running on three and going at snails pace by the time I got to southport. Was suspecting head gasket. Not happy.

The big spud-head at the Windscreen place jumped in, flung the door open too far *ouch*, stomped on the throttle which caused the cable to pull out *wince*. So I had to stuff around under a hot bonnet.

They said it would take a couple of hours.

A bit later I snuck down to the workshop area to see what other damage they had done. Just grubby finger prints all over the white stripe so far. Was there in time to see that they had finished cutting and shaping the first window, but had cut it too small, apparently stuffing up the template somehow. Not inspiring.

Not long after that the big boss man came and kicked me out "for insurance purposes". I hate leaving my car with numnuts.

A bit later and the glass was done. On to the blue slip a few hundered meters up the road.

So I manage to slowly get the Monster truck up the road to my mate who is an apprentice mechanic. Great shop by the way, good atmosphere.

He does the inspection and points out some minor things I need to take care of and gets his boss to write me the blue slip. I also get him to check the timing. I park back in the car park while everything is written up.

Once done, I go to hop in and try to take off. She wont start. I suspect head gasket still, but compression test says everything is fine. Clean plugs which look very sooty and she fires. Onto the Exhuast Gas Analysier which says she is running far too rich, hence the fouled plugs.

They have a dyno there, but no one confident enough to tune a SU.

I'm suspecting the needle and seat myself.

So my mate calls the closest carby tune & injection place, before sending me around.

The poor old brick barely makes it. When I get there, the bloke says he has no time, and won't even help me despite the fact it once again wont start... So I'm stuck in his car park.

So I call Dion, and in the mean time hot foot it (literally) down to the AutoPro to buy a cheap plug spanner and a new set of plugs, thinking the plugs are fouled.

I'm back and putting the first plug in by the Dion gets there, and it's 3pm. I need to make it to QT and get rego that day, or I'll have to restart my CTP insurance policy. PITA.

The plug spanner is bending and being a bitch, but I manage get the plugs in and she fires. The plan is to get it a couple of kms up the road to the local mini mechanic.

We make it there just, and his initial diagnosis is the same: head gasket. But a compression test once again shows otherwise, and the water in the radiator looks fine.

He reckons the same as me, the carby needs looking at, but says he doesn't know much about HIF44 carbs, and doesn't have time till the new year anyway.

So I go to limp home and manage to stomp out the throttle cable once again before even taking off. Trying to get that back in is a bitch, it has frayed and the engine is hot. So I buy a new one on the spot. Mini mechanic also set the timing again, and I take off.

Miracle: she is going much better now!

Down to Queensland Transport to try to get rego. I know they like to look at engine numbers, but it is after 4:30 now, so unlikely anyone is still there to do it, but figure it is worth a try anyway. We are in just before they lock the doors so that no new customers can come in.

Once I reach the counter, the girl is in a hurry to get rid of me, so no inspection, runs to grab my new plates, and that is it!

[14th Dec 2006]