Looking good... I like how complete your work is. Hopefully it all works out soon and you can have that nice ride back on the street.

Days 84 through 114

I've sort of left this thread slide last month, in part because life's been busy, and when it comes down to having a couple hours to either work on the car, or write about working on the car, actual wrench time wins.

Also, because of the screwy rules attached to smog checks in California, I have to delay getting my certificate, to avoid having to do it twice.

My car was originally registered in mid-March, so all renewals are likewise tied to that same mid-March date.

CA smog check requirements actually vary county to county, and in a couple counties (including mine) from ZIP code to ZIP code. In my particular case, I get nailed for a full visual and dyno/tailpipe test every two years, based on original registration date (March 1980).

However, since my car has been registered "planned non-operation" for the last few years while it was stored, It needs a smog check in order to get back on the road.

Here's the kicker: Although registrations are good for a year, and smog checks are only required every two years, the actual smog certificates are only good for 90 days. This means that you have to pass the test within 90 days of registration date, or you have to re-test to register.

Simple, huh? (/facepalm)

The upshot is, if I get my car to pass smog & register it now, more than 30 days before its March registration date, then I'll have to renew my registration AND get ANOTHER SMOG CHECK for March next year. But if I wait until I'm within 30 days of my March re-registration, I won't need another smog check for two years (unless I sell the car).

This means I'm served best by dragging my feet on the re-start date, since it'd cost me more to put it back on the road now.

So, I'm going slow, due to my state's asinine rules. I don't want to get it running and re-fuelled, and then not be able to drive it to keep it fresh.

On the technical front:

I cut, extended, welded, and re-wrapped the lower air tube, and it fits perfectly now. Exhaust is now physically complete, and should function as designed. (pics will posts in a couple days). The re-wrap was a biatch; I had to cut the old woven fiberglas (actually, I think the inner layers are asbestos, so I was masked), then wrap it back on, and hold it in place with wire. The stuff was falling apart as I handled it; crap was getting everywhere. I knew it would never last on the road without protection, so I bought some glass cloth and clamps, and made an outer jacket for it.

I'm now in the midst of going through the ratsnest and relays, and making sure everything is functional. Along the way, I'm stripping the old gold spraypaint I used previously, and replacing it with my colored clear-laquer paint, which takes heat better.

Along the way, I have found a couple ratsnest vacuum valves that no longer work electrically, and have spares & replacements (used) inbound in the next couple days.

Once the ratsnest is refurbed and in, I'll re-mount the carb and set up the OIV link, then get the air pump back in.

Pix to follow - - they are on the other computer!

Sounds like you are making progress there that is good, but those Smog laws have to be the most absurd things on the planet I swear. Having to jump through so many hoops to drive a 28 year old car really sucks.... Good luck with everything!

OK: some photos to liven up the process.

Here's a closeup of the repaired headpipe. You can see by how the cut spotweld on the heat shield no longer matches up, that the finished pipe ended up about a quarter inch longer than it should have been (the two red dots should touch)

You can see the "top" air tube, which goes from the intake manifold back to the heat exchanger, in the background. Red laquer.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...f/dfbc2c5b.jpg

Here's the lower hot-air tube that carries heated air forward from the heat exchanger, into the Air Injection ports. I've cut it, and placed a piece of red cardboard inside, to show how much longer it needed to get:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...f/9f95c9d4.jpg

Here; Ive fitted a steel sleeve (had to hand-form it due to odd inside diameter) into the gap, which was then welded in place and filleted for strength.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...f/3a081dd4.jpg

I needed to make a new steel sealing washer, too, for the pivot juncture; cut from thin sheet, hammered to shape with a ball peen, and the dremelled to fit.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...f/df689b46.jpg

The completed air tube, with its clean new glass cloth over its icky old insulating fiber. We'll see how long it lasts. This tube doesn't carry full exhaust-heat gasses, so it has a chance.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...f/40bfb9e5.jpg

Here's my original ratsnest, with the old heat-damaged gold paint - - all the original gloss faded after just a few weeks of engine heat. Two of the solenoids are also dead; coils are open, no operation. Luckily, I have a few junkyard spares:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...f/6de63ada.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...f/0c847496.jpg

Rejuvenated "Hollywood" ratsnest; stripped, cleaned, sprayed with anodize-look base and laquer, and all bolts replaced with new shiny hardware. All cleaned up, fully functional, and ready to go in the car.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...f/27bdd0e0.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...f/e863d3d7.jpg

That's where I'm at, as of now.

I did find a safe way to disassemble the solenoid valves for repainting & replacing the o-rings which can make for vacuum leaks, and I may pull them back off to clean them up (the chromate is really scaled) but they are easy to do anytime, as they are right on top.

dude that is going to look SO NICE. what paint are you using? cant wait to see your motor.

The paint is DupliColor MetalCast; it's a two-layer paint that's supposed to look like anodized cast aluminum when done. There's a metallic silver base layer, and then a clear colored laquer topcoat. Supposed to be good to 500 degrees.

I've been using the blue for a lot of stuff, and the yellow for highlights. I did all the smog air-tubes in red, just for the hell of it. Kind of looks like the Old School Star Trek color scheme, heh.

Days 115 through 124

Not much wrench time recently; schedule disruptions and other tasks got in the way.

With a little luck, I'll start reinstalling the carb tonight. I have to go through the bench adjustments first.

Last night, I scored a sweet glass moonroof from greddyii (thanks, sir!) that is solid shape; the hinges and bolt caps need a little love, but it looks great on the car. Required 3 hours of rush-hour driving to pick it up, but worth it. I've wanted one of these ever since I bought the car.

Eventually I'll need to make a pair of roof storage bags; one for use in the car (for topless days), and one for the spare roof. Mine will include hanging grommets for easy garage storage, & web-strap reinforcements.

Just read your thread, very nice can't wait to see the end.

Days 125 through 131

Well, after losing an entire week due to fires, evacuations, and the aftermath, I finally got the chance last night and tonight to get the bench adjustments done on the carb, and get it reinstalled.

I also reinstalled my smog pump, air control valve, related plumbing, and all cabling and hoses with the exception of the fuel lines: I need some new fuel hose as the old ones seem a little dried out.

Pictures:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...f/IMG_0058.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...f/IMG_0057.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...f/IMG_0056.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...f/IMG_0055.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...f/IMG_0054.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...f/IMG_0053.jpg

I have some nice,shiny stainless steel nuts I was going to use to mount the carb, but thought better of it at the last minute. Stainless steel is non-magnetic, and considering the way that left rear carb nut goes in, it would be foolish to use a nut that cannot be retrieved with a magnetic probe.

Next up, ignition cleanup, new plugs, and fluid swap.

Nice work DD-
lots of eye candy in there! :)
Almost a shame to see so much restorative talent have to go into - gasp - emissions hardware. I am sure your car has - like mine - other more pressing cosmetic needs where this kind of Love would be appreciated too!
Stu Aull
80GS
Alaska

oo dammm that looks really good

Days 132 through 143

(Thanks for the compliments, guys!)

Had family in town for Thanksgiving, so tonight was the first chance to work in the car in the last 10 days or so.

Changed out the plugs (the old ones are dirty but may be salvageable).

Whoosh test = 6 (no doubts there, the engine build only has about 3k miles on it)

Changed the oil (freash load of Castrol 20w50 from a case bought a number of years ago.) Old oil had no hints of antifreeze in it , which is real reassuring for a car that sat as long as this one did.

List of things left to do:

Essential:
Pump out remaining old fuel & get a couple gallons of fresh in the tank.
E-test about a dozen relays
Charge battery back up (sitting since July)
Cycle brakes and clutch about 50 times to make sure all is smooth after repairs
Re-install air cleaner & stock snorkel (skip CAI until after smog test)
Start, test, & tune (yeah, one easy step, hahah)
Pass smog test over Xmas holiday; less than 90 days before registration due.
Register & enjoy!

Cosmetic/minor:
Strip and re-paint hatch latch, & install new RX-7 logo
Troubleshoot electric hatch release intermittent
Clean, touch up, and install rear inside hatch trim
Strip and re-paint air cleaner (maybe) Anodized blue w/ chrome lettering
Discover way to fuse craxed shift knob insert
Couple small inside trim touchups
Wash & wax
Make sunroof storage bags

Days 143 through 151

Eight days elapsed, one short evening free to work on the car. Sigh. Down with a cold until yesterday.

New fuel lines are in. Return line check valve checks okay, and has been polished to a high gloss.

Air cleaner is back on (though it still needs detailing, perhaps painting) and all lines hooked up, so engine is essentially complete.

Started going thru the emissions relays; haven't found any bad ones so far.

Busy tonight, but Friday night will involve pumping out the tank to get rid of the last of the stale gas, & checking to see if it really needs to be dropped & boiled out. I'd rather not have to if it doesn't need it - - I don't have any easy way to move the tank to a shop for cleanout.

Looks like the stars may line up to go for first restart on Saturday.

Day 152

Pumped out the tank tonight, with a hand transfer pump, and opened up the tank sender port to check cleanliness.

Amazingly, with an original tank that's never been cleaned, I had virtually no residue. I dragged a q- tip around on the end of telescope probe, and it came out with only the slightest of yellowish residues.

Cool!

Tomorrow, weather and schedule permitting, I'm gonna get a couple gallons of fresh gas in her, and start pre-start checks (fuel leaks, fill the OMP lines, etc).

If the battery is up for it & all looks good, we'll go for "Main Engine Start." Hopefully not too NASAlike.

Wish me luck!

I am still reading the thread but.. 3 year old swill must be thrown out.

Any gas over 6 months is bad unless it's got stabil. And that only lasts a year or so.

Nice res project good luck.

Ewww...Nasty!

Days 153 and 154

Saturday was supposed to be the "start day..." but the final fuel-level check before hitting the starts showed massive flooding from the front bowl overflowing into the venturis.

I've pulled the air horn off twice so far, but still haven't found anything that would cause it. I've got a couple tests in mind for tomorrow, but at this point I think I may have a bad (new) needle valve seat. I have new spares, but am tempted to swap the needles front to back & try it to see if it floods. But I'm getting tired of taking it apart and putting it together, too.

Good thing I did the helicoil work early on - - I at least don't have to worry about stripping the threads!

dude I wish I had your patience I have a 80 siting in the basement that needs a lot of work done to it but I just cant make my self to get down there and start working on it.

Days 155 and 156

OK, we're on the brink, now...

Last night, I did some serious mad-scientist testing:

I got out the lower section from my spare carb, and filled both the bowls with gas to just below the bottom edge of the windows. This is about where I've noticed a normal float and needle will leave the gas level, once the air horn is taken off.

Then, I took my air horn assembly, with floats and needles in place, and lowered it into the full bowls. the floats going into the gas raised the fuel levels up near to the top of the windows (mild flood condition.)

Now, under these conditions, both needles should be closed, because the floats are maxxed up well above the normal shutoff line at mid-window.

I took a hand transfer pump, and teed a pressure gauge into the line, then attacched the line to the fuel inlet, and capped the return line.

Setup looks like this:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...f/IMG_0007.jpg

With this setup, I can "simulate" fuel pressure into the fuel inlet by pressing on the pump, and monitor that pressure on the gauge. Any air flow into the carb will make a hiss, and the pressure will drop.

Since both bowls are initially over-filled, I should not get any airflow past the needles unless I'm well above normal fuel pump pressure (which is less than 4 PSI.)

SO, I hit the pump.

Psssssssssss, from the front (leaky) needle, at anything over 2PSI.

Ah hah, culprit confirmed.

To double check, I lower the fuel levels with a syringe (the difference in fuel volume between 'normal' and 'flooded' is only a couple CC) to where the fuel is right on the line, and hit the pump again.

The front needle is hissing continuously (trying to fill the bowl with 'fuel'); the rear needle stays tight til past 6PSI.

To double-check, I swapped the needles and seats, made required float adjustments, and tried it all again.

At mild flood conditions, now the rear valve was hissing. The symptom followed the needle and seat. Solid confirmmation that this is not a float issue.

Just for sh1ts and giggles, I swapped only the needles, leaving the seats in place.

Suddenly, at normal fuel levels, both valves were holding up to near 6PSI. :scratch:

So, apparently, I have one needle that doesn't like one seat, but is fine with the other.

Double checked everything, same results. All is now working fine in simulation.

So late last night, I started putting the air horn back on the car. Almost finished when I had to crash (alarm clock at 5am = I don't work too late during the week.)

Tonight, I had promised the wife, we'd get the christmas cards out... so I didn't get to finish the hookup til after 9:30.

Turned on the fuel pump, and closely watch the levels rise... and stop, halfway up the glass, both sides.

No flood. Eureka!

The front bowl is SLIGHTLY high on fuel level; the bottom of the fuel meniscus (I used a science word!) is at the top of the embossed line at the bowl center. The rear bowl is dead-on centered. I don't think the difference is enough to matter; maybe 2mm.

It's too late tonight to go ahead and start up; so I get to sleep and work tomorrow feeling like a kid on Christmas eve... knowing that I can finally give that key the final twist tomorrow night, and hopefully, finally, bring Spry Beastie back from the dead.

Then, tuning begins.


Wish me luck. :icon_tup:

DAY 157

Houston, We Have Main Engine Start!

(Film at 11...)

With less than 3 seconds cranking, Spry Beastie drew her first breaths in over a year, and fired up beautifully.

A good bit of smoke from the fuel flooding she got the last couple of days, and she's off.

Came down off choke on her own, to a somewhat fast idle (900 RPMs), which I'd expect, as the mix screws are at the factory-start position, and she's untuned. Timing on the lead looked a degree or two early, too, but I need to check it properly, with the advances capped, etc. That's a job for the next couple nights, and/or the weekend.

Sadly, it is bucketing rain here tonight, so I can't take my victory lap just yet, but that too will come soon enough.

But she lives!

Now, to get her tuned, and out of smog prison.

The video of the deed:

Short version (30 sec, start ony):

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...hort121708.jpg

Long version (3 mins, start, warmup, exhaust, walkaround, Drop to idle, some revs up to 4k)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...long121708.jpg


I've got some tuning to do, and I still think that front float level is a bit high, but damn, it's good to have it running!

This has got to be one of the coolest restoration write ups I have ever seen - wow!

I wish I could document my work an good as you can - but I am just to impacient.

Very nice. I forgot our cars had open door buzzers until I watched your video; If your car didn't look so clean and original I'd say unplug it. It's probably my favorite mod to my car.

Fantastic write up, i just spent almost an hour reading the whole thing. Im glad i have classic plates for mine and can get around emissions, good luck with yours, i think it will pass.

Day 160

First Drive around the neighborhood... I forgot how much fun that was! Sneaked out for some gas, too. Hot start with foot off gas = no problem.

Some issues with tuning the idle being discussed in another thread (following the tuning procedure seems to make for a stinkier exhaust, which just ain't right) but by and large, running pretty well.

More tweaking tomorrrow, and working thru the emissions tests. Might be ready for the probulator by early next week.

Thanks for the applause, gents... it is SO nice to be back among the ranks of the rotards!

DD, it's 80's from Texas. Seriously if you have issues getting your car smogged...PM me. I can get you with my wife's uncle (you met him) we have a place in San Bernardino that will do the deed!! Lemme know!!

Thanks, bud; hopefully I won't have to go there.

Of course, now it's supposed to rain all week. Worst possible weather for a smogcheck.

that was a good read, took me over 30 mins. excellent carb skills you taught me all about.

Days 161-170

After a week of rainy, cold weather, I finally got a couple decent days around Day 164 that I could use to scrub off a couple years' worth of garage muck (lot of film, mainly from the recent wildfires), and rub a coat of wax into the ol' girl.

Result photos are in the PIX thread. Oooh, shiny!

Day 165, I set out for the DMV window at the local AAA office, to get a couple more 1-day moving passes so I would be ready to hit the smog place.

The nice young lady there apparently was the first one to actually check the car's registration status (all the other times, they'd just written up the passes); turns out that my Planned Non-Operation (PNO) registration never got into the computer, so they showed the car with an "imcomplete registration - no smog cert" status.. dating from 2005!

The DMV had been happily tacking on fees and penalties ever since, to the tune of about $400! It also turns out that when your status is "incomplete," the DMV doesn't send you any further notices... so no indication of this going on ever reached me.

Holy crap.

The lady at AAA told me that I had to get current before any moving permit could be issued, and I had to have one before I could submit to a smog check... but that if I went to the DMV office myself, I might be able to petition for a waiver of the fees, since it looked like it was a misunderstanding. DMV doesn't let remote offices grant waivers anymore, she said.

So, I betook myself to the DMV...

5 hours later, after waiting through 3 different lines and talking to 3 different people, returning home for my checkbook, and having to write out (I kid you not!) a page-long essay known as a "statement of fact" for the supervisor to review... they agreed to drop the fees due to "only" $215. IF I would pay it today.. otherwize, I'd have to start over when I was ready to pay.

I bit the bullet and wrote the check.

Then, THEN, they told me that they could not issue me the temporary permit I needed to get to the smog place on Saturday, because the car was not listed on my insurance policy (hadn't been registered for 3 years, so why WOULD it have been?). But by this time, it was almost 5 PM on a Friday; no way I could get to AAA in time.

Ever felt like Arlo Guthrie in "Alice's Restaurant?"

Spent the weekend cussing out the DMV and tuning on the car, testing emissions equipment, and going to another good party. Seems I'm either idling a little lean, or have an ignition issue; I have a bit of a miss I'm chasing.

Day 169 (Monday), I headed back to the AAA office; decided to see if I could talk the DMV folks there into giving me the 1-day passes without having to mess with my insurance. Didn't work, but I discovered three interesting things:

1) There is a red 30-day pass that I qualified for, having paid fees but still needing a smog cert, that is unrestricted - - can drive anywhere. No one had ever mentioned these to me, in the half-dozen times I'd gotten 1-day permits.

2) The red passes would start costing $50 in January (because our idiot government here in Cali is broke), but through the end of 2008, were free. I still needed to get the insurance fixed up, though.

3) AAA has a special policy for "Collector Cars." If the car's only driven a few hundred miles a year, and is over 20 years old and in 'collectible' condition (they go by photos), I can cover my -7 for all liability requirements, AND for $6000 Comp and Collision, for $65 a year. $500 deductible. Upping the mileage some would cost a few bucks more; they don't offer this coverage for cars that are "routinely" driven.

So, I applied for the policy on the spot, using my photos here from the site, and I got the red pass in the window.

Once I work out the slight miss I'm chasing, I'll be ready for smog, and I saved probably $300 off of what it would have cost me to put the car on my regular insurance for liability only... which kind of paid for the DMV fees, in a twisted sort of way.

Time to get out to the garage and start final tweaking, but I'm actually legal to drive it til the end of January.

Wow wow wow...how this reminds me of when I lived in Cali. I was given an RV by my old boss and went to the DMV to get it licensed. They wanted over $1000 for past "non-op" not paid. Coming from Texas I had no idea what a non op was!! I used some of my "Southern Charm" and talked her down to $400 for transferring title and renewing the registration!

Divin, I know how you are feeling!!! Hang in there......Cali needs all the money and help it can get!!!

BTW, I have fianally caught up with all going on here....PM me and I will get that exhaust stuff coming your way!!

(PM sent bud; thanks!)

Days 171-174

Well, so much for the "Classic Car policy;" Salesdude didn't tell me that they would need to appraise the car for at least $5000 for it to qualify. AAA says their appraisal based on my pix is $4100. So I had to slide it into my current policy for about twice as much. Still not bad, but unlikely to make the household CFO happy.

I posted a thread and a link to a video I made illustrating the slight miss I'm seeing, to see if anyone could offer up suggestions as to cause/solution. So far, nobody's commented. I am depressed.

I've swapped out everything except the dizzy itself, cap/rotor, and the plug wires, and meticulously cleaned every contact point in the system, and it's made no change in the symptoms. Polishedthe dizzy and rotor contacts, to be sure. No change.

Irritating.

Not sure how to proceed. I guess I could spring for a new cap & rotor, but this one looks ok to me, and I polished the contacts. Wires all metered out fine. Crossfire, maybe? Don't see it on the scope, so it'd have to be on the high-voltage side, devilish hard to test. Spreading the plug wires around didn't seem to make a difference. Going to do some more o-scope testing tomorrow. Supposed to rain again, too. Probably need some more gas, as well.

I want to get the damn test out of the way, but I'm concerned that the misfire, slight though it is, will fail me and cost more time and money. So I'd really prefer to lock this down first.

Sucks. So close.

Day 175

Since I'm now insured, it's not currently raining, and I have the red pass good til the end of January, I decided to take her out for a short 15-minute spin today.

Drives nice. I don't want to run her too far on these ancient tires, particularly at freeway speeds, but I did get her on the 71 for a couple miles, ans was rolling along at 80 before I knew it. Pulled well up to 6k, and I decided not to push further than that til I'm all legal... last thing I need to to is break anything now...

I still hear the maybe-miss at idle (way too loud inside to hear it at speed), and I think I need to change out the rear-end fluid. The steering needs a little TLC on the pre-load, and Ive still got a half-dozen small paint tasks for trim and such, but I can tell I'm near the end of the rainbow.

The miss-or-whatever doesn't seem to impact power or smoothness under load, or off idle. I'm sure that means something, but I have no idea what.

Just... gotta... clear... the miss...!

Day 181

How can I top this? Smog check today:

Not only passed...

Crushed it!

Code:

---

          15mph:      25mph:
CO2      12.70%      13.46%
O2        2.97%      2.79
HC (PPM)
    Max  214        181
    Ave    47        37
    Meas    7          6
CO (%)
    Max  1.36      1.16
    Ave  0.20      0.17
    Meas  0.00      0.02
NO (%)
    Max  1364      1224
    Ave    554        468
    Meas  303        174

---

:hahaha:

After sweating through days of trying, and failing, to clear that little miss at idle (documented in this thread ), I took the advice of several, and just went and got it tested.

I have to go back through my old smog certs to be sure, but this may be one of the cleanest tests she's ever posted...

Ooh-Rah!

The job is not finished yet, but this was the major hurdle; this was the key, even more than when the car started again - - without papers, it was essentially a 1:1 scale model of a car.

Now, it can be a CAR.

Still things to do:

The steering is very, VERY sloppy... I have to try to either adjust it out, or get a new box. May not have time this weekend (work) but must do soon.

Got some cosmetics to clean up (trim, plastic cracks, etc)

Still try to locate a STOCK headpipe, and TR, if I can find a good one - - I've no idea how long my repaired one will hold up, and I'd like to "complete the set" & have all be original.

But all that is much more easily done if the car can actually be driven to keep it healthy.

I am, to put it lightly, Jazzed!

DD-
your Emissions day-by-day reads like a testimonial of "Reasons NOT to live in California". My Gawd, can life Outside (as we Alaskan's call That Which is Beyond Our Border) really be that complicated!? Crikey. Still a nice place to _visit_ tho...
my sympathies
and admiration to your stick-too-Id-ness!
Stu Aull
80GS with-lord-knows-what-emissions-status
Alaska

Stu;

There are days I really wonder if it's worth it to live here...

Then I walk outside to a 75-degree day in January, look up at the bright blue sky, decide if it'll be skiing (mountains, 1 hr away) or scuba diving (beach, 40 minutes away), or just wandering around in t-shirt and shorts... and I think back to what January in Nebraska was like when I was a kid... And it suddenly becomes a lot more worth it.

I wish there was a place with this climate, and your people's refusal to put up with BS. It'd be Heaven.

But the sad fact is, the a$$hats of the world know that people will tolerate a lot to live someplace like this, and they take advantage of it.

DD, you said your steering was sloppy. My 84 was the same way when i picked it up four years ago. I was gonna try and adjust it, but some "skilled professional" tried to loosen the jam nut with a chisel. I ended up ditching the stock system in favor of a cp racing rack and pinion kit. Yeah, it took the idiots almost three months to get it to me and they are now out of business, buts its a good kit. It's a damn shame their customer service was so poor. Fortunately respeed makes a really nice rack and pinion kit now. I was only fifteen when i got the car so I've never driven it with the stock steering box, but i can tell you i love the manual rack and pinion in it.

point taken DD-
;)
Into week THREE of -30 to -40F, RX is hibernating under a foot of snow...till April, anyway.
We take the Good with the Bad, eh? Sunshine and Nazis; Freedom and Nature waiting to freeze your nutz off...
Hope you get it sorted out-

Stu Aull
80GS
Alaska

Its about 20 degrees cooler here in NC during the winter (high today 53) but cars rule and anything older than 96 gets a safety only for less than $10.00. Plus the 7 doesn't have to be stored for the winter unlike when I lived in Pittsburgh where it went into the garage from November until April.

Interesting note, theres a lot of folks moving here from California and Florida for various reasons. One guy I met who was in Cali during the 60s - 70s says Charlotte reminds hime of Cali during that time. One thing is for sure the housing is much more affordable.

Ok, back to the resurrection topic, I think my 80 has the same slight miss sometimes but I haven't slapped a timing light on it in awhile. Like the guy you talked to, it goes away under load and has never caused an issue. I always chalked it up to cross talk on the signals to the ignitors.

Congrats DD. It has been a long challenge and it is time to sit back and relax a little. I will be going to UPS this coming week so you will have that head pipe coming.

Again, keep up the good work!!

Day 187

Picked up my registration from DMV two days ago, put it on the plate last night.

Drove Spry Beastie to work this AM; she's sitting in the parking lot right now. First time since 2005 she's been out of the barn for a day. Gonna take her over to Racing Beat at lunch today, show them boys what a -7's supposed to look like, heh.

Steering needs serious adjustment, possible work. I'll know more after I get her up in the air, maybe this weekend. Way too much play; hopefully, it just needs end-play adjustment. If not, I have a source for a replacement gear, headache though that job is.

Running very nice; power is smooth up as far as I've pushed, which is only to about 6000rpm thus far.

It's an amazing thing to contrast driving her to driving my Z:

The 350Z is like flying a modern fighter plane; very powerful, very fast, and very automatic. Point and shoot, fire and forget, all done with the fingertips. You only need to think about what you want to do, the computer handles the rest. Bulletproof and very forgiving. Requires only part of your attention. Makes you feel invincible.

The SA is like flying a restored WWII fighter, an early one like a Spitfire: lightly built, quick but with just enough power to get the job done, and very much a seat-of-the-pants, stick-and-rudder-on-cables, pilot-is-the-only-computer experience. A little fragile and not forgiving if you push past the envelope, but very willing to get out and play. Requires your full attention. Makes you feel naked.

Both great driving experiences, but totally night-and-day from each other.

The cool thing is, both of them represent the essence of what a performance car should be; they were each at the time of their maufacture the very best that their makers knew how to build, in a production sports car.

nice writeups

Day 240

Ok, I've spent about 6 weeks without doing too much more work on the car, just driving it a bit, hitting a few of the local events, getting it photographed by a webzine(!), and various tweaks.

Currently two items pending or under way:

1) I've got an issue with post-shutdown flooding that so far has me stumped; If hte car is driven to normal temperature, and then shut down, over the course of an hour or so the rear fuel bowl drains down significantly (to the bottom of the sight glass or below); the front bowl drains a bit, maybe half as much.

The gas is not leaking out... it's leaking INTO the engine, as it shows back up when I restart - stinky clouds of gas smoke.

The puzzle is, based on carb design, it should be impossible for gas to leak from the bowls into the throat, absent vacuum. All the fuel feeds are made to require vacuum to lift the fuel up from bowl level.

I thought at first that the bowl vent solenoid might be sticking, and that this was letting vapor pressure above the gas in the bowl push the gas up and out. The solenoid tests out fine, though. Doesn't appear to be any blockage in the vent lines, either.

So, it's a puzzle I'm still working on.

The other current work is on doing an updated aircleaner; I bought a spare air box (a '79, turns out) off the frum, and have started stripping, rust-scaling,a nd re-painting ot to match my anodized-theme work. I'm going to restore the original to factory colors and get rid of a bunch of scratches and stains that 29 years of service have placed on it.

I have vinyl lettering for the lid waiting to go on the repainted box; with the anodized look, I'm going to use chrome lettering that exactly matches the original lettering, made by -Xlr8Planet-. The restored one gets normal white lettering.

Progress so far:
Original lid paint had some deep scratches and rust under some of the paint, so all the exterior paint had to come off and rust remover applied:

In progress; getting the paint out of the depressions was the hardest part, but chem stripper worked well.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...f/IMG_0034.jpg

Stripped and ready for the metallic basecoat:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...IMG_0039-1.jpg

Freshly sprayed with the transparent colorcoat (three coats):
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...f/IMG_0041.jpg

Will probably get one final coat around the lip, which needs to wait several days now, so the re-application doesn't lift the new paint:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...f/IMG_0042.jpg

I've also got to pull the hardware off my new glass sunroof, and re-coat the hinges with vinyl; all the original vinyl coating had peeled off before I got it, and they rattle pretty horribly. I'll strip and re-black the exterior hardware at the same time.

Hmm, wish i could help you with the hot flooding problem. I will tell you that the air cleaner looks great though.

Day 246:

I'll sort the flood issue out, it's just going to take some time.

Here's the bottom part of the airbox, waiting for me to get my act together and start stripping it:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...f/IMG_0035.jpg

I was going to take it and get it oxide blasted... but I found out they want $50 to $80 to do that, and could not guarantee that they'd get all the crevices even then. I decided that I'll strip in myself. There's too much pitting and surface rust on it to just shand smooth and pain over. It's gotta be stripped clean on the outside. The inside can just get toothed up a bit.

On the moonroof, here's the starting situation as I bought it a few months ago.:

1) Hinges that have rusted, and lost their rubberizing, which makes thme both messy and lets them rattle.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...f/IMG_0064.jpg

2) The latch mechanism is kind of beat up; the latches are twisted out of place a bit, the paint is all chipped up, and the foam padding in the center is pretty much history.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...f/IMG_0065.jpg

3) The T-nuts (nut buttons, whatever they are called) on the outside are scratched up, pitted, and the black is mostly worn off.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...f/IMG_0067.jpg

So, first step; take everything apart, and strip the rust off of the hinge plates and screw heads.

Once the hinge plates have been completely stripped down, and all rust scaled off, you can use Plasti-Dip to restore them easily. Two to three coats does the job nicely, and it lasts well. I redid the hinges on my original steel sunroof 8 or 9 years ago, and they are still good.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...f/IMG_0071.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...f/IMG_0072.jpg

The screws and T-nuts just need to be rust-stripped, smoothed carefully with steel wool, and then re-shot with two coats of Duplicolor Trim Black:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...f/IMG_0074.jpg

The latch needs a bit more work; I'm still stripping paint, and I need to drill holes in the bottom to add new guide pins, as the cast-in ones have sheared off. I'll use small finish nails, driven into drilled holes, and carefully cut to length with a dremel.

More pix of those processes to come.

Day 260:

Finally got some new tires to replace my ancient (like, close to 15 years old) Riken 185/70-R13's.

I just couldn't swing the budget to hold out for the Sumitomo HTR's; I went a bit cheaper, and got in on a "buy 3, get one free" deal from Pep Boys, for their Futura GLS Super Sport RWL's, and I went up to 205/60-R13, which dropped the car another quarter inch and added nearly an inch of tread width. These are the absolute maxium sixe that the stock wheels can take; there's about 1/4" between the inside of the tire, and the spring perch on the front suspension.

They may not be the highest performance tires out there, but they're a step up from what I was running on. And I saved $125 from what the Sumi's would have cost, mounted.

Also, got the airbox lid finished off; still stripping paint from the lower part.

First pix, with -Xlr8Planet-'s beautious chrome lettering applied to the lid.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...f/P1010008.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...f/P1010011.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...f/P1010010.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...f/P1010014.jpg

Actually hard to photograph (inside, at night) because they're so shiny. I'll get some daytime shots tomorrow.

Check my fancy rubber-coated hold-downs, too... so the new paint won't scratch, heh.

Will look a lot better once the bottom matches the top.

Alright i need to contact xlr8planet about some of those chrome decals to fix the side emblems on mine, those air cleaner ones look sweet.

Lets see pics of those RWL tires. I didn't know anyone else made a 13 inch except the ones I found from Cooper.

Whats the specs on the tires for traction/wear/speed etc.

Futura's made by Cooper. The GLS SuperSports have a different tread pattern from the Cobras, though.

Specs are 440 A B. They're OK tires; grip is nothing special, though going out to 205 helped. I don't drive the car that aggresively, so they're fine, and much safer than the old junk I was running.

Only pic I have so far; can't see much detail:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...f/P1010044.jpg

Day 264:

Finished the moonroof hatch refurb last night:

Unassembled painted bits.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...f/P4060001.jpg



Here are the "guide pins" I had to restore. On the original part, these little bumps are part of the casting, and they engage holes in the plastic baseplate, which prevents the latches from rotating. All four of the little pins were sheared off on these, so the latch wouldn't stay lined up.

I drilled 1/16" holes where the pins used to be, and epoxied some medium-hard steel wire into the holes, then trimmed with a dremel. Worked out just fine; lines up perfect.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...f/P4060002.jpg

All re-assembled, ready to go on the glass:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...f/P4060006.jpg

Only thing missing is the foam rubber pad that goes in the center; the old one was so hard and brittle that it crumbled off. I'm going to get a scrap of wetsuit neoprene to replace it with. A piece of mouse pad would probably work just fine, too.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...f/P4060007.jpg


A pic of one of my finely refinished "button nuts."
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...f/P4060008.jpg

A view of the safety catch; the little pin has to be driven out to disassemble it for painting.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...f/P4060010.jpg

And there she is, back in place. Once the foam is glued on, it'll be good as new!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...f/P4060011.jpg

Devil IS in the Details DD-
looks great and I know the joy of even fixing the little dooky bits no one else even ever sees
;)
Well done.

Stu Aull
80GS-work-in-progress
Alaska