As I was processing the pics for this morning the project I did is a great example of what the term “service loop wiring” means and why it’s so important. I’ll wind it into the post today but first lemme show you the next machine to jump off the sidewalks….. Yes, it’s finally the time for “Rock the Alps”. This now awesome machine started it’s time with us a mild mannered pale blue paint job… not bad but it just didn’t have a luster.. or any pazzaz! 
My head body man was a little upset seeing all the terrible looking coaches here and he was going to do over one of the nicer looking ones that has come in… hey but he was the man to make this happen so “diver down” he went 
After a harrowing experience taking hours of time to fix…. the outer layer of paint in the coach flaked off with a paint scraper in big sheets 
Some places stuck while others fell off like the primer was Teflon or something 
This meant we not only had to get the flaked and nonflaked paint off but also that Teflon primer layer… then fix all the damage and build everything back up to a bites surface on all the plastic AND the aluminum! Ask Chris… it’s a bear! 
The finish is 1 color so there was a minimal lay out time…. all the work on this project was the sanding! Then came the color …. back from the booth it needed curing time
Then came the assembly…. having it in color is one thing but have the exterior back together with body molding, lights, ladder, vents, seals, etc. has to be done before you can call it really done. For the past several weeks, that’s where Rock the Alps has been… Humpty Dumpty getting put back together……. hey but look at the butterfly that came out of it’s cocoon! 
The details hold the quality, howzit look … 
OK right here is where I wanted to thow in the “service Loop” discussion…. as you can see from the last pic the refinished electric Ramco mirrors are now on. The had been on before … installed by someone else and well intentioned as we all are….. here’s a tip on anything that may ever need to be taken off and reinstalled that has wiring.
When installed, the wire harness was pulled through the hole pulling all the slack into the coach and routing the cable harness from there. This means when we went to take off the mirrors, we had a very short harness that had to be cut to take the mirrors off. Hey, I’m not bagging that off! That would be cheezy…. no, the mirrors had to come off and they also needed refinishing so now putting the mirrors back on, here is what I had to work with 
Reconnecting each wire on a twin motor electric mirror… with no room to work like I said was a bear! 
The driver side was worse, I had to extend each wire to be able to connect it all back together 
The mirror base holds the service loop but next time it has to come off new cuss words won’t have to be conjured up! 
So Grasshopper, please leave extra wire.. a service loop whenever you install things…. radio, switches and gauges, MIRRORS, in short anything that you may need to pull out and reuse the wiring….
So now Rock the Alps is in the big house, will be jacked up today for it’s new set of “red line” tires and wheels…. 
Zip Dee came through and their new charcoal tweed awning fabric has arrived to get the last vestiges of blue away from the coach 
So Andy…. Monday it’s all you brother! 
Rock the Alps is getting ready to rock Florida! Stay tuned!
So it’s Saturday… I like it when only a few guys are here, I can get things done and well… it’s my time. Make today your time too…. we’ll see ya later and thanks for dropping by…..
