Part Tres

Not too much to report, at this point. I had this annoying "tinkle" sound coming from the engine (no, it wasn't a water leak). I found that the tail pipes were rusted out and pieces of metal were vibrating in the tubes. I picked up a new set of pipes and started the task of removing the old ones. Hint-Once you get the clamps and gaskets off, start the engine up and let the pipes get nice and hot. Then soak the the joints down with a good penetrating fluid and let them sit for a while. Get a large pair of vice grips and start turning them slowly in alternate directions, applying more break-free. The new ones slide right in, and come with new clamps and gaskets. They're real inexpensive, only about 6 bucks a set. I put some anti-seize on the tubes and inside of the muffler tubes before installation to make them easier to get out next time.

I got the car registered and titled here in Arizona. Since it's over 25 years old I got "Historic Vehicle" plates for it. They're copper with red lettering and look better than the standard Az Plates.

I also started to find the source of some minor clanks coming from the front end. I found the wheel bearings loose and in pretty bad shape with the grease seals gone, and grease all over the inside of the front brakes, so it looks like a complete front wheel re-build is in order. In the meantime I cleaned the brakes real good, re-packed the bearings and bolted the whole thing back together again, until I can tackle the job next week. I'll probably also pull the back wheels off and check the condition of the rear bearings as well.

The rest of this week will be in cleaning, washing, and hosing the front trunk area, under body, and engine, chasing down more parts and getting my "wish list" together. I picked up a bitchen set of etched glass windwings on eBay for about 15 bucks. They'll add a nice custom touch to the finished product.

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Updated 1/06/2002

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