Today I started working on the car again. I made a list and put priorities of each item. The list has 26 items on it right now, and I know it will grow. I cleaned the inside and put some flat black paint on the dashboard. I have been partially blinded by the sun reflecting off of a gloss black dashboard or a highly polished dash. I also put flat black on all the side window bars that hold the Lexan in place. Nothing like confusing the tower with what they thought was a one (1) next to a nine (9) and giving you a 19.00 dial-in. That is one reason tracks insist on the driver looking at the dial-in before turning on the pre-stage light. It is the drivers responsibility for his/her dial-in. Over the years I have found some unique, or stupid, ways to lose races.
I put a smoke detector in my workshop today. It is one of those dual, smoke and Carbon Monoxide detectors.
Tomorrow I will start on the electrical system. After that I will put the remainder of the sheet metal in the trunk to cover the bottom of the fuel cell. Gauges, delay box other instruments, along with lights will be next. I will put the shifter and cable in somewhere along the way, and the Lexan will go in after all of that is complete. I hope to be done with those items by the end of next week. The cowl panel and bumpers is where I need help with the welding. After they are in place it is back to the painter with those individual pieces only.
I will complete assembly of the engine while the welding and painting is being done. It will be a small challenged to get this engine into this new body. At least the radiator and headers came with the car. I may change the radiator just to be on the safe (cool) side. I also need some new brackets for the alternator. I saw some nice setups for BBC at the PRI show. Complete setup with alt., belt and mounting bracket. I fabricated the one on the old car and never did get it exactly correct. The engine/trans. should be in the car by…, maybe, Feb. 20, 2009.