07.31.23 — Heater Core & Interior Refurb Begins
As much as I’m not looking forward to replacing the heater core, it’s just what I needed. Parts have been piling up for years while I waited for sufficient impetus to remodel the garage and strip the interior.
Fiber optic, starlight headliner, LED reading lights, 60lbs of sound insulation, and new 6x9s are all worth doing, but the sheer amount of shit that has to come out of the truck to do them, ya know? I considered it a Wyld Stallyns Dilemma. Just as Bill and Ted could not make a triumphant video without Eddie Van Halen on guitar—but could not get Eddie Van Halen on guitar without a triumphant video, I couldn’t spend a month taking Fezzik apart without remodeling the garage—but I couldn’t remodel the garage until I needed to spend a month in the garage taking Fezzik apart.
Fezzik is in the building.
(And the wife and daughter have left the state—for an entire week.)
My Quest
- Monday: begin stripping the interior
- Tuesday: finish stripping the interior, pressure wash the carpet
- Wednesday: [ break ]
- Thursday: begin removing the dashboard
- Friday: bypass and remove heater core
Rewarding myself: If I accomplish all of the above and have time, I will shift gears to install a set of new JL 6x9s my mother-in-law ordered by mistake and just gave to me instead of returning.
Note: I plan on keeping Fezzik drivable through all of this just in case. I know there will be times when this isn’t possible; when the windshield or brake master cylinder is out, for example, but these should be limited. While I’m planning on Fezzik being down for an entire month, I don’t want him immobile.
The Backlog
- [ while the heater core is being repaired ]
– repair brakes: check lines for leaks, replace master cylinder, fluid, bleed
– clean the headliner - install repaired heater core
- r&r moon roof assembly
- refurb dashboard: new center vents, clean ducts, install power ports, switch panel
- install Noico in dash area as needed
- install new aux circuits: fwd lighting, emergency flashers, house circuit
- STARLIGHT FAMILY WEEK
– install starlight fiber optics into headliner
– install starlight control unit in Fezzik
– install Noico in headliner
– install headliner and test - reinstall dashboard
- install Noico everywhere else
- reinstall carpet
- reinstall interior
- install emergency flashers
- install seats
– refurb seats? - repaint front bumper
- reinstall Diode Dynamics SS3 fogs
- reinstall & connect the big Lightforce “oscars”
- install new ADD flood/ditch lights
- install new ADD reverse lights
- replace rear suspension bushings
- install panhard bar
That’s clearly more than I can get done in a single month, but I know I can make a serious progress.