spare time report:
i don't have a complete fsm for suzi. my vaugely useful chilton's mentions a/c, but refers most service to the professional........, so i have just started taking things apart.
i removed the blower motor and its carrier/ducting thing,and think i'm looking at the a/c "radiator"?

somewhere in there is the heater core, so i have to start being careful. i also found out where the mouse i found earlier had set up house- in the ducting.
my plan is to remove the a/c related stuff, clean the mouse spoor out and reassemble.
i'll bet the heater works better when i'm done.

What will go in this new-found space you're clearing? A small generator? Fish finder?

i'm just looking things over(sorta) as i see how "they" built it.
i know there is useless obstruction in the cabin heating and ventilation system. i'm trying to get the a/c radiator core out, and clean the ducting.
usually i stow motor fluids, boots, maps, binocs, etc. in that footwell.
still mostly just looking.

another spare time report:
if i'm gonna do this a/c crap removal, i need to remove the whole dash.
it seems a little silly and opening that 'ol cana worms, but, provided i don't break too many things, i think some good may come of it.

update 4/07:
i am in the tail'n enda this project. sure.
a very good opportunity to neaten up the wire jumbles under the dash, and i've been able to eliminate the a/c related harness. i've integrated my added electrics in a more standard manner.
the heater/defrost/fan ducting went back together well, and the blower sounds more effective.

this was oddly fun. now my wife is sure i'm nuts.
especially after she saw this:

i had already removed the blower box. the a/c core is next.

with the ducting out of the way, i re-routed some battery cables thru the holes left by the a/c core.

it was a great opportunity to neaten things under the dash.
the reassembly has gone well.

i have lost my mind. i can't remember how i wired my driving lamps.

Driving lights are easy to retrace back...follow the wires from the relay. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />

How much space did you recoup?

yeah
i remember running into this when i first installed the lamps.
when i pulled the dash i disconnected the signal to the relay. now i can't find where i got that signal from.
i compounded this problem by re-arranging the other wires on the relay. oops.
i used to have them functional when the high beam circuit was on or when "flashing" to pass(or to blind that on-comer w/the high beams on).
i think there is some ground switching going on- there are no headlight relays that i can find-, but i had figured it out before........
one of these days i'll get the rest of the fsm. the aftermarket manuals are just rough guides.
i have let this little problem stall reassembly for two days. i am switching them on/off manually until i have some revelation.
re: stowage-
i was very interested in the passenger side dash support structure. i may be able to modify this area and make it more useful.
i will do a little "ponderin'".

tagon:
suzi the psychic is awaiting a complete gear unpack/sort/add/repack in preparation for her first real run of the season. i'm thinking april 28 - may 2.
mabe. it could happen.
mabe too early for e f carson, but that hasn't stopped me from trying....

addon 4/19:
something happened to my heater fan control.... all i have now is what seems to be high speed(and it seems super charged), no lower speeds. wonder what i did wrong?
re-fit going well.

russell
i did come up with a way to use some of that passenger foot well area..... at least for now.
i mounted suzi's air pump up against the firewall.

this is that harbor freight "high volume" air pump(the more expensive one) i got a while back to replace my little buzz box.
it is now wired to a switch and plumbed to the rear, where i can plug in my air hose.
i used to have it in the back where it was convenient but took up useful space. now it's using what was a harder to access stowage area. i'm also playing w/a backpack type carrier to put on suzi's butt, for some stuff like my air hose, jumper cables, straps, and idontknowyets. i have a prototype mounted. if i like it, i will confess.
i have stripped all the gear out of her, vacuumed a lot of drift/settle, and have started the re-pack/re-supply process.
still got a week and a half.......

richard,

Have you considered replacing your tailgate mounted spare tire with a pair of swing-away units mounted tot he rear bumper (one a storage box, the other a tire rack)? Your departure angle may suffer a little but you generate some external space without resorting a roof rack.

Russell

yeah russell
i was always pleased that my full size spare(why carry anything else) fit on the stock mount, even though it's much heavier than design weight, i'm sure.
so far the gate seems to be ok with it, but i have the bumper set to take a lot of the load when it's closed.
if i do her transfer case mod., i would consider larger tires(mabe 33"?), so i'd need to rethink this, and have some interesting parts of a german made rowing machine that would make a real nice swing hinge thing.......mabe.
i have rigged a little stowage thing to mount on the spare.
i'll see if it stays on this next run.
moving in progress? get any giraffs yet?

poke042411:
still some weather moving thru the target area. hmmm. at least it is forcast clear for launch time. got chains. considering anchor.