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Progress

So I finished out the transmission tunnel and removed the cross brace below the tranny. It's amazing how long that took after waiting this long to start the project back up.

Next steps:

• Remove the old trailing arm mounts from axle
  
• Fashion a bracket for rear transmission mount
• Create engine mount supports and mounts

That is a few weeks worth.

Wow.

It has been quite a while since my last update. So much has gone on over the last few months that I have gotten nothing done on the project.

However, this weekend I am taking extra time off and plan to attack my project with a vengeance. First off I will get the engine alignment straightened out and the transmission rear mount welded in place. The interesting thing about the new engine I am using is that the bottom of the bell housing is the bottom of the oil pan. This will allow me to set the transmission and engine lower in the car, hopefully lowering the center of gravity even more.

I also will get the rear axle cleaned up and the new hangers welded on for the trailing arms and shock mounts. Then it's time for a coat of rust inhibitor.

New Engine

OK, after many fits and starts I have the new engine in the garage. I'll add pix of it soon. It is long and skinny. It's also a counterflow design. In other words the intake and the exhaust are on the same side of the block. Dean, who supplied this engine to me also threw in 2 sets of carbs for it. Now to begin the fitting process. Big thanks sent out to Dean for the low price replacement for the ford engine.

New drivetrain???

So, after trying to test fit the mustang tranny, I have come to the conclusion that it won't leave me enough foot well room for the ol' 13 wides. A friend of mine has graciously offered to let me use the drive train out of his 1969 Datsun 2000 roadster. With a stock HP rating of 135 and no engine management software at all to worry about, it seems like a good idea.

representative sample below.

Spindles

I got my spindles yesterday. The winter weather has made car disassembly a bit slow. Soon the weather should be back to normal and I can get the donor out of the driveway.

Axle F

Rear axle removed. Once I get a hand to haul it out from under the car, I'll add a photo, but almost there.

I'm done being sick

OK. After a cold and the flu. I am done being sick. Now it is time to finish my dis-assembly.

Only 3 major components left:

• brakes
  
• rear axle
  
• fuel pump
  

New year

So Christmas was a down time on the car build. I was out of town. However, I did get a bevy of new and exciting tools and car parts for the holidays.

I got:

• Aircraft tin snips


• An air riveter


• A hand riveter


• A tachometer


• A Speedometer


• A die Grinder
  

All in all, a great haul. Thanks everyone!

-C

sick

Being sick is a very unproductive way to go through a week.

A week later

Well, I have the wiring harness out as well as the steering column. I hope to get the steering rack and brakes out this weekend.

I picked up a pipe bender at HF. I am going to try and bend my last rear tubes and try and finish the frame before the end of the year.

where am I at?

I have been plinking away at the harness. I have everything unhooked but the computer, which is partially buried behind the heater assembly.

This weekend I should have it out and I should start on the gas tank and the steering rack.

Soon ol' ugly'll be gone. <Sniff>

Weekend update...

This weekend I made some small progress.

• I cleaned the transmission off. It was pretty caked with road grime, motor oil and power steering fluid, a heady cocktail of filth. If you look at the pic in the last post the tranny was black, now it is a more original metallic color.
  
• I got more wiring unhooked. The dash is almost totally un-hooked. I plan on having the harness dis-assembled soon.
  
• I moved the car and engine and hoist to allow the M back in the garage. This was a big win on "wife happiness" front.
  

All in all it wasn't as productive as I'd like, but a lot got done. Pretty typical day for the project.

-C

Latest

The engine and transmission are now in 2 separate pieces. It appears the clutch is non-hydraulic. That is a nice thing and will make the pedal box easier to deal with. The clutch plate still had life on it, but I think the speedo cable is broken. I imagine it's not supposed to be in 3 pieces. Now to strip the rest of the car....


-C

before and after.

I took the bra off the car....eeeeewww. Leprosy of the paint.

Here's the car right before removal:



Here's the result.



...one heavy lump. Plus if you look closely you can see the valdez sized spill where the tranny dumped the fluid.

Outed

I have outed my engine. Thanks to lots of help from Bob (guy on left) and the equipment loan from Dean the Lima Lump is on the garage floor. Dang it is heavy. I'll post pics tonight.

pulling an engine

here

and here

I am doing this next. It should be interesting.

lotus super 7 race

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9UVV0XuiDk

Not positive what version of a 7 car it is, but it's cool. This was one of the things that got me interested in this project.

countdown

only 15 more tubes for the basic chassis