love my car: April 2011

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Pressure And Progress

The project has become very time consuming and tensions are elevating a bit with the race just a couple weeks out. I'm getting a bit stressed. There are some very rewarding moments as we make steps forward.

Today we rolled the MRolla out to try getting both engines started. Corolla end almost a go. No spark. Will double check the wiring repairs from the fire.

The MR2 end started pretty easily after we un-seized the starter. Did a compression test on it: 160, 145, 150, 155. Good enough for a fifth race since Altamont 2008. We've gotten our $250 worth from that MR2.

With the Corolla end not starting we couldn't test the fuel system while supplying both engines, one of our biggest technical concerns with this project.

My welding has gained Paul's approval and I welded most of the cage while Paul did the cutting and bending. Did I already post that? OK, I'm still proud.

We've got scoops on both sides of the rear end to draw air to the trunk mounted MR2 radiator.

It's looking less and less like one car as we attach multi-colored parts to it, but on the other hand the shape is coming together.

Tomorrow we go pull an automatic transmission from the junk yard. The transmission is our other big hurdle, but it looks like we can rig an electronic shift control for the rear auto. We'll see.

Sunday, April 17, 2011

F X 1 6 G T S !

Hideous isn't it? I love it.

Since selling my MR2 to my brother I've been in need of a new street car, and I've been obsessing over the Corolla FX16 even longer. My first car when I left the family hand-me-downs behind was an 87 FX16 GTS. It turns out these cars are much more difficult to find than MR2s.

Today I got a $500 runner. There are things a that $500 buys you in a car that $10000 doesn't: I don't care if my dog Lego get's hair in it. I can spray paint it. When I get water in the distributor by spraying the 5mm cake of oil and dust off the engine and kill it, I can reach through the hole where a speaker should be, press the clutch start button, and drive the car up my driveway using the starter motor.

Caged (4 Weeks To Fernley)

Previously Paul had finished getting the floor welded, we fixed up the roof, brake and fuel lines placed, drivers door mounted, and somewhere in between we raced the Sear Pointless.

We got the cage built this weekend. (All but the knee bar.) I actually did most of the welding while Paul got the tubes cut and bent. Not only am I not embarrassed about the quality of my welds, I'd actually trust my life to them. The weather was great for a change. This time of year Salt Lake has schizophrenia rather than weather.