Uh Oh,
are you still have bonnet latch problems? I've taken a couple of pics of the latch mechanism and I think I can get it open for you remotely.

I'm not sure if the 1st gen and 2nd gen have the same latch.



Hopefully your latch looks like mine. If you look carefully at the pic, you'll see where the cable sheath attaches to the release lever. You'll probably have jack up the car and remove the left wheel.



If you look at this next photo you'll see a highlighted area. There is a small gap near that wire bundle that goes down into the wheel well. If you're really good with a coat hanger wire with a hook in one end, you can get it around that latch lever and might possibly pull the latch. The only other alternative would be to remove the wheel well itself to access the lever.

Hope this helps.

 

Thanks Hal! I'm going out to see what kind of trouble I can get into with a coat hanger...

OH JAYSUS NO! I was an ROTC grad - i actually had a little time to enjoy actual college life, not get uber-burned out on it like 99% of the West Point Grads today. My dad was a WP grad, though...graduated with the likes of the now-famious General (four star) Dempsey and General (also four star) Patraeus...although I didn't find this out until GEN Dempsey (who was my division commander in Iraq my first tour) came LOOKING for me in the division HQ, to "say hi" and to ask me to send something to my dad. WHAAA!?!?! (For those that might not understand - this is HIGHLY UNUSUAL, and a GI-HUGIC SHOCK to ME...I was a little bitty Captain trying to hold down a job that was supposed to be worked by a lieutenant colonel two ranks above me. STRESS??? YA. A LITTLE.) Two of my uncles (one is a former uncle now) were also WP grads. Personally, I'm not a fan of my generation of WP grads... They tend to be very full of themselves, very "burned out" on the military (although I frankly don't think they really understand it), and they don't seem to handle juggling real life very well.

That's 'coz it's FULLY AWESOME!

So, my dear MINIxB, have you ever explained to us what exactly you do for a living? Does "making plates" mean you're a chef, or a machinist?? And getting an afternoon free is SUCH BONUS!!!! It's like getting to play hookey, for free!

 

I work at an envelope factory. I make the print plates for our machines and I also run the big print press in the back. I even used to make the envelopes.

 

OH WOW... How did you get into THAT kind of a job?! And have you/the envelope factory felt the impact of computers/email/technology? That's a highly unsual kind of job!

 

I found out about this place from a friend of a friends Mom who used to work here. Started out as a machine operator and worked my way up. I've been working here for 3 years.

The envelope industry and myself have really noticed how much people are cutting down using envelopes. We've laid off 22 people at our plant so far this year and closed three other plants, also. We're doing better than some other envelope/ labeling plants though which is good. Luckily the plant I work at is one of the really important ones so its least likely to get shut down but they still could move my press to a different factory and I'd likely go with it..

 

So is this a kind of career, or a stepping stone for you? You said you have to create the plates...isn't that a big deal? Creating them from a template, or what? Does this mean you're like the big cheese in charge - you get to pick sizes and shapes and all that!? So cool. Does it smell? Can I ask more questions???

 

LOVE the smiley Ola! Reminds me of my life (woo hoo!), get in, hold on and enjoy the ride, LOL.

OK- I'm heading to Maine on Wednesday, but will be back on Sunday night. I'm taking my laptop and sprint card, so <hopefull> I'll be able to check in.

I've not been to red barn, don't get to Augusta much (my place is mid coast... I've also got a place in the mountains, but that requires a tent). But there are some great places like that all over Maine- as you well know- I'm just a summah people... 4th generation summah people... Long story, but I blame my mom for my not being Native... she served lobster in Philadelphia about 6 weeks before I was due to arrive in this world - I tasted lobster (second hand of course) and thought I was in Maine... and showed up 6 weeks early. <sigh> I was NOT a happy camper to find out I was in Philadelphia and not Maine.

gotta head to bed. It's late... I'm tired.. Nite Freebies

 

I am staying home tomorrow...and the next day!!

 

I need YOUR job, Johnny.

Hal, I didn't get out to see if I could wrangle something with the bonnet before it went dark out last night...I'll get to it today, though!

 

So TNMM- I need to know WHERE. What towns/cities do you consider "Mid-Coast Maine"? And where are your mountains? FYI- "Summah people" were always looked at as "wicked rich"!! I forget... is it blackfly or mosquito season now?

It's probably a good thing that you aren't a "Native"... you probably wouldn't appreciate it as much. I don't like Maine... but I grew up pretty poor in a small town away from everything and it was a difficult life. I didn't experience the LLBean/Land's End lifestyle until much later. Coastal towns are really cool though. Old fisherman's villages and stuff are great... and although those Natives are mostly poor too... the life is a little different.

The husband went to school at Maine Maritime Academy in Castine.

 

LOL I'm kinda important. I'm the only person on my shift that can make the print plates... I'm not the big cheese in charge though. I use a computer to make the plates using files made by the graphics department and lining then up in a program on the computer and a lazer burns out the design on the print plate and then it goes to a light table to expose the design and then it goes through a developer to make it usable. This is probably going to be a carrer for me although I don't know if I'm going to stay in printing at this plant or not.. And, the plate making process doesn't smell but in the print press room it does because of the ink and the other things that we put into the ink... The envelope machines stink sometimes too but that's usually when they're on fire..
You can ask more questions if you want, I don't mind.

 

BIG CHEESE! BIG CHEESE! Or at the very least cool that you are VERY IMPORTANT!

So UhOh- what made you think to ask if it "smells" there? Were you thinking like rotten crap smells from like a paper mill? Now THOSE are yucky!

 

WOW Hal- you really did some detective work for the latch! Hopefully UhOh gets her bonnet all worked out!

So UhOh, that's pretty wild about meeting such important people. Do you think "Dad" wanted someone to check in on you to make sure you were doing ok? I think I saw a movie about a cute guy at West Point. He was from the other side of the tracks ('er... water) and he got into trouble all the time. People wanted to fight with him because he didn't fit in. But he pushed through because he wanted to be something more than just the same as his father (steel worker? ). Then he falls in love with a young lady superior... but it is forbidden. The fat guy roommate gives him a stash of candy bars to gain weight so he can fight a bigger guy. Then he graduates (I think). *So you guys like my little dramatic reenactment of a movie? Just being silly... I don't think it was based on a true story.

Speaking of movies... we went to see the new Pixar flick "UP". It was really good. Even had a couple of tear jerker moments. For anyone that likes the Pixar stuff... this was probably one of their best.


**UPDATE:


It was Annapolis NOT West Point. OOps. I was too busy paying attention to the cute guy.

 

I want to go see that movie. If it has any tear jerker moments like WALL-E I'll be crying. (That scene at the end with wall-e and eve was so sad. )

 

There were at least two. I looked over and saw the husband with a tear rolling down his cheek! I had a big knot in my throat and had to use the popcorn napkins for my eyes. I was trying to hide it but I couldn't do it 100%.

 

LOL My boyfriend cried at the end of Wall-E.

I just looked at the website for my local Mini dealership and they've got almost 100 mini's in stock!! I might go check them out this weekend...

 

I got my plates today!!! I got my plates today!!!

Pics on Thursday, when I have time again! *hugs all the freebies*

 

Oooo, "LA-SERS"!!!!!! (*insert Dr. Evil voice*) How long does it take you to make a plate? Is the plate literally like a metal plate etched with the lasers, or is it a more pliable media? And how long does it take between you making the plate, and the first product off the presses? That's just really cool - I don't think I know anybody else in that kind of field!

I wondered if it smelled like a paper mill, yes (EW!)...or the inks smell. Which reminds me of another question, MINIxB - do you get headaches from the smells?

ALAS, no i did NOT get the bonnet working. The pics, Hal, were great...except...they were taken from ABOVE? Yeah...things look a LOT different from underneath. A LOT. I had to laugh...i couldn't even get my noggin' under the car to peek, without lifting the car!

'Ola, holy crap, but you crack me up babe! I LOVE your reenactment. Except I thought it was "An Officer & a Gentleman" at first. And yeah, dad was checking up on me. Unfortunately, this wasn't the first time. Ya'll want a story??? I'll give ya a story...

Little baby second lieutenant (2LT) Sarah was assigned to Korea as a first assignment. Unfortunately, due to some seriously screwed up administrative people at the military school (logistics officer basic school), 2LT Sarah didn't get paid for a month - they "lost" her on paper, and decided to "find" her by stopping all pays...It worked, although I was RIGHT FREAKING THERE THE WHOLE TIME!!! But I digress. They couldn't start 2LT Sarah's pay up again right away, so Sarah (after paying off bills prior to leaving the country) was BROKE. Sarah had to borrow $300 from her parents for traveling/emergency money --- THIS NEVER HAPPENS in Sarah's life, by the way, so Sarahs' parents were convinced things were REALLY bad. Sarah, as an idiot baby 2LT, had accidently scheduled her international flight over Easter -- you don't fly over holidays to your new assignment by the way. It was a very long 17hr flight. No one was waiting for 2LT Sarah in Korea. Everybody looked VERY different, and Sarah stood out like the proverbial sore thumb -- at least 2' taller than most people! So Sarah figured out where the nearest USO was (thank GOD!) and figured out how to get to where she was supposed to go. There was a very wild bus ride (literally "kareening" around Seoul, Korea was a good term), with one other (enlisted) person, and we arrived at what Sarah was told was, "The Dragon Hill Lodge." Turns out (later) that this is a 4-star hotel on the military installation...but Sarah didn't know that. Sarah (due to the very late hour of arrival) was stuck in a room with an enlisted female who smoked (like a chimney) and who overslept with the double lock on the door. (Took 20-40 minutes to get into the room. ) Sarah did the dutiful daughter thing, and as soon as bags were safely secured in the room, called home and gave mom the basic info - where, when, why, etc. Also told mom, "Have to be up in 3 hrs - at 4:30am, have to go to bed now!" The next day, 2LT Sarah is patiently awating her assignment - YAY! DIdn't have to go far! Just across the installation. That's luck. 2LT Sarah was meeting all the new chain of command, and seeing the new office when she gets a message, "You need to go see the unit executive officer." Hm. Maybe he wants to greet me officially? Okay. "Welcome! Oh, by the way, your dad called and was afraid you'd been sold to the white slave trade. Can you call your parents please?" WTF!?!?!?!?!?! My father is an officer. HE KNOWS BETTER. ANd what whas more galling was that my parents knew what UNIT I was in BEFORE I DID!!!!! So yeah. Dad thought it would be funny to have my two-star commanding general seek me out to "say hi."

WALL-E was awesome! Sad, meh a little...but it was a nice happy ending! I LOVE Pixar...LOVE IT!!!

Yay RG! Very appropriate plates, too!

 

Hey MiniXb,, I love the details about your work!! Very cool. And I ALWAYS thought you were important!! In fact All of my Freebs are important,,to me!

As for Wall-E being a tear jerker? OMG-- I cry everytime I watch it with the kids. How about when Eve shuts down after confiscating the plant and poor Wall-E tries to wake her up and waits and waits.... oh no, here I go again.....

 

UhOh, great, great story! I really cannot even begin to imagine what your life has been like. You rock girl!!
And Ola? I loved your re enactment,,, and I didn't catch your original post with that awesome new smiley but caught it when UhOh quoted it and commented on it and I loved it!
Lately I haven't taken the time to do smiley searches and I miss them...
ok, signing off and trundling off to the shower to prep for a long day in the trenches,,, LOL
Oh! Rg,, wanna see the plates, wanna see the plates....!!! ( does this mean you can make us envelopes???)) hahahahah, whew,, eee!! I crack mee self up these days...

 

LOL, Ola, I understand WHY summah people were looked at as wicked rich... most of them ARE! Yeesh...
My grandparents, who'd been coming up since they were kids themselves (altho my grandmother actually bypassed Maine most of the time and went to PEI), bought a farm on the coast in the 1940's after the war. It was at auction, pennies on the dollar, so they were able to buy a lot of farm. And the big (huge) house that went with it. Which was good, cause they had 6 kids, all their kids friends, and their own friends/business relations visiting all summer. My grandparents started organic cattle farming back in the late 40's/early 50's before it was something anyone even talked about.

"MID COAST" to me is anything between say Portland and Wisscasset. I'll PM you and tell you where we are-
gotta run, off to the airport!

 

Hola freebies! I was just wondering if anyone ever got that free mini...

I'M KIDDING. I finished my move to the new place and haven;t had time to get online in what seems like ages. Just catching up on the past few pages -it's like watching a chat room from 1995. I like it.

I hand washed, waxed and detailed Betty on Sunday...and it was so relaxing, I was blown away. Needles to say, I was bummed when I couldn't driver her for a few days.

...and that's my story for today.

 

Hey Babbling!! Good sense of humor ya got there,,,
I feel so guilty.. poor poor Sloopy is so degradingly filthy,, sure hope he doens't get wind of the freebs on here talking about their clay bars and finely details wheels...

I bet Betty looks simply stunning!

 

Cab- I stole it! UhOh posted it first and I LOVED it!

UhOh- That's really a wild story! You are one tough woman! I could not do what you do.

Hey TNMM- where's my "pm"? Are you going to make me figure it out? I looked at Google Earth and the area from Wiscasset to Portland is like the part that has the most coastline. I did see Popham Beach State Park though... used to go there every year during the summer. And no... I couldn't feel my legs!

 

No one's home! I sure hope everyone's not watching that stupid "Celebrity" show with Sanjaya. That would be sad.