Project Progress Report (2007/03/31)

[OdieTurbo]

Originally Posted by Bill in Houston

Perfect! Thanks for letting us come along for the ride.

Ditto!

[OdieTurbo]

Progress Report (2007/06/04)

Accomplishments - By 6/4/2007 I completed the following:

• Applied to Broome Community College and was accepted! 1 class left for my Associates Degree!
• Relocated the antenna under the plastic trim.
• Made plastic piece to replace passenger side mirror. Still need to paint this week.
• Both inside mirrors mounted.

Goals - From now until Monday 6/11/2007 I plan the following:

• Install front air dam made of Lawn Edging from Home Depot. (Rained last weekend).
• Help friend replace front struts on an old Sundance.
• Sign up for my last class at BCC.
• Paint plastic for passenger side mirror removal.
• Go to hospital for bloodwork.

I'll update again on 6/11/2007! Until then, think positive!

[tom_eberhard]

Go Odie, Go Odie! Congratulations on the BCC thing!

Didn't post last week because it was labor day and I didn't get much done, ironically enough for "labor" day...

I did order the wiring harness for the instruments, and received an email that it was finally shipped.

I started the Gantt Chart, and the number of things left to do boggles the mind.

Started fabricating the bracket for the fuel tank. Found the right bolts for the bracket, and straightened out some bent metal. (It was a cheap fuel tank, all dinged up. Doesn't matter since it won't be used in the car anyway, this is just to get the engine to work on the bench)

Last year I bought a (big) used lathe, and yesterday I machined a little key that was lost when I moved the beast. According to the lady that sold it to me, her husband had bought it and then it sat in their basement for 10+ years because they didn't have 3 phase power. Anyway, yesterday the lathe carriage moved on its own for the first time in who knows how long. It was very exciting and I was psyched! I'll be using it to notch tubing and do all sorts of good things.

Drilled some holes in some angle iron and bolted them on to the engine stand, this is where the plastic battery tray + harness will go.

Emailed a friend who has a 3D digitizing machine and he's agreed to let me use it to scan a model car. This will hopefully let me figure out the design and dimensions of the roll cage and frame that needs to fit inside the car.

Goals for this week:
- order EZ bend 3D, software to help me design the roll cage.
- order 4130 steel to practice welding on.
- weld together the first two pieces of my frame jig.
- finish fabricating fuel tank bracket
- attach fuel pump to fuel tank
- procure gas tank cap.
- start fabricating brackets for handle bar + gauges.

I'm thinking of fixing up the rust holes of the CRX that prevent it from passing inspection. Driving that would at least double my gas mileage, which would be like having gas at 1.50/gallon. What I'm currently driving is too embarassing for this forum...

Tom.

[tom_eberhard]

Goals from last week:

- order EZ bend 3D, software to help me design the roll cage.
Not done yet...

- order 4130 steel to practice welding on.
Not done yet...

- weld together the first two pieces of my frame jig.
Not done yet...

- finish fabricating fuel tank bracket
done.
- attach fuel pump to fuel tank
done. Even the gas tank is attached. I'm getting closer!

- procure gas tank cap.
Not done yet...

- start fabricating brackets for handle bar + gauges.
Not done yet...

- connected the headlight wiring harness and gauges.

- The trees I had ordered online arrived and I lost focus and planted them, 2 maples and 2 spruces. I guess that's good, but planting trees does not a car build.

Below are some pics of the gas tank and bracketry.

This week's goals: finish the stuff I wanted to do last week. I'm still not all that happy with how slowly things are going, but I can say I've made some progress, which is sometimes all you can ask for.

Tom.

[Silveredwings]

Great progression. Is this mount strictly for the bench testing, or is some of it going to make it into the car?

[tom_eberhard]

Originally Posted by Silveredwings

Great progression. Is this mount strictly for the bench testing, or is some of it going to make it into the car?

Strictly bench testing. The tank isn't going to make it into the car either actually, although it would look cool in a Mitsubishi Eclipse kind of way. I'll have to get a tank from a car and put that in the rear of the car.
Tom.

[tom_eberhard]

What's happenin' ya alls?
Some good progress last week, I have pics but they're at home and I'm at work. I'll add them later tonight if I have time.

I orded and received EZ Bend 3D, the software to help me design the roll cage. Ordered and received some 4130 steel to practice welding on.

Started fabricating the brackets for the handlebar and gauges, and I just have to add two pieces of pipe and I'll be able to attach the left and right throttle / clutch controls. Very exciting. And then it should all just work.

Finally ordred and received the gas tank cap. $47 on ebay.

I scanned part of the model car, but it was a bit trickier than I thought it would be. It turns out that you can just buy 3D models for just about anything already. So I'll probably spend the $ on a model instead.

This week:
- All about the handle bars: machine the pipe so the controls fit, weld'em on, attach left and right hand controls, attach ignition, attach cables.
- Look for and buy a good 3D model.
- Learn to use the tubing bender software. Get started with the roll cage.

Any progress on your stuff?
Tom.

[BumblingB]

Sounds as though you've been busy too.

For me:

*Started the install on a certain alternate fuel source for my vehicle (maybe I shouldn't talk about it if the tax man is listening )

**Installed (or had installed) an above ground pool - pretty big size - tonight was the first time/night I went swimming. LOTS of leveling the ground involved and we finally just dug into the ground a bit.

***Sold the Geo due to my purchase of my Maxima

****Got my tractor up and going, for good I hope.

*****Got electric installed in my garage, just built garage in December but I've been in the dark since I built it. Dream garage - somewhat - 3 stalls with LOTS of additional room for tools including a woodshop - one stall will have a lift at a later time.

TO DO SOON! - I plan to this weekend hopefully:

-Install permanent electrical to the pool

--Finish the conversion on my VW

---Backfill some dirt around th epool and move some dirt around the foundation of my building

----Detail the Maxima, I actually want to put it in a show as it is really that nice - though it doesn't seem to have a following.

To do within a month

+Build a deck around the pool and deck out the back door of the house with walkway to pool - hey, I live in a trailer because I'm "Trailer Trash"

++Complete EVERYTHING electrical in the garage. Lights, recepticles etc.

+++Mow (trust me, it takes FOREVER to mow - generally about 3 or 4 evening or a FULL day)

++++Install hot water heater and new cab battery in motorhome. Then rip out the interior and remodel that, then new sheetmetal on the exterior with some new paint. Also needs new exhaust and overdrive solenoid.

That's about it, I'm sure there's a bit I didn't put down like landscape around the pool and install that gazebo/patio next to the pool too. There's probably more too - I should be busy for quite a while. Some say my house is getting like a little Waco compound as it is isolated, I'm lacking a bit of firepower though.....

[tom_eberhard]

Well here's a long sequence of pics for the latest bracket. I know, it sounds real exciting. The file sizes are a tad over the 97K limit, so I put them on my site here:
http://www.GreenPlanetGarage.com/Pro...dlebarBracket/

PS: I can't believe you sold the Geo, Wazabi... And is that going to be a solar water heater for the motor home?

[OdieTurbo]

Originally Posted by OdieTurbo

Progress Report (2007/06/04)

Goals - From now until Monday 6/11/2007 I plan the following:

• Install front air dam made of Lawn Edging from Home Depot. (Rained last weekend).
• Help friend replace front struts on an old Sundance.
• Sign up for my last class at BCC.
• Paint plastic for passenger side mirror removal.
• Go to hospital for bloodwork.

I'll update again on 6/11/2007! Until then, think positive!

Sorry for the delay, time is really limited lately!

Completed - (Low on time at home though to get on PC and post)

• Sundance struts replaced!
• Signed up for classes! Now officially enrolled!
• Bloodwork and other tests complete, Doc says I'm AOK.
• Went to Baltimore to see a Shamanic healer about my illness.

Items left to do (complete by 6/25):

• Install front air dam made of Lawn Edging from Home Depot.
• Paint plastic for passenger side mirror removal.
• Clean out throttle body, badly coked!
• Go to DMV and get my PA driver's license.

Once I have my PA driver's license I'll be ready to do more aero mods to the car, I've been shy about it due to not wanting to get pulled over!

Awesome job on the test stand Tom!