Pix to come soon, but it's 10:20 p.m. and dark and I'm not going to take them now...
Been working on the free car, Hoodlum (since it has no hood), on my free evenings and some afternoons when Comcast cuts off my email because I've sent too many press releases out.
Got the non-functional air conditioning system out, and I swear the compressor weighs at least 40 pounds. So that's a bunch of weight gone and two belts the engine no longer has to turn.
The PO (previous owner) had an oil cooler installed when he lived in Arizona. Not a bad thing, but he had it mounted behind the front bumper. Not only does it not get a lot of air flow tucked behind the front bumper, I've removed the front bumper entirely, which left the oil cooler hanging there like a tongue. Not a good look. Tonight I relocated it behind the grill where it will get a lot of fresh air and should work a whole lot better. And 2002s look cool with no bumpers.
Decided that I don't need to replace the nose on the car, since it's going to be a race car anyway. I pulled and pounded the dents out pretty well, and with a hood in place you don't hardly notice. Should be able to install the replacement fender and hood I bought for $40 in the next few days and have a pretty well intact car.
Upgraded the brakes to the bigger vented rotors from a 1977 320i and calipers from a 1987 Volvo in front, and the bigger drums from a 1983 320 in the rear. Need to bleed those, and had to get 14" inch wheels because the stock 13s didn't fit over the bigger brakes. (All the parts in this paragraph came from various Pick N Pull wrecking yards.) The wheels are BMW bottlecaps and look cool.
Started scraping out the sound insulation from the interior, but haven't fully gutted it yet. (And may not for a while.) Roll cage will go in eventually.
The eventually list is LONG. Upgraded suspension, 5-speed transmission, smog-free, high-horsepower engine, free-breathing exhaust, etc., etc., etc.
I'd say that's it keeping me out of trouble, but you know that's a lie...
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2 comments:
Take a nap, for pete's sake, you're tiring me out!
Can't wait to see the photos. Sounds very cool. We'll have to come see you race sometime...
A lot of the VARA races are down there: Fontana and other tracks. I'll be going to watch one in Buttonwillow, outside Bakersfield, next month.
Drove the car tonight for the first time since taking the AC, smog pump and front bumper off - you'd swear it was a different car with twice as much engine.
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