Sitting around the house on a Saturday or Sunday morning, Is never a good thing for me. Most of the time it leads to spending money, procrastination, or getting involved with tasks that can not be finished in one day or without multiple trips to the store. Well here I am, sitting and thinking about what I want to get done with the little time I have before heading out for the afternoon, to another obligation.
Coffee in hand, a few things bounce around in this brain of mine, before I settle on something.
I grab my handmade Eldreth stoneware mug, filled with delectable joe.. black with a splash of sweet stuff.. and head out to the garage. I pop open the door and set my mug on the front bumper of the Jeep. This is what I decided to work on today.. My 2006 Jeep Wrangler TJ (Sport).
It was so stinking nice outside, I went ahead and pulled the Jeep out of the garage, so I could enjoy the sunshine and cool breeze. I had to throw on a sweatshirt for a while. The breeze got just a little too chilly for me at one point and the coffee wasn't doing a good job of warming me up from the inside out.
If the engine looks a little too clean for being over 14 years old, it's because I had spent countless hours detailing each and every piece. I still have quite a few plans for her. Some of the parts still need a more detailed cleaning or refurbishment. As time and money present themselves, I will take the opportunity to knock a few of them off the list. I am trying to keep most of it original, but if your a Jeep person, you know that that is very hard to do. They just make too many cool aftermarket items for Jeeps. Sometimes I can't resist.
Enough about the silly engine. Lets get to the good stuff and the reason for today's post. I made a purchase on Amazon a week or so ago; A new windshield tie down hood loop. I have been needing a new one of these since breaking the original several years ago. Yes you read that correctly.. Several years ago. I just got around to splurging on this $15.00 (USD) item .. haha. It certainly wasn't the cost of the new part, but more likely the constant procrastination on purchasing it.
I had finally had enough and made the purchase. I needed a few other things anyhow.
The part is just a simple plastic loop that will bolt to the hood. It is meant to use as a place to anchor the windshield to, if you ever want to drop the windshield down. I do not, so this part will be for decorative use only. Here it is.. Nothing to write home about.
So first thing I have to do is remove what is left of the old tie down, from the hood.
This will be pretty easy to remove. As you can see, the only thing left are the blunt flat ends and the post bolts. I will just hold the one end and use a socket to loosen the nut on the interior of the hood. On a difficulty scale of 1-10, I would give this job a 1. You should know how to use a socket wrench and the rest should be common sense.
I use the above 9mm socket and ratchet to remove the two bolts pictured below.
In about 5 minutes, I have the two broken pieces off of the hood and now I need to clean the area around each hole. It's nice to take the time (maybe another 5 minutes) to lightly clean and wax the area before you cover up the paint again. It will help prevent rust formation in the future.
Before & After
Now that the broken pieces are out, the area around the holes is cleaned and prepped, I have the shinny bran new piece ready to install. This will be a very simple installation. I will simply place the new piece into the holes of the hood, place the nuts on to the bolts, and hand tighten. I will use the same ratchet and socket tool to tighten the nuts, making sure not to over tighten them.
There is really only one way you could mess this install up, by putting the part under the hood instead of on top of it. I don't think this would happen to many people. But hey, prove me wrong and post about it.. I need a good laugh.
It was really that easy. I think it took longer to drink my coffee. I have no clue as to why I put this tiny project off for so long. LAZY!! Below are a few photos of the finished results...
I have a set of new door straps to install. They are made for keeping the doors from opening past a certain point. The original ones broke due to age. I'll leave that for another day and another post. I have to get a couple of other little things done before we head out for a get together.
― Rachel Brathen
My art work incorporates a wide variety of subject matter, including landscape, seascape, cityscape, and still life images. My works are the product of a continuing process of exploration through which I seek to portray personal and visionary interpretations of my surroundings. My paintings are impressions of places and events from everyday life, an interpretation of my imagination, and personal responses to what I see and feel on a daily basis. More recently I have invested generous amounts of time into my landscape painting. I am surrounded by natural and man made beauty, which inherently presents itself in the tri-state area, and almost demands that I paint it.
Not everything is art. Art is not everything, but it comes close. Art is everywhere and all the time. Art makes you experience the beauty of the world, the people in it, and the places we call home. Art itself is so influential that it can tell stories, show feelings, and express passion or fury. Art exists in addition to language; expression of sensations and thoughts, revealing a way of thinking too subtle and delicate for words.
For me art requires love, honesty and perseverance. In return, it reveals some personal, non-analyzable, and creative untamed passion. For the public, art with its magnificent beauty, improves mood and health and builds better human beings and communities. It engages the intellect, softens the heart, strengthens the soul and frees the spirit.
Or
If you don't see the piece in either shop, It may still be drying. Let me know and I can upload it as soon as possible to be available. Or you can always make me an offer (in HBD, Hive or any other crypto) in the comments section of this post. If we agree on a price, I will then ship the painting to you. (shipping costs will be determined by your location).
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