Thanks. Loving the build. I'll be following!

Sent from my iPhone using RX7Club

 

It's fine as a winter car.

Denver really doesn't get that much snow (that's what the mountains are for!) and what we do get is usually blasted away by the sun very quickly.
When we do get a major "snow event" (every few years), it doesn't matter what you're driving...no one is going anywhere.

Ground clearance is a bigger concern than which end of the car puts the power down, high centering is a problem after a big storm.

I think the 2nd gen has an excellent heater/defroster, that's never been a problem for me.

Your engine will love the cold, dense winter air.

Two things to know about our weather:
- On average, Denver has more sunny days than Miami, it's unusual for a front to stay around for more than a day.

-Because of the effect of the foothills/Front Range on weather patterns, the results of weather on the Denver metro area are extremely variable. Westminister might get two feet of snow, my neighborhood may get a few inches.

It ain't really a thang.
Don't worry about your car, the biggest problem is the SUVs.

 

thanks! this is the insight i was looking for. i'm gonna keep my car instead now.

 

Great!
You'll move out and we'll probably get record snowfall, your car will get crashed or rust out and I'll feel terrible.
But only a little "terrible" because my car will most likely still be tucked away in the garage, still not running.

Parts gathering mode is tedious and boring, especially because I'm getting such mundane stuff. New pilot bearing/seal! WOO!
Twenty 10mm crush washers (the brakes and the OMP use the same thing)! YAY!

So far, I've spent $413 in total on the car.
Figuring another $750 or so to be running and add another $350 to get road legal (title/tags/emissions/insurance).

Being poor sucks.

 

Enjoy it while you can. Having more money just means having more responsibilities and obligations.

 

Hmmm.
I'm 62 years old..."enjoy it while I can" means right now.

 

New brake setup looks solid!

 

**** I wish I was that young. I'm friggin 20!


Lol
My build is going the same way as yours. Mundane parts gathering when I can swing it.

 

wait wait wait... clokker is SIXTY TWO YEARS OLD???

 

Mind=blown.

 

Makes sense, look how grumpy old man meticulous he is.

 

True...

 

that totally explains the whole "my parents live with me" statements

 

+1

Though to be honest he now makes me feel lazy that he is doing all this work so cleanly and meticulously at 62 and I usually just sit around and ignore my car from an appearance perspective.

 

I think y'all would be surprised, I know there are other members in my age group.

I'm glad the cat's out of the bag though, now I can crosspost some threads from the AARP Automotive forum, where I totally rule.
Particularly popular was my "Turn Signal Override" mod, which deletes the CANCEL function and allows you to drive indefinitely with your signal blinking.
We oldsters love that ****.

 

Quite possibly the funniest thing i have read on this forum. Hahaha

 

Nice!

 

that totally explains the Tr3!

 

LOL! I had to stop going on there. Every 3rd technical thread was titled "Mittens....MITTENS....Din din time.....Where's my cat?"

 

The cat threads have been policed out.
The current top thread (mine, of course) is, "How to program your Garmin to find Old Country Buffet". Very popular with those easily lost but usually hungry.

On Sunday nights we get our weekly "lane assignments".
Last week was a good one, I got "Morning rush hour on University Blvd.", a very popular run.
Every morning from 7:30- 9:00 am, I got in the left lane and did 10 miles under the speed limit.
Sometimes my blinker was on, sometimes not...it's hard to tell which is more aggravating, so I play it by ear.
I sat through as many left turn only lights as was safe.
I've wired my brake light switch with a momentary contact switch on the steering wheel, so I can flash brake lights without actually slowing down.
I feel this adds a surreal touch to the depression and rage the people trapped behind me must feel.
It's the least I can do.

Later, when the big chain restaurants start their 2-4pm Happy Hour (Gallon margaritas and free sliders...$.25!), we all get together and laugh and laugh as we get shitfaced.

Then we drive home.

 

and empty your colostomy bags!

just kidding... i think.

 

OK, enough levity...shouldn't you kids be in school or down in the mines or something?

I have some time off from my temporary job (a mixed blessing...I'll miss the money but not the work) and need to get moving on the car again.
Nature has reminded me that nice weather is a fleeting thing- there's frozen rain falling now- and I still have much to do.

Figured I'd start with something easy and finish the brakes.
Previously I'd said I was going to hold off till the diff swap was done but it turns out that being able to use the ebrake to lock the wheels is very handy when unbolting the axles and driveshaft.

I'm also taking a side trip back into the interior and will be pulling everything behind the seats out again.
I want to install a pinion snubber and that requires access to the bin area.
I want to relay the fuel pump, so I'll need a power feed from the battery and access to the shock tower and finally...
I came into a supply of dense closed cell foam and want to try stuffing some of the larger body cavities to attenuate noise/droning.

I am aware that this foam isn't designed for the job like Dynamat, etc. is but I don't see how it can hurt (being closed cell means it's not water absorbent, so I'm not worried about abetting rust) and if it fails from an audio perspective, it may help thermally.

I think it's worth a try at least.

I also need to check the fuel pump...if you recall, I swapped out pumps and there was a difference in outlet connecting methods, so I'm not certain there's a good seal there.
If I must open the tank again I'd just as soon have as much of the interior removed as possible, to mitigate the lingering aroma of deteriorating fuel.

It occurred to me that I have yet to verify the efan operation (which is easy), so that's on the list also.

All of these projects are relatively easy and a good way to get back into rhythm with the car.

Next Wednesday my friend Sigfrid comes over with his floor jack and we drop the subframe.
The LSD is now clean enough to work with (and probably as clean as it's going to get for now) and all it's bolts/threads have been chased.
The bushings look fine, all it needs is some oil.
My source for Redline (which is going in the transmission) doesn't have any GL-5 lube, so I'm at the mercy of the big box stores here.
Any recommendations for a quality, nationally available LSD gear lube?

I am not averse to paying for quality but won't pay a premium because some racer yo-yo endorses it.

 

The momentary brakelight switch... I almost want to do that to my fc... Im laughing my *** off currently.

 

My 89 is pure original, I look at your mint car and go "hmm. Looks familiar"

I agree though... Looks are deceiving... Im scared to touch plastics... I hope nothing fails for a long time....

(Im very nit-picky like yourself. All these little things you want to accomplish or worry over... Thats how I am... I would love to simplify my engine bay like you.)

Good job. Must watch your new car.

 

I would prefer "thorough" over "nit-picky" but thanks anyway.

I think it comes down to expectations...when I perform work on my car, I don't expect stupid little stuff to hamper progress and if it does, I stop and fix it.
Crap fasteners are a particular fetish of mine, I reused almost none of the original bay hardware, replacing it with better stuff from my junkyard supply.
I try to work as though someone I respect is following behind, critiquing the job.

This rarely happens, BTW.

As to the bay simplification...
Much can be done with the engine in place (granted, with more difficulty) and without permanent alteration.
It all depends on what you start with.
I have more freedom than most because I've deleted both AC and power steering which opens up a lot of real estate in the bay and changes the overall look drastically.
Suddenly, major components look oddly placed (I'm looking at you leading coils!), sitting in the middle of nowhere for no apparent reason.
Most of my efforts have been to achieve the layout the original engineers might have used had they not been forced to work around options.

Not surprisingly, I also have thoughts on bay aesthetics in general (speaking of unsolicited advice)...
I learned this approach from a metal polisher and it works well as a general guideline:
Find the worst looking component that HAS to be used, make it look as good as you can, then bring everything else to that level.

Consistency in appearance makes a better overall look than a dramatic contrast of old/new, shiny/corroded, etc.

Also be aware of how your bay "weathers".
If the car is driven, the bay will get dirty, no way around it.
That nice shiny, intercooler piping is going to require a lot of work to keep looking good...are you that committed?
Streaky, water spotted polished parts look worse than clean, satin black ones, IMO, and the reduced maintenance of the "lesser" finish significantly offsets the lower initial bling factor.

/treatise on "Feng Shui Applied To Old Cars".
For the full transcript, please contact my publisher.