http://youtu.be/w4KZXYneR4s
I have decided to make short videos of my project. Part 1 above.
I have been spending time in the garage mainly cleaning up. More to follow..
Friday, February 28, 2014
Friday, February 14, 2014
Automotive Stumbling /Exhaust Pipe Repair
Time in Garage: 15 mins
$$ spent: $20
Picked up my repaired down pipe from the Muffler Shop...they did a good job-looks well repaired. Did a trial fit onto the existing exhaust pipe. It is tight but will work with some clean up and a couple of more trial fits...Cost $20 all in which I am very pleased with.
Ford Ranger Battery Replacement
Time in Driveway 45 mins
Cost: $110
My 2004 Ford Ranger has sat unused since Dec 19th. About a week ago a road cleaning crew came through and I had to move my truck and it wouldn't turn over. I had suspected the battery was on the way out based on cranking energy when starting the truck in colder temps. I boosted the truck off a battery I had in the garage and moved it so the snow could be removed.
I moved the truck back on the road after letting it run for a while. Trying to start it yesterday was a no go. Back to boosting. Moved the truck into the driveway. Went back into the house and let it warm up and hopefully charge the battery enough so I could turn the engine off and restart it. Came back out and realized I couldn't lock the house because the key was on my keychain. Removed the key fob, locked the house, got back into the truck and it wouldn't start. Boost #2. Headed out to buy a new battery and pick up the down pipe mentioned above. Got to the jobber...turned off the truck, went in and bought the battery, returned to the truck 10 mins later and it will not start after being driven for about 20 mins. Boost #3. Parked the truck in the driveway, had some issues removing the battery..took much longer than anticipated due to an issue finding the right size socket for the hold down bolt? After much searching one was located. Saved the $30 install fee.
$$ spent: $20
Picked up my repaired down pipe from the Muffler Shop...they did a good job-looks well repaired. Did a trial fit onto the existing exhaust pipe. It is tight but will work with some clean up and a couple of more trial fits...Cost $20 all in which I am very pleased with.
Ford Ranger Battery Replacement
Time in Driveway 45 mins
Cost: $110
My 2004 Ford Ranger has sat unused since Dec 19th. About a week ago a road cleaning crew came through and I had to move my truck and it wouldn't turn over. I had suspected the battery was on the way out based on cranking energy when starting the truck in colder temps. I boosted the truck off a battery I had in the garage and moved it so the snow could be removed.
I moved the truck back on the road after letting it run for a while. Trying to start it yesterday was a no go. Back to boosting. Moved the truck into the driveway. Went back into the house and let it warm up and hopefully charge the battery enough so I could turn the engine off and restart it. Came back out and realized I couldn't lock the house because the key was on my keychain. Removed the key fob, locked the house, got back into the truck and it wouldn't start. Boost #2. Headed out to buy a new battery and pick up the down pipe mentioned above. Got to the jobber...turned off the truck, went in and bought the battery, returned to the truck 10 mins later and it will not start after being driven for about 20 mins. Boost #3. Parked the truck in the driveway, had some issues removing the battery..took much longer than anticipated due to an issue finding the right size socket for the hold down bolt? After much searching one was located. Saved the $30 install fee.
Thursday, February 13, 2014
Triumph TR3 Rat Rod Mazda Rotary Engine? Overkill Magazine?
Time in Garage: 2-1/2 hours over 2 days
$$ spent: $40
Did some more parts cleaning and finish sanding. Took my down pipe to a local muffler shop to get a transition piece welded on and a perforation fixed. All the rust has been removed and the down pipe and exhaust system is ready for final paint. I also cleaned up the driveshaft and sanded down the finish for repaint. The u-joints look good.
I made an enquiry about getting the rear axle seals replaced. Not sure if I need to do this or not but estimated cost is between $250 to $400 to get the work done.
I also moved the engine and transmission to the back of my garage near the garage door to get it out of the way so I can remove the rear axles to reposition the backing plates so the parking brake and brake lines line up properly.
I purchased grey hi temperature paint, a new 3M buffing wheel and a package of dust masks. Plus a magazine called "Overkill" published by Hot Rod Magazine. An impulse purchase off the magazine rack near the checkout counter. When I got home I opened up the magazine and what I saw within rocked my perceptions of what can be created automotive art wise. Wow...incredible machines show casing creative pursuits and a level of craftsmanship that I admire on many levels. The magazine really got my blood pumping for some reason? Particularly around a Mazda RX7 rotary powered hot rod....I started to day dream about the '57 and how cool it would be to create a Mazda powered TR3 Rat Rod incorporating some of the ideas I saw in the magazine....my mind raced with the possibilities...
But first things first!! Back to the '59
$$ spent: $40
Did some more parts cleaning and finish sanding. Took my down pipe to a local muffler shop to get a transition piece welded on and a perforation fixed. All the rust has been removed and the down pipe and exhaust system is ready for final paint. I also cleaned up the driveshaft and sanded down the finish for repaint. The u-joints look good.
I made an enquiry about getting the rear axle seals replaced. Not sure if I need to do this or not but estimated cost is between $250 to $400 to get the work done.
I also moved the engine and transmission to the back of my garage near the garage door to get it out of the way so I can remove the rear axles to reposition the backing plates so the parking brake and brake lines line up properly.
I purchased grey hi temperature paint, a new 3M buffing wheel and a package of dust masks. Plus a magazine called "Overkill" published by Hot Rod Magazine. An impulse purchase off the magazine rack near the checkout counter. When I got home I opened up the magazine and what I saw within rocked my perceptions of what can be created automotive art wise. Wow...incredible machines show casing creative pursuits and a level of craftsmanship that I admire on many levels. The magazine really got my blood pumping for some reason? Particularly around a Mazda RX7 rotary powered hot rod....I started to day dream about the '57 and how cool it would be to create a Mazda powered TR3 Rat Rod incorporating some of the ideas I saw in the magazine....my mind raced with the possibilities...
But first things first!! Back to the '59
Friday, February 7, 2014
Parts Cleaning Continued
Time in Garage: 1-1/2 hours
Not a high energy day yesterday garage wise. Productive time overall but not too long a duration. Cleaned up engine accessory brackets and took off the rust that has accummulated on the exhaust down pipe after the clean up I did last summer. I decided I am going to coat the down pipe with black barbeque paint for short term protection not really being concerned about the erossion of the paint in the longer run. I have to pick up a piece of exhaust pipe to act as a connector to connect the rest of the system to the down pipe. I may do this today when I am out and about running errands.
Not a high energy day yesterday garage wise. Productive time overall but not too long a duration. Cleaned up engine accessory brackets and took off the rust that has accummulated on the exhaust down pipe after the clean up I did last summer. I decided I am going to coat the down pipe with black barbeque paint for short term protection not really being concerned about the erossion of the paint in the longer run. I have to pick up a piece of exhaust pipe to act as a connector to connect the rest of the system to the down pipe. I may do this today when I am out and about running errands.
Thursday, February 6, 2014
Parts Cleaning Continues
Time in Garage: 1 hr
Spent some time yesterday polishing up the thermostat housings. I have decided not to paint them -just keep them in their natural finish. They look good buffed up.
I had plans of spending more time in the garage yesterday but I couldn't muster enough energy or enthusiasm to do so. Interestingly I feel "guilty" keeping the garage warm if I am not going to be out there working.
I experienced some feelings of dispair yesterday when I surveyed all the work that is left to do to get my TR3 to a driveable state. I know I need to keep my head down and keep going one task at a time and not get discouraged. It is turning out to be very much a "mental game" to keep myself motivated and focused.
Right now I have few external distractions to deal with. I am not doing any contract work outside the home so I have large blocks of time at my disposal. What I have decided to do is to keep a sheet of paper available to me when I enter the garage to record my start and finish time and what I am focused on. I have also set an intent to work 1 hour then take a break to a maximum of 4 hours a day. I am very cogniscent of not turning my hobby into an obligation and/or burden by making sure I don't deplete my energies focused on the car and not on other activities I might pursue to boost my energy levels.
While on vacaation, I decided I am going to draft up a car restoration project guide to provide a basis for others when they contemplate taking on a car restoration project. I think there is a lot to consider before embarking and there would be value added by me doing so!
Spent some time yesterday polishing up the thermostat housings. I have decided not to paint them -just keep them in their natural finish. They look good buffed up.
I had plans of spending more time in the garage yesterday but I couldn't muster enough energy or enthusiasm to do so. Interestingly I feel "guilty" keeping the garage warm if I am not going to be out there working.
I experienced some feelings of dispair yesterday when I surveyed all the work that is left to do to get my TR3 to a driveable state. I know I need to keep my head down and keep going one task at a time and not get discouraged. It is turning out to be very much a "mental game" to keep myself motivated and focused.
Right now I have few external distractions to deal with. I am not doing any contract work outside the home so I have large blocks of time at my disposal. What I have decided to do is to keep a sheet of paper available to me when I enter the garage to record my start and finish time and what I am focused on. I have also set an intent to work 1 hour then take a break to a maximum of 4 hours a day. I am very cogniscent of not turning my hobby into an obligation and/or burden by making sure I don't deplete my energies focused on the car and not on other activities I might pursue to boost my energy levels.
While on vacaation, I decided I am going to draft up a car restoration project guide to provide a basis for others when they contemplate taking on a car restoration project. I think there is a lot to consider before embarking and there would be value added by me doing so!
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
Rework Pending
Time in Garage: 3.5 hours
First thing yesterday I determined to clean up my master cylinder mounting box and remove the bracket that holds the resevior for the master cylinders. I did this based on my decision to incorporate TR4 brake and clutch master cylinders with built in reseviors. I drilled out the spot welds and pryed off the bracket, sanded down the box and decided to trial fit the master cylinders before applying a coat of paint. To my amazement the master cylinders interfered with each other making it impossible to remove the caps to add brake fluid etc. Upon this discovery, I scratched my head trying to determine where the "recommendation" to use TR4 cylinders came from? I sent out an e-mail to Drakes, my parts supplier and he responded promptly questioning my desire to utilize the TR4 components? In the meantime I sent out a second e-mail to the author of the Toyota brake conversion to get his take on my dilemma. He too responded quickly indicating I should utilize the standard TR3 components. A second e-mail came in from Drakes indicating I could position the TR4 components differently by changing the mounting bolt holes in the box to offset the cylinders but they did not recommend I do this and reinforced the idea of reverting back to the original TR3 components based on the fact the cylinder bores were the same. I checked with Drakes and they indicated I could return the TR4 components to exchange if I could reference the orignial invoice number and still had the packaging. Which I do. Based on my removing of the bracket I am now going to have to get it rewelded back on so I can incorporate the resevoir. REWORK. I spent some time yesterday trying to determine the origin of the idea to use TR4 components and based on the amount of time that has passed since I ordered the master cylinders (a couple of years) I have no recollection and no paper trail.
I assembled the painted water pump components and related gaskets and bolt. The paper water pump gasket is very dried out and cracked when I removed it from the package. I am thinking I can utilized a form a gasket to seal up the area and still utilize the supplied gasket? Not sure yet?
The rest of the time was spend cleaning up components and making a pile of items to get sandblasted. (seat rails etc)
First thing yesterday I determined to clean up my master cylinder mounting box and remove the bracket that holds the resevior for the master cylinders. I did this based on my decision to incorporate TR4 brake and clutch master cylinders with built in reseviors. I drilled out the spot welds and pryed off the bracket, sanded down the box and decided to trial fit the master cylinders before applying a coat of paint. To my amazement the master cylinders interfered with each other making it impossible to remove the caps to add brake fluid etc. Upon this discovery, I scratched my head trying to determine where the "recommendation" to use TR4 cylinders came from? I sent out an e-mail to Drakes, my parts supplier and he responded promptly questioning my desire to utilize the TR4 components? In the meantime I sent out a second e-mail to the author of the Toyota brake conversion to get his take on my dilemma. He too responded quickly indicating I should utilize the standard TR3 components. A second e-mail came in from Drakes indicating I could position the TR4 components differently by changing the mounting bolt holes in the box to offset the cylinders but they did not recommend I do this and reinforced the idea of reverting back to the original TR3 components based on the fact the cylinder bores were the same. I checked with Drakes and they indicated I could return the TR4 components to exchange if I could reference the orignial invoice number and still had the packaging. Which I do. Based on my removing of the bracket I am now going to have to get it rewelded back on so I can incorporate the resevoir. REWORK. I spent some time yesterday trying to determine the origin of the idea to use TR4 components and based on the amount of time that has passed since I ordered the master cylinders (a couple of years) I have no recollection and no paper trail.
I assembled the painted water pump components and related gaskets and bolt. The paper water pump gasket is very dried out and cracked when I removed it from the package. I am thinking I can utilized a form a gasket to seal up the area and still utilize the supplied gasket? Not sure yet?
The rest of the time was spend cleaning up components and making a pile of items to get sandblasted. (seat rails etc)
Monday, February 3, 2014
Back at It!!!
Time in Garage: 2 hours
Yesterday I got back into the garage. I am just back from 25 day vacation in Maui and ready to get my hands dirty again. While away I spent some time (not a lot I have to admit) thinking about the reassembly. I really want to stay at it for the next while and get some tasks removed from my list.
I cleaned up the heat shield and got it ready for painting along with radiator hose tube that was badly rusted. I also spent about an hour cleaning up the footwell area on the passenger side. I removed a rusted screw and washer that was left over after the tattered carpet was removed earlier. The area cleaned up well. I have some surface repair to do make the area more presentable. Then primer and painting.
Yesterday I got back into the garage. I am just back from 25 day vacation in Maui and ready to get my hands dirty again. While away I spent some time (not a lot I have to admit) thinking about the reassembly. I really want to stay at it for the next while and get some tasks removed from my list.
I cleaned up the heat shield and got it ready for painting along with radiator hose tube that was badly rusted. I also spent about an hour cleaning up the footwell area on the passenger side. I removed a rusted screw and washer that was left over after the tattered carpet was removed earlier. The area cleaned up well. I have some surface repair to do make the area more presentable. Then primer and painting.
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