Hi Ryan,

Jeff's advice was right on the money. Get the replacement seal BEFORE
removing the originals. I usually carve a slit in the seal from the
outside with a boxcutter/carpet knife and then press the window
outwards from the inside where a helper will catch it for me.

If the seals are in good condition it's possible to pry the glass out
with about 6 screwdrivers, but you have to be VERY careful if you are
going to accomplish this without breaking glass or tearing the
rubber. I wouldn't even try it if the temp is below 70 degrees, the
rubber will be too brittle.

Happy Trails,

Greg Potts
1973/74/75/77/79 Westfakia "Bob the Tomato"
www.pottsfamily.ca/westfakia
www.busesofthecorn.com

On 12-Oct-06, at 10:38 AM, Ryan Miller wrote:

> I've been gearing up to paint Beethoven now for a few years, but
> the task
> seems so daunting. Especially if you plan to do a lot of the prep work
> yourself. Thanks for the tips though. I'm wondering about glass
> removal. My
> windshield is cracked and needs replacing, so I've got a spare
> waiting to go
> in in my basement, but what about all the other windows? Does it
> make sense
> to have a professional remove them since I don't know squat about
> doing it?
> What about the seals? Seems like every time a window is removed or
> replaced
> the seals are never as good as they once were. Should I replace the
> rubber?
> I may not have a choice there they're so old.
>
> Thanks,
> Ryan
> '82 Camper Van "Beethoven"
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On
> Behalf Of
> Greg Potts
> Sent: Wednesday, October 11, 2006 8:39 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: Painting
>
> Hi Jeff,
>
> I took my 73 westy to a local Maaco 5.5 years ago. I was expecting
> that for $400 I would get two years out of it. Today I am still quite
> pleased with the finish they applied, though some rust that was
> unknown to me then has recently started to bubble up. This is not
> unusual in Ontario, and probably would have happened regardless of
> who painted it.
>
> Be aware that Maaco and Earl Schreib are both in business to make
> money painting cars. They attract customers with low prices, and the
> more cars they can paint, the more $$ they take home.  They are
> usually pretty good at painting, but not very attentive to prep work.
> They offer varying grades of paint... I chose the mid-grade for a
> price of $379. (Low-ball was $299, deluxe was $499).
>
> The secret to a good paint-job is in the prepping. But Maaco et al do
> as little prep as possible before they paint, because time prepping
> is time not spent painting. And painting is where their $$$ comes
> from. If *YOU* prep the vehicle before you take it in you will get a
> much better result:
>
> Tips:
> - Remove the trim, door-seals and door-handles. They will merely tape
> them off, and the end results will look like it.
> - Remove the windows and seals.
> - Remove the bumpers, headlights, tail-lights and lenses. Remove the
> bulbs, and tape off the reflectors. if it's removalble, take it off.
> - If you're applying primer, ask ahead of time what primers are
> compatible with their paint system.
> - If the vehicle has to be towed to the paint-shop, so be it.
>
> Here's my bus prepped and waiting in the Maaco lot:
> http://www.pottsfamily.ca/westfakia/creation/pictures/agf00002_12.html
>
> This will add about 4 hours labour to the job, but the end result
> will be well worth it.
>
> Happy Trails,
>
> Greg Potts
> 1973/74/75/77/79 Westfakia "Bob the Tomato"
> www.pottsfamily.ca/westfakia
> www.busesofthecorn.com
>
>
>
>
> On 11-Oct-06, at 3:09 PM, Jeff Lincoln wrote:
>
>> This is just a simple opinion question - I'm sure to get a
>> response :)
>>
>> If cost is a major option - what are the lists thoughts on having a
>> bus
>> painted at an Earl Sceib or similar mass painting shop. I tend to
>> be very
>> apprehensive of their claims. However, what is really the
>> difference between
>> what they will do for $750 or what a small independent shop will do
>> for
>> thousands?
>>
>> I'm not trying to be cheap but $$$$ are always an issue at this
>> point in
>> life.If a $750 paint job is going to last me many years it may be
>> worth it -
>> then again I would want it to be of at least good quality and
>> workmanship. I
>> know it is sort of a dumb question because what I am really asking
>> about is
>> quality but your opinions will help as I have no bench mark or
>> experience
>> with any of this.
>>
>> I'm also once again getting ahead of myself as it will be quite a
>> while
>> before I am ready to make any decisions on this.
>>
>> --
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Jeff
>> 90' Carat (It's Blue, It's Beautiful, It needs a lot of work)
>> 86' (Soon to be donating organs to the 90')
>> 85' GL (sidelined but to be resurrected in the near future)