Heidi’s Deconstruction Continues

Yesterday afternoon I got a phone call from the lovely Loriann informing me her car would not shift into reverse. For some reason I did not fear the worst – busted transmission. Instead I assumed an issue with the linkage. After confirming the bushing I’d replaced a couple months ago had fallen out, I had to burn nearly two hours coming up with and installing a suitable bushing replacement. I finally MacGyvered a piece of tubing over a fuel line pressed into the linkage end and over the pin of the shifter.

With that complete, I was finally able to get some more work done on Heidi. I removed the sideview mirror, taillight assemblies, rear license plate and associated light assembly, and the rear grill. I started to remove the trim pieces that frame the rear of the salon, but the screws holding it in place were too stubborn. I’ll have to make another attempt with my impact screwdriver. I also investigated what it would take to remove the two fake air vents just forward of the engine lid. It appears that I’ll need to pull off two access covers in the engine compartment’s firewall, insert my chubby, little hand through each opening to wrench off the nuts that retain the pieces to the car. All the while being careful not to add to my current assortment of lacerations.

To attempt to address the list’s item “triangle window,” I also pressed in the pin that holds the driver’s side wing window’s catch to the shaft. This didn’t seem to tighten things much, but the catch does seem to hold the window closed snugly enough. This evening I’ll be back at the bodywork.