Tinkering, Part 6

Last night after we got the kids to bed, Jeff and I headed outside to play with the toys. We started by winterizing the camper...drain and shut off the water heater, empty the water tank, blow out the lines and run pink antifreeze through everything. I spent $7 on antifreeze; the local RV dealer charges $60 for this job.

My new starter from Clarks came yesterday, so when we were done with the camper, we went to work on the car. I should say Jeff went to work on the car, since he insisted on putting the starter in. We got the car back on its wheels, I hopped behind the wheel, turned the key, and the starter ran great! Unfortunately, the car didn't start.

After a great deal of head scratching, we decided to check the plug wires and make sure they were on correctly. Once we learned that I had gotten the # 2 and # 4 wires backwards, I started singing a verse from Frank Zappa's song, "Flakes:"

Jeff joined in. It was nice.

We reinstalled all the thingies that we unreinstalled to get at the plug wires, and started the car. It fired immediately and ran smoothly. We spent the next hour cruising around DeWitt Township. I noticed that the car was noticeably quieter. The blower bearing had been making far more noise than I had realized. I am not sure that someone unfamiliar with the car would notice the difference, but to my ear, the car sounds better than it ever has. The clutch engages smoothly and quietly.

We didn't take any pictures last night, so I thought I would show a few pictures from the pre-Legends days.

Here's a shot taken in March of Jeff talking to Bob Reeve, the virtuoso who painted the car, about one week before my valve seat fell down go boom.

This picture shows what the motor looked like after we removed it. Yuk!

My list of things to do on this car is gradually shortening. By the next CORSA nationals, I hope to have most of the following projects completed, in no particular order:

• Replace both radio speakers, and clean radio rheostats;
• Rebuild carburetors;
• Clean and lubricate window regulators, and realign windows to eliminate wind noise;
• Replace missing caulky goop stuff around the kick-panel vents;
• Replace shocks and springs;
• Reinstall interior trim strips on rear quarter panel trim pads;
• Install new carpet;
• Send car to body shop to repair minor damage, repaint cove, other minor clean up;
• Remove and repaint emergency brake handle.

The first two items on this list should be done by the end of the year. Someday I wouldn't mind flipping the car on its side like Chuck Cromwell does his to detail the bottom. (Pictures of Chuck doing this can be found on the GROUP Red page.) I'll post updates as this work progresses.

But for now, my car is on the road. GROUP Red, it's not goodbye, but 'til we meet again....