What a busy weekend

On Friday evening we got the roof rack mainly completed, at least enough to test the pole on it, and with the roof rack on the ground, the flange bolted onto it (with 3/4 inch bolts, those where a challenge to mount into 2x4s without weakening the structural integrity too much) and the eight foot pole screwed into the flange, The FNP could climb the pole while me and another manly man rock back and forth on it, and it was... VERY sturdy. There was a hair of give, as it is steel and even more flexible wood, but really, it was very solid. Not limp at all. No, perfectly erectile. That flange was the ticket and money well spent! It really was not until I actually purchased the 8 foot by 2 inch steel pole and had it in my hand that I realized I would be driving around Transformus with a giant cock coming out of the roof of my car. Mental note: if it takes three strong men to screw the pole into the flange, and then people dance on it, three strong men cannot unscrew it. Luckily on of the boys is local, and has access to his dead grandpa's shop, which includes a three foot pipe wrench, and that is not even his longest!

Anyway, Saturday, after some complications with the curvature of the roof of the Beetle and not planing for enough clearance (notice the 2x8s in the second picture vs. the 2x4s in the first), we finally got the rack mounted on the roof and put the pole back in place. Three of us dudes were up there, and everything held very sturdy! Two of us even tried to tip the car, by hanging onto the pole while stand in the edge of the rack, leaning out and rocking back and forth. We had no luck! Although there was a tiny bit of play between the rack mounts and the rack (that is why I use giant wing nuts with roof racks, so they can be tightened as everything settles), the only spot rocking is where it is supposed to, the shocks and tires - and I might even have a plan for that. There is a jack that fits into the side of the Beetle, and I am going to see if I can find a second one for the other side, not to really take much weight off, but just to stabilize the whole thing if it is parked for while. To be honest though, it was quite a relief to get this tested, and not have my car be destroyed, cave in, or even bend. Phew!

Having the platform up there, we also noticed a number of useful things. The rack is 5 feet wide, as is the widest part of the base of the car. So the roof rack is sticking out over the roof of the car, and is rather challenging to climb up onto without a ladder, which is really good as it should discourage inebriated marauders making use of the pole without someone giving them a ladder. Looking at the roof rack mounted in place, we also figured out all of the technical detail of making the wings flap. And finally we are going to have to do a drive around Deerfields to make sure it has enough clearance to get into most of the neighborhoods. The pole is sturdy, so it should push branches from trees growing on the sides of the road aside, but it is rather tall. If there are neighborhoods we want to go to that we do not have enough clearance, we can simply unscrew the pole, drive in and then screw it back in. But that might mean there will be a lot of screwing going on in the STEAMBUG... *Ahem* Also, I now have it reregistered and insured, though it will be a close call whether or not the custom plate, which say "STEAMBUG" will make it in time for T'fus or not.

Yesterday I got it tuned up and it seems to be running relatively well, though it is always a bit of a touch and go adventure with those old VWs. We are driving it down to the Alchemy Art Fundraiser ( http://www.alchemyfestival.com/participation/art/fundraiser.html ) on the 27th in Atlanta to try to get some moola from them for the trailer. That should be a good road test, and means we will have to have most of the Beetle looking nice and hopefully completed by then.

Keeping it lit,
PyroCelt