I Hate Working on Street Cars
So with the current lump off at the machine shop/beauty salon where it's being shampooed and rinsed of all the rod bearing confetti, my attention turns to the parts car that's been sleeping under a car cover for the last several months. This is the wrecked 89 I bought in February with a working 2.7 motor.
I went into the Watkins Glen weekend tied for 2nd in 944 Cup North with Alan Cohen, and Bob Page in 1st. Not racing that weekend dropped me like a rock down to 8th. Mosport is at the end of June, with 3 points races. Missing Mosport would put a major hurting on my championship run. So, while I'm rebuilding the motor again, why not drop in the motor from the parts car and go racing. The original plan was to pull the motor, and rebuild it over the off-season, and then put it on the shelf. Don't have time for that now, so lets pull it, do the rod bearings, bolt on my good auxillary parts, and drop it into the racecar. Mosport is in 2 weeks, lets see if I make it.
There's been some preliminary parts stripping so far, but nothing major. I rolled the car into the garage Tuesday, and today was the first chance to start working on it.
First order of business is to drop the exhaust. Piece of cake right? On my race car, takes me about 5 minutes once it's up on the lift.
But this isn't my race car is it? It's a street car that has sat for the last year after it got crunched. The exhaust is probably original. And nothing, I mean nothing, has ever had anti-seize applied to it.
An hour and half later, it's finally off the car. 3 snapped bolts - which were a good thing, saved me from more trouble; gnarly, rusted, rounded off bolts and more, the full gauntlet was encountered.
A short list of tools used:
multiple wrenches
multiple sockets and extensions
wobble sockets and extensions
vise grips
propane torch
PB Blaster
hammers, multiple
a very large crowbar
air powered cutting wheel
beer
bandaids
And since I'm drinking heavily now, probably more that I've forgotten.
But perseverance and a lowering of IQ points from the PB Blaster fumes resulted in another man over machine triumph in the end.
Here's what awaits me ...
The rest of the car looks pristine right? I can't wait for more fun later. But first, beer, sleep, work and then back to this.
I went into the Watkins Glen weekend tied for 2nd in 944 Cup North with Alan Cohen, and Bob Page in 1st. Not racing that weekend dropped me like a rock down to 8th. Mosport is at the end of June, with 3 points races. Missing Mosport would put a major hurting on my championship run. So, while I'm rebuilding the motor again, why not drop in the motor from the parts car and go racing. The original plan was to pull the motor, and rebuild it over the off-season, and then put it on the shelf. Don't have time for that now, so lets pull it, do the rod bearings, bolt on my good auxillary parts, and drop it into the racecar. Mosport is in 2 weeks, lets see if I make it.
There's been some preliminary parts stripping so far, but nothing major. I rolled the car into the garage Tuesday, and today was the first chance to start working on it.
First order of business is to drop the exhaust. Piece of cake right? On my race car, takes me about 5 minutes once it's up on the lift.
But this isn't my race car is it? It's a street car that has sat for the last year after it got crunched. The exhaust is probably original. And nothing, I mean nothing, has ever had anti-seize applied to it.
An hour and half later, it's finally off the car. 3 snapped bolts - which were a good thing, saved me from more trouble; gnarly, rusted, rounded off bolts and more, the full gauntlet was encountered.
A short list of tools used:
multiple wrenches
multiple sockets and extensions
wobble sockets and extensions
vise grips
propane torch
PB Blaster
hammers, multiple
a very large crowbar
air powered cutting wheel
beer
bandaids
And since I'm drinking heavily now, probably more that I've forgotten.
But perseverance and a lowering of IQ points from the PB Blaster fumes resulted in another man over machine triumph in the end.
Here's what awaits me ...
The rest of the car looks pristine right? I can't wait for more fun later. But first, beer, sleep, work and then back to this.
Ughhh!
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