Autopower Roll Cage Arrives

My Autopower roll cage arrived the other day from ioportracing.com

It came truck freight and arrived unboxed all wrapped up together. When unwrapped, you can see there are lots and lots of pieces. Including the now needed second door bars for NASA races that have to be welded in. These are the only parts that need to be welded, everything else is bolt in. I figure I will test fit the cage and get it all mocked up and have a mobile welder come over and stack on the four stubs that need to be attached.

The thing is heavy. May have to get more drastic on other weight saving measure now to get down to the SPEC 944 minimum weight. 

Will update when installation begins. 

Vintage Automotive Literature

As an author of an automotive book, I love finding the rare bit of automotive literature. They are the needle in the haystack of poorly produced auto picture books. But they are out there.

And when at Gallagher Books in Denver buying a book for a friend, I found a book for myself. Not the $400 history of the Grand Prix car, but something unique none the less.

A first edition, and I think only edition, of Russell Richardson's Europe from a Motorcar. It is a travelogue of sorts. A bit about the car. But more about the car as change agent. As freedom from the crowds. Even in 1914 when this is written, Richardson complains about too many tourists in big towns.

Track down a copy if you can. The words are solid and the over 30 images delightful.

Picture taken in my newly discovered toilet top light box. The white walls, white porcelain tank and skylight make it perfect for snapping pics of small items during the day. Got a love the glossy finish.

Hood Paint

Since I am stalled waiting for my torsion bars and my roll cage, I decided to tackle a job I really, really did not want to take on.

In a previous post, I showed the compounding and buffing I did to bring back the paint on the Brown Bomber. But no amount of buffing would bring back the paint on the hood. It was chipping off in big pieces. So, I decided to paint it.

But this would entail stripping the old paint off. Chemical strippers are nasty, and I did have the sander, so. I sanded. What a mess. Dusty. Vibrating. Messy. But, with 80 grit paper I was down to bare metal in about one and a half hours.

I then hit the hood with an self etch primer, followed by two coats of filler primer.

Sleep.

Then, paint. Note: White does not cover well. I went through 4 cans of Wimbledon White (the closet to my 911s chiffon white and it does have good racing history, albeit for Ford) trying to get good coverage. I then put on two coats of clear. It turned out...OK. In daylight it looks great. But in the shade, you can see some variation in shading. Plus, some pollen from the cotton trees landed in it. But, it is a track car and it looks racy. So. I am happy. And I have a sore finger from pressing on the rattle cans.

The only paint left to do is the sunroof which is also peeling. I will be painting it red to match the wheels.

Coil Over Started

Started the Paragon coil over install. It seemed to go pretty well. I am using the Mookeh camber plates with it.

Just not sure if this is totally correct. Seems like the top nut is not far enough down and am also not sure if the spring perch is supposed to stay at the top of the strut. Will figure out in next few days...

More Reasons Racing Parts Not Installed

Well, we've been in Montreal for a bit of a vacation. Just as all the parts arrived, we headed out.

We stayed in Vieux Montreal. We at Au Pied Du Chochon which is the most over the top restaurant in the world. Seriously, look at the menu.

And we checked out the modern marvel Habitat 67.

But all that does not mean I did not have Porsches in mind. Check out the Boxster spotted in old town. And the collection of 928s, some on jackstands, some where near Marche Atwater. That man has some issues.