Details And Dash

Next on my list were a bunch of small details. First I installed the exhaust gasgets. The headers were blowing a bit after the collector because there were no gasgets there. I removed the bolts from the flange, installed the gasgets and put the bolts back. Small and fast task.

While under the car, I also installed the starter motor heat shield. When the engine was hot, the starter turned really slowly. When cold, it worked fine. Most likely this was because the headers went a few centimeters away from the starter and heated it up. Hopefully the next hot start would be easier.

Then came the door weatherstrips. First I tested the weatherstrips to see how they fit. Things seemed fine except that the idiot that had painted the car, hadn't even removed all the old screws that held the weatherstrips in place. Some of them were broken or rusted in place but still. I spent a few hours removing them all by drilling or screwing them out with pliers.

I had bought Bison Liquid Rubber for attaching the weatherstrips and the instructions said I should roughen the paint before using it. So I checked the routing of the weatherstrip, sanded the door a bit and finally applied the glue. I proceeded in short sections by first adding glue, then pressed the weatherstrip in and finally added some tape to hold everything in place.

I then left the glue to dry for a day and removed the tapes really carefully. At first I needed to really slam the door shut but after a few days of settling, the weatherstrips found their place and hopefully wouldn't let water in anymore.

After waiting for a few weeks, I finally received the last item for the dashboard: the nut for the headlight switch. I also got the valance panel retainers so now I could get the car ready for registration. Hopefully...

I screwed the switch to the dash panel and went to put it in the car. And many a curses were uttered! After screwing in every panel except the left lower dash pad, I was a bit worried if it would fit in. And it didn't. It took me a complete evening of raging and fighting to get the panel in place. First I needed to unscrew the dash, then remove the windshield padding, next the speaker etc.

When the panel finally went in between the steering wheel and dash, I had to reconnect the speaker through a tiny gap. Then attach all the gauge lights by lying on the floor. Next were the speedo cable and tach wires. And finally the headlight switch wires and vacuum hoses went in. I'm not sure what was the problem but the switch connector wires were way too short so I had to build an extension for them.

Finally, late in the night, I could screw the panel in place and test it. And some more naughty words escaped my lips. The brake warning light and high beam warning light bulbs had come loose while manhandling the panel in place and for some reason the right indicator light was on constantly. Perhaps I had connected the wrong light in while working blind on the floor. There was no room to get my hand behind the tachometer so I would have to unscrew the panel again to put the bulbs back in. But that would have to wait for another day as now I really needed a beer.

And that's it. This blog has finally catched up the current situation. From now on I'll try to write an update when I get something done. There still are a few things on my list before I can register the car. Hopefully I get them all done next week.