CRXtradited
Le Peu is gone. The Dreya has taken him to Carrboro. I can't drive hime anymore anyway... he's all decked out with girlie stuff ;)
I haven't got the racing skunk stripes on yet, but they're next.
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July 29, 2007
July 22, 2007
Pantera Heads
I've had these 351C heads molding away in a corner that Dave Williams built for me. Just a standard set of high compression heads, stock sized valves in single piece steel. I don't expect this engine to go above 5500RPM especially after what it's been through.
I floated some valves and there was some (a lot) of contact between the valve and the piston due, I assume, to spring wear and perhaps sticky valve guides. Twisted the pushrods into pretzels. I took the pushrods out to get home... unwittingly causing the lifters to pop out with resulting loss of oil pressure (about 5 lbs). Dave's heads look awfully nice, so I'm putting them on with some Victor Reinz gaskets. I'm also installing the intake manifold that Dave prepared for me with bungs for 16 fuel injectors.
The engine is serving as a test mule for some EFI experiments, and I figure it will last a few thousand more miles. I'm checking the ZF for safety wire on the ring gear, painting the engine and the engine compartment, weld new bungs to the gas tank (it's one of the aluminum ones), and replace all the bolts that have "gone missing" over 35 years. Maybe I'll toy with the AC too, but I really want to drive this thing again before my tires rot.
July 9, 2007
CRXited
I bought a CRX.
1990 DX (base)
The Camry's been returned to Andrew. He says it's never run so well. I'm happy. I enjoyed driving it for the time i had it. I might pick up another Camry from Thom and Carolyn (search mazda hiccup, B2300).
Dreya and i picked up Sparky today. A little hammer/prybar work and a space saver tire for clearence got her home... or rather to my sister's house. I guess i should call Edith. There's a bent car in her yard.
Sparky drove like it had never been wrecked. From the inside you almost cant tell save for the yellow paint numbers on the windows. 30mpg avg on the way home from Dunn @ 65mph... ;)
Then i went to work. W O R K
I hate Intrepids. Dodge has sullied the word. They clog the arteries of the shop bays.
So I really lucked out on this CRX. It's a 1990, black. The AC works but needs a blower fan. No rust, no real dents. The interior was putrid, but I'm taking care of that. I had to put a fuel relay in it to get it running. The car cost me very little, and apparently could be sold for very lots (the used car dealer i work with was impressed). This CRX will go to Dreya if she likes it. I need to do a few more things to it before she gets it.
In the meantime she's been driving another honda that Geneva has generously let her use...the white Civic LX i have a GIF of the CV joint for on another entry. That new CV axle went bad and i replaced it under warranty BTW.
Anyway among other problems, the AC on that white Civic didn't work forever, so now that works... for now.
now
now?
It kinda needs a new AC compressor. It makes noise, but works. Eventually it will lock up when the AC is on, throw the belt, and again have no AC.
OH, and it'll go bang when that happens, but keep driving (with no AC, so nothing new, right?).
And it needs the AC radiator fan. On this car, both radiator fans are supposed to run when you turn on the AC. The AC fan's been out of use for so long it quit working. A good smack on the electric motor got it spinning, but that probably wont last.
I like hondas. I might get me one ;)