SHUT UP WITH THE CAR STUFF ALREADY! I thought you were a mountain bike guy!
It is a good sign when you talk to yourself in your own blog. Since I'm the main person that reads this, I guess that could be said about most of my posts. ;)
Anywhoo. I did get a few photos up of the work that I did Wednesday. You can click HERE and HERE to see what things looked like yesterday morning.
Last night was going to be a short session. I had a lot of work to get done and I just resolved myself to the fact that I was going to get started and then leave the car in pieces in order to make it to Wakefield in time to ride.
NOT SO!
I was a freaking machine last night. I stopped at Home Depot*** and picked up the sheet metal screws that I needed and was home before 4pm. That gave me almost 2 hours to work. I had the heat lamps set up the night before because I was out working after dark. I backed the car way up so I wouldn't get any overspray on it, then sanded, cleaned and painted the bumper. I turned on the heat lamps and baked it. I stopped once during the other repair processes to put another coat of paint on.
I had a tiny leak in the power steering system. The belt was making all kinds of noises too. Upon close inspection, it looks like there was a leak where the high pressure hose meets the pump. I removed the hose, replaced the gasket, then put it back together again. I adjusted the accessory belt thanks to Doug at the Corrado Club of Canada web site. (Sorry about all the Canadian jokes that they put on South Park. I feel guilty that I laughed at most of them after you guys did a great Corrado web site) I added some fluid and cycled it through a few times. I added more fluid once the bubbles had worked their way out.
Anywho... My steering issues are GONE! The power steering is great and quiet too. I did notice that I've got a small oil leak from the oil pan. I guess it is time for that finned aluminum oil pan with windage tray like the one Les put on his Corrado. (Deep down inside I really want to be Les Noriel when I grow up).
I checked the bumper and it was dry enough to install. I made sure that I was wearing gloves. I got the bumper back on, bolted it in place, shot the new hardware with a squirt of black paint so it doesn't stand out as much and then drove the car up in front of the heat lamps. I left the car parked there while I went to Wakefield for a ride.
I arrived at Wakefield with 6 minutes to spare. I behaved like an ass (as usual) and annoyed Craig (Something I try hard to do, but usually don't succeed at). I tried like hell to ride. Craig was extra cool and took the fast group. Chris, Kathy and Janie and I went for a casual stroll around Wakefield. We did between 4 and 5 miles. I was just freaking dead. I've been working on the car so much that I've only been getting 4 or 5 hours of sleep per night. That doesn't make for a fast or lively ride. I called it quits early and headed home.
Laura wasn't home yet so I put a dab of caulk along the seams where the side skirts meet the body. It just smooths out the lines a little. I'll need to sand that a bit before paint, but it should look good when it is done.
Finally I went to bed at a decent hour. I talked to Laura for a few, drank the last beer in the house and went to bed by 10pm.
*** My Home Depot Rant. The Home Depot at 7 corners is HORRIBLE. Nothing is where it should be and their stock is quite erratic. You never know if something will be in stock. I shopped there earlier in the week and had to go to the one in Merrifield because they didn't have half of what I wanted. Grrrrrrrr. No more Sniper Home Depot for me.
Oh well. I've babbled way too long. I guess I've had too much caffeine this morning. ;)
See you tomorrow. You'll like the pics of the bumper when it is fully painted.
Pete
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