9/9/13

Well, we’re plugging away at Lil' Wiggly, slowly but surely.  Saturday I rolled to the new shop at 0730 h intending to swing by the Beenbroke first to pick up a ladder and maybe the welder.  I did not do this.  See, I thought I was running late so I headed straight for the new shop.  I was the first to arrive.  John rolled in as I was assembling the clutch to the flywheel and taking the last of the measurements for the hydraulic throw out bearing thingy.  It looked like the thing was going to fit fine just the way it was without any shims… then I remembered this was a used clutch.  We decided to go to O’Reilley’s and buy a clutch kit because now is the time to install that, not after the engine and tranny are in the car.  I took a measurement of the serpentine belt as well and determined we needed approximately 63” or so.  I know that is redundant over and over again, deal with it.  We also determined what bolts we needed to attach the bell housing to the tranny and headed out.  They had belts in 63 3/8” and 64 5/8” so we got the shorter one… as well as the clutch kit and bell housing to tranny bolts, of course.  Yeah, the belt was too short… as were the bolts, think to come of it.  We took new measurements with the new clutch and calculated how many shims we’d need.  These we installed.  We took the pipe and hose off of the clutch master and sized it up to the throw out bearing.  It looks like it will work.  We drilled holes in the bell housing for the pressure hose and the bleeder hose and then started thinking about going back to the store for longer bolts.  Just about then, my brother and nephew showed up… oh, actually, I was installing the flywheel, clutch, and pressure plate to the engine when they arrived.  I showed them where the breaker box was and we discussed what plugs I'd need.  We looked at pictures and everyone but me agreed that the double slanty prongs is the right one.  They took off to the hardware store for electrical stuff while John and I messed with other junk.  When they came back, they had a tale to tell.  Apparently they ran into the Forrest Hill City Code Inspector at the hardware store and he started asking questions.  He knew the building and told them all about the electrical stuff in there.  They decided against buying half assed guess stuff and came back.  We all stood around and decided that John and I would move the welder and compressor from Beenbroke next weekend and they would return the following Saturday to do the wiring.  I was cool with that and so we closed up and left.  John and I went to a Lebanese restaurant in Pantego after stopping in at another O’Reilley’s to swap belts and buy motor mounts.  After lunch I stopped back by the shop to drop off the mounts and try the belt.  Yeah, 1 ¼” is quite a bit of difference in a serpentine belt.  Whereas the first belt was just a shade too short, this one was way too long.  I mean waaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyy too fucking long.  I was not pleased.  I closed up and went to Lowe’s and bought the bolts for the transmission and engine to bolt to the bell housing.  I'm sure the 2” bolts aren’t going to work either since they have a shoulder, but it was all they had.  I went home and took a nice cool shower.  When I had cooled off I checked on line for a serpentine belt between the two we had already tried.  I wound up buying a 64.2” belt for a Camaro… and now that I think about it, that’s going to be way too long as well.  Shit.  I need 63.5” I now realize.  Well, perhaps I can finger out a different routing in order to use a longer belt.  We’ll see.  Saturday evening was the Japanese Nostalgic Car monthly meet.  This month we decided to try out the new drive in movie theater north of downtown.  I took The Seven that way at around 1930 h and was the first to arrive.  I waited around until Cody showed up with his family and Corolla.  We rolled in and set up in a couple spots.  I waited by the cars while he went with the wife and kid to the “Planes” screening area and then went to the concession stand for some chicken strips when he got back.  I sat in the passenger seat of The Seven eating chicken strips while we watched the movie.  Oh, it was “Riddick” by the way.  Meh, it was basically a rehash of the first film.  Kind of brainless fun, I suppose.  In the middle of the film, I had to get out and walk a bit so I went to pee and buy an Icee.  I sat back down in The Seven for the remainder of the film.  When it was over, we left without watching the second feature, which was “Red II.”  I got home at about a million o’clock and went to bed.  Sunday I waited for mom to get home from church and we drove all the way across town to Two Brother’s Bistro for some wonderful Mediterranean food.  When we got home I took a nap then went to Whiskey Flats to shoot the new .45 pistol.  It shot well but I forgot that I had the screwdriver to adjust the sights.  It shot low and to the left.  I like it though.  I went home and cleaned it and then goofed off the rest of the evening.  And with that, we will call it a rant.  Toodles.