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- May 14, 2011
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- Location
- On the Ridge, TN
Brief backstory here:
Reminder #1 - Fred the GTX has had all his braking system (4 wheel drum, factory) replaced at this point, short of the master cylinder.
Long story, lots of trials and tribulations, yada yada.... entire thread on here in documenting all that.
I had previously procured a new in box, but about 20 year old brand new master cylinder to swap out the one on the car, which was
supposedly new when I bought the car 13 or so years ago...but we all know that job ultimately involves upside-down under the dash
labor, something I've been avoiding like the plague.
Reminder #2 - I am on year 12 of my 10-year supposed lifespan, post 6-times cancer, 3xdead on the slab, etc.
(They call it "accelerated aging". I call it painful as fluck). Suffice to say, I'm on the tail end and I don't bend like I used to...
Miscellaneous interior stuff - the back seat in Fred has never sat right, what with neither the bottom or top being properly latched in
like it's supposed to be - and my efforts had thus far proven futile to correct that, given the tight quarters on Freds' part and the
aforementioned lack of limber on my part.
Further, the front bucket seats had gotten a nasty habit of late of depositing seat foam dust under them constantly, despite the previous
owner having stated the seats had all been "redone".
Well, all of this had led up to a plan that was hatched "before its' too late" - and of course, always with the Prime Directive in mind
("Don't leave a mess when you're gone") - of removing the front bucket seats so as to ease access to aforementioned rear seats as well
as under-dash areas.
You "normal" fellas would have tackled such things in the off season, no doubt. Heck, you'd probably have knocked it out on a Saturday
afternoon. With me though, it's quite a bit more involved logistically....mostly based on when I was up to it.
Through all this planning and dreading and gnashing of teeth and so forth, my wife silently (but with concern, of course) observes...
Finally, she decides to volunteer to help in these last tasks on Fred and actually even gently goads me into action eventually.
(She does so at great sacrifice, knowing how I am when I'm fighting stubborn tasks (and yes, my own stubborn carcass);
I tend to get a tad worked up, cursing this tool or that part or even the man above as things progress - or don't.)
So....today was the day, come hell or high water.
I had snuck out to the garage a couple days prior to check out how the previous owner had mounted said bucket seats (with buddy seat)
and having found just some rudimentary carriage bolts/nuts/washers, proceeded to remove both buckets from Fred, so that part was done...
and we discovered today that the upholstery on both front and back were NOT indeed "redone", but were originals - with nary a rip or tear
on any of it!
Unfortunately, that also meant the original seat foams and burlap - leading to the crumble fest we'd been witnessing under them.
Making the decision to temporarily do something with the buckets given this discovery, then having an upholstery shop effect permanent
repairs next winter, we fashioned some makeshift replacement material for the burlap and cleaned them up.
On to the rear seat fiasco!
A quick disassembly of top and bottom sections, followed by a proper reassembly (and the first salvos of cursing and fussing by yours truly)
later, those were restored to proper installed positions, once the over-abundance of replacement carpet was trimmed to allow such.
(Wife is watching me as much as willingly participating.....and so far, progress!)
We make a note to get the headliner repaired in the corner by the rear window soon and move on to the MAIN EVENT - the master cylinder!
Now for my RARE cursing of Ma Mopar!
Whoever in product engineering/design decided that the mounting nuts for the master cylinder needed to be INSIDE THE DAMN CAR, under-dash
and damn near hidden from sight (not to mention, damn near inaccessible) NEEDS MY RIGHT FOOT RETROACTIVELY INSERTED HIGH INTO
THEIR RECTUM.
Absolutely asinine design, especially when paired with a three-pedal setup under there, making even accessing the rod to pedal bolt a minor
nightmare....unnecessarily frustrating, especially for someone who doesn't bend like that anymore.
Fellas, that shiyat hurt. A lot...
But wait - there's another component to this story, remember!
My wife, God love her, usually gives me lots of "tough love" as I struggle to ride this life sentence out.
She's no coddler, this one, no sir...
Today though? She's out there watching and helping and when she sees all the struggle under-dash, she says "I'll do it. Just show me what
and where."
Holy crap! I try to shrug her offer off, tell her that it's not something easily explained (leave alone, performed) but she'll have none of it.
Next thing I know, she's on her back and under the dash, tools in hand...and manages to get not only the unbolting done (I had managed the
rod bolt prior) but then proceeds to hang around long enough to get back under there when it's time to bolt the new master in!
I sheepishly get all the underhood crap taken care of, then climb back under there behind her to get the pedal hooked back up....
But she insisted on helping to the extent of getting the job done - and yes, she got those rascals tight too!
Amazing....just when you think a spouse might (rightfully) be getting tired of your crap in life, she up and does this.
At that point, I offer to "call it a day" but she'll have none of it ("let's get this crap done!"), so we proceed with preliminary bleeding procedures
and such, me doing the usual rolling around on the concrete under the car, she working the pedal.
When we finally got a form pedal worked up, only then would she call it quits on the festivities.
Synopsis:
1. Chrysler can kiss my hairy, decrepit old arse with that mounting method on the master cylinder. Ridiculous. Nonnsense.
2. Previous owner can kiss it too for lying about the upholstery - but how cool is it to discover it's original AND in nice shape?
3. As of right now, MY WIFE is the best mechanic I know of in this county. I'll defend her against anyone for that title!
One step closer to "done"....just in time, too.
Reminder #1 - Fred the GTX has had all his braking system (4 wheel drum, factory) replaced at this point, short of the master cylinder.
Long story, lots of trials and tribulations, yada yada.... entire thread on here in documenting all that.
I had previously procured a new in box, but about 20 year old brand new master cylinder to swap out the one on the car, which was
supposedly new when I bought the car 13 or so years ago...but we all know that job ultimately involves upside-down under the dash
labor, something I've been avoiding like the plague.
Reminder #2 - I am on year 12 of my 10-year supposed lifespan, post 6-times cancer, 3xdead on the slab, etc.
(They call it "accelerated aging". I call it painful as fluck). Suffice to say, I'm on the tail end and I don't bend like I used to...
Miscellaneous interior stuff - the back seat in Fred has never sat right, what with neither the bottom or top being properly latched in
like it's supposed to be - and my efforts had thus far proven futile to correct that, given the tight quarters on Freds' part and the
aforementioned lack of limber on my part.
Further, the front bucket seats had gotten a nasty habit of late of depositing seat foam dust under them constantly, despite the previous
owner having stated the seats had all been "redone".
Well, all of this had led up to a plan that was hatched "before its' too late" - and of course, always with the Prime Directive in mind
("Don't leave a mess when you're gone") - of removing the front bucket seats so as to ease access to aforementioned rear seats as well
as under-dash areas.
You "normal" fellas would have tackled such things in the off season, no doubt. Heck, you'd probably have knocked it out on a Saturday
afternoon. With me though, it's quite a bit more involved logistically....mostly based on when I was up to it.
Through all this planning and dreading and gnashing of teeth and so forth, my wife silently (but with concern, of course) observes...
Finally, she decides to volunteer to help in these last tasks on Fred and actually even gently goads me into action eventually.
(She does so at great sacrifice, knowing how I am when I'm fighting stubborn tasks (and yes, my own stubborn carcass);
I tend to get a tad worked up, cursing this tool or that part or even the man above as things progress - or don't.)
So....today was the day, come hell or high water.
I had snuck out to the garage a couple days prior to check out how the previous owner had mounted said bucket seats (with buddy seat)
and having found just some rudimentary carriage bolts/nuts/washers, proceeded to remove both buckets from Fred, so that part was done...
and we discovered today that the upholstery on both front and back were NOT indeed "redone", but were originals - with nary a rip or tear
on any of it!
Unfortunately, that also meant the original seat foams and burlap - leading to the crumble fest we'd been witnessing under them.
Making the decision to temporarily do something with the buckets given this discovery, then having an upholstery shop effect permanent
repairs next winter, we fashioned some makeshift replacement material for the burlap and cleaned them up.
On to the rear seat fiasco!
A quick disassembly of top and bottom sections, followed by a proper reassembly (and the first salvos of cursing and fussing by yours truly)
later, those were restored to proper installed positions, once the over-abundance of replacement carpet was trimmed to allow such.
(Wife is watching me as much as willingly participating.....and so far, progress!)
We make a note to get the headliner repaired in the corner by the rear window soon and move on to the MAIN EVENT - the master cylinder!
Now for my RARE cursing of Ma Mopar!
Whoever in product engineering/design decided that the mounting nuts for the master cylinder needed to be INSIDE THE DAMN CAR, under-dash
and damn near hidden from sight (not to mention, damn near inaccessible) NEEDS MY RIGHT FOOT RETROACTIVELY INSERTED HIGH INTO
THEIR RECTUM.
Absolutely asinine design, especially when paired with a three-pedal setup under there, making even accessing the rod to pedal bolt a minor
nightmare....unnecessarily frustrating, especially for someone who doesn't bend like that anymore.
Fellas, that shiyat hurt. A lot...
But wait - there's another component to this story, remember!
My wife, God love her, usually gives me lots of "tough love" as I struggle to ride this life sentence out.
She's no coddler, this one, no sir...
Today though? She's out there watching and helping and when she sees all the struggle under-dash, she says "I'll do it. Just show me what
and where."
Holy crap! I try to shrug her offer off, tell her that it's not something easily explained (leave alone, performed) but she'll have none of it.
Next thing I know, she's on her back and under the dash, tools in hand...and manages to get not only the unbolting done (I had managed the
rod bolt prior) but then proceeds to hang around long enough to get back under there when it's time to bolt the new master in!
I sheepishly get all the underhood crap taken care of, then climb back under there behind her to get the pedal hooked back up....
But she insisted on helping to the extent of getting the job done - and yes, she got those rascals tight too!
Amazing....just when you think a spouse might (rightfully) be getting tired of your crap in life, she up and does this.
At that point, I offer to "call it a day" but she'll have none of it ("let's get this crap done!"), so we proceed with preliminary bleeding procedures
and such, me doing the usual rolling around on the concrete under the car, she working the pedal.
When we finally got a form pedal worked up, only then would she call it quits on the festivities.
Synopsis:
1. Chrysler can kiss my hairy, decrepit old arse with that mounting method on the master cylinder. Ridiculous. Nonnsense.
2. Previous owner can kiss it too for lying about the upholstery - but how cool is it to discover it's original AND in nice shape?
3. As of right now, MY WIFE is the best mechanic I know of in this county. I'll defend her against anyone for that title!
One step closer to "done"....just in time, too.
