twisted car

So we knew when we bought this car it had a minor fender bender or two....but we found out it was hit harder than we expected.  anything other than 0 degrees of camber results in a 1/4inch IN of toe.  Pulling the jamb nut & screwing it all the way in, slotting the control arms, loosening the subframe bolts make it better, but no where near enought.  Going to try swapping in a V6 control arm since they are wider....if not have the 4cyl arm lengthened.

behind schedule

BIR Performance Driving School  is offering a team practice day....our goal was to have the car mostly ready for this event....good time to give the car a shake down and test things out...sadly we can't make it...just too much to do and so little time.

more werk

brakes bled...rear door windows have been replaced w/ lexan.  windsheild replaced by AutoGlass Professionals....who gave us a deal because of my tie w/ Ice Racing: http://iira-icerace.org/
Don...was able to fab up Jeff's new Kirkey race seat to the base of the stock Golf slider.....fricken awesome...this means we can keep our forward & back adjustment....height is another matter...

more progress

Don came over and educated me in the ways of a "roll tap"....basically a special tap that works w/ aluminum that "pushes" the material vs cutting it....magically that stud is now in its home!  Good thing to...I was not looking forward to pulling the head.

We fought getting the collector on the long tube header, putting it on and off several times to get the fitment right...what a PITA!....mocked up the used exhaust, welded the collector to the mid-section of the exhaust. 

Now the exhaust manifold bolts need tightening for hopefully the last time...we need to get creative w/ an exhaust hanger along the mid section, and put a lock washer on over the axle section.  We hacked up the driver seat, and Don developed a plan to make brackets to bolt it to Jeff's new Kirkey Seat. 

Three wheels have been sand blasted and primered.  Did i mention working on the car in the parking lot under a canopy at night in the ran, isn't the most fun thing?

progress report

long tube exhaust header is 3/4 installed....that missing stud bit us HARD....attempting to add stud #8 AFTER getting the other 7 in there and bolted down was a mistake. the threads are really boogered. We had to pull the collector off of the long tube header again, so that runner could be taken off.  A mechanic friend of mine is planning on coming down w/ a new snap-on tap to attempt to chase the threads. Dave got the water pump back in after inspecting it., and made much progress on the kill switch. Jeff got the radiator mostly in and its support/grill in & finished the battery installation located where the passengerside rear seat would normally be.

suspension choices....

Buddy Wayne sold us two and a half suspensions for $80, why?  Well wayne is an anal *@#$% and has had them sitting in his garage for over 5 years and wanted them gone.  Since we are only using one suspension, only one amount will be accounted towards the cost of the car....so are choices are:
-very used bilstien sports w/ H&R sports (apx 250lb front and 180 rear) purchased from the ice racer earlier this year for $60
-from wayne we got two front bilstien fronts, and a complete set of bilstien sports, along w/ Shine racing spring (300lb front & 200lb rear, linear rates but the nose of the car sits kinda high), and a set of H&R race springs (380lb front and 250lb rear, progressive rates, and they lower the car beyond its optimum level)

progress report

rear windows have been replaced w/ Lexan...the lexan was sourced from the dumpster from a trans am race team some 8 years ago...Jeff had ties to that race team back then.   Suspension installed.  Added more lightness......dash is back in....how many times did jeff take it out and put it back in?  :P  I am happy that we can retain the factory dash and vents/defroster.  Pulled the timing belt cover....much to my suprise it appears as if the belt was done not that long ago....it looks almost new.  Sweet!  Less work for me to do!