What Did You do Today - Car Related?

[sixball]

Looks like something from Canon Ball Run.

[Rattiac]

Put my XJ up for sale. Been quiet for weeks and finally a few inquiries this week.
Had someone actually show up today. We'll see if that pans out

World of Speed was flooded out and waiting for World Finals next.

Been clearing out the front yard, removed a big tree and some brickwork the previous owner done.
Called in a landscaping crew to level out the yard, get the drainage right, install a new sprinkler system, new sod.
I wanted simplicity and low maintenance so the yard went back to mostly all grass with a small rock bed in the front with a few small plants. Even the rain gutters have pipes to drains in the middle of the yard.
Yard looks soo much bigger .

I did go start the 32 yesterday.  Hoping once the jeep is gone I can get back on track with the 32.

[sixball]

Often progress around the place lends to progress on the fun projects. I wish I enjoyed yard work.

[sammons]

Rattiac your yards looking good!  I enjoy yard work like that. But with this heat and drought, i haven't even needed to mow in a month.

Bad choise for me using '69 sheet metal for temp floor pan, that thick stuff was hard for me to bend. It isn't pretty but solid, multiple pieces and a lot of self tappers😁  I had some insulation stuff left from something and laid it down for the time being, had enough to make a temp door panel for left door to cut down on noise.
Drove it a little, a real dog on the bottom end. Tom crawled under it and got the axel code, 2:41 gear, no wonder🙄  I think i'm going to have Tom install a 3:42 gear, looks like common gear on a Z28. While driving if you punch it, the thing sounds like a rocket. We are pretty sure the catalatic converter is all but plugged. When you drive it for about 20 mins it starts stinking and smoking whiteish. Smells like rotten eggs and a forest fire.

Got what interior pieces i have cleaned up and in. At least that lets me know what all is missing, had to dig up alot of screws for that. Was playing around with front trim options. I blacked out all leaving a 1/4" of the chrome and silver on the headlamp/part bezels and silver on the grille surround. I think it looks much better than the all chrome/silver.

[Rattiac]

Thanks guys. Sometimes hiring it out is the best option. The previous owner had no idea what they were doing. Sprinklers were leaking under the driveway. Had that raised a few years ago. Landscaper did this in days what would have taken me months.
He quoted me on the backyard and I think I'll pass on that. Nearly double on price. I see it as less work than the front. That's ok cause neighbors don't see it.
Flying my drone around I've noticed most people let the backyards go.
Had some activity on selling the jeep. We'll see if this guy shows up.

World Finals is next weekend. Sid says the car is ready and should wake up with some power. My job will be clearing out the rear tires of salt and meeting him at the big end. Maybe I'll get to film from there. Camera will be on the car. I'll be staying until Tuesday.
Praying to the car gods we have fast successful runs.🙏
I bought some illegal fireworks for celebration. Artillery shells and mortars, big bang type of stuff.

Sammons, love the Camaro, looking good.
Wish I could be there and help with the interior.

[Rattiac]

Sold the XJ yesterday 🥲. Kinda sad, lot's of memories and miles in that jeep but, I can park in the garage again.
Rain this morning, hopefully Bonneville dosent get flooded.
Working on the roof rack for Dad's jeep, sanding and paint. Bolted the awning on. Shade will be nice at the Baja race in wendover next month.

[sammons]

Thanks Rattiac. I am missing so many interior pieces😡 and new aftermarket stuff is $$$$$. Glad you finally had someone show up and buy your Jeep, so many flakes out there anymore waisting your time.

Got the catylactic converter cleaned out. Pryed out the plug and emptied out the pellets, i have never seen so many in one of the pancake converters. It all but filled my oil drain pan. Was really nasty with some mouse house crap in it. Drove in a new 1-5/8" freeze plug and tack welded  in 4 spots, taped one end shut and poured in some Super Clean to soak. Hosed that out,, lots of carbon/soot came out. Reinstalled, its my muffler for now just ran a right side exit for now. Gets rpm quick now, no more rocket sound on throttle up driving. Took out for a drive, no more stinky forest fire smell or smoke.
The speedometer needle was bouncing and reading fast, thought my needle rebuild was way off on balance. With in a few miles it quit bouncing and read close to correct mph. I cleaned and oiled cable from speedo but not the other cruise control cable down to transmission. I suspect that was the bounce until it cleaned itself up.

With temp gauge now hooked up i could monitor that. After 15mins it really shot up to 205, i turned around to head home then it dropped to 180 and stayed 180-185. I suppose the thermostat just opened up right. All in all, i'm really happy with it so far. The amount of waking up its doing, the self healing, is nice. 😁

[Rattiac]

It looks like World Finals is a no go. SCTA has been dragging their feet on making a choice to run or not. Probably trying to make some money on slushy salt.

[sammons]

Had to take a couple days off for my last uncles funeral. Tryimg to play catch up on Camaro. Started by mixing some old left over base coats to match, (badly) the bronze color and spotted in the bare spots on the spoiler, rear top and right front fender. Then sanded under the half vinyl top  glue and sanding/grinding mess they left. Decided i could hide a lot with a Rally Sport type 2 tone. Had some old lacquer black primer. Sqirted that on disregaurding the high humidity, (that took forever defogging from humidity.). Scuffed it with steelwool, put the only color, (white) i had for a divider stripe. Then tack ragged it and rolled on that cheap clear Penetrol Flood over the whole car. Once again, with all this rain last couple days, the humidity is drying it slow.

I got done at 2pm, just checked and its still not quite dry to the touch. And the black primer is really soaking it up, along with the dog hair its attracting🙄  Checked recoat time on line said 24-48 hrs, probably longer right now. Oh well, it now looks good from 40 feet  vs 40 yards and won't be embaressed so much to drive it till winter hits and finding all the things that need to be fixed along the way.

Pics look way better than 6 foot away😄

[TFoch]

Wow! That looks great Sammons!

[sixball]

Sorry about your uncle. I don't have any left and I miss them all.

That is some great paint!

[Essex_29]

The Camaro looks awesome!

[sammons]

Thanks guy's. Kind of a waist of time, but it looked terrible. Just need decent as i try and find any mechanical bugs before the tear down this winter.

Had several people ask what did i put on it.
Sixball, that stuff is suppose to mix in with latex house trim paint to flow out/eliminate brush/roller marks. Lot of youtubers using it on there "patina" cars and trucks, but most of them rub it on with a rag. The clear coat fade guys are using a roller and getting it on heavy for a shine. Most that type stuff is $75 to $115 a qt, this stuff is only 14.95 a qt and i only used a 3rd of a qt to do my whole car.

Sun been out and warmed up some. Washed it yesterday and drove/sat in sun and dryed good.

[Essex_29]

Floood penetrol. Interesting stuff. Too bad you can't get that here, I'd love to try some.

[Essex_29]

I have been doing some small car related stuff too, Got my daily '85 Caprice MOT
tested and the 1969 Beetle to run right, after replacing the sunken float in the carb.
Two year old carburetor, and the float had soaked itself full of gas. I took the original
float from the original carb, and now it runs like it has over 30 horse power again.

We have a tuesday coffee met at a local diner, a guy I know snapped a pic as I arrived with the Buick.

The second pis is what i was going to post, I got the '85  Trans Am into the  garage, headgasket
replacement this time. less than 10 miles this summer, the car's only given me grief. Oh well, fingers crossed,
next summer might be better, there can't be many more issues... can there?