2014 has been a busy year so far for the race team (me and the car) I installed a new starter when my old one started giving up the ghost. I cant bitch, because I have been using it for 10 years..Has it really been that long???? I also had an epiphany about my shifter. That sucker has given me fits since day one. I dont have the bucks to buy a new one, so my options were kind of limited. I started by relocating it, then building a new handle for it. I disassembled and re-assembled it about 50 or 60 times during the process. It took me a couple weeks of tinkering before I finally "got it" .
As soon as I did I needed to build a new mount for the neutral safety switch. I built a beautiful mount and was very pleased with it. I decided to trick it out by using countersunk screws to mount it. It was perfect....except that I drilled the WRONG side of the bracket.
F--k !! I quickly cut and polished a new piece and went to drill the countersunk screw again....I drilled one and realized....I drilled the wrong side again....I decided that 1 countersunk screw and 1 flathead screw was what I finally settled on. Getting older has become a battle of remembering things in the short term.
Once I had it working, I realized the cable mount was in the way. Back apart it came.. I cut it off the main body and re-attached to the other side. I then needed to trim the seat a bit.
Once I did that, i was finally done. I'm very happy with the results....especially since it cost me nothing but time and 2 neutral safety switch brackets..
Next up was repairing my throttle pedal. It had bent at the axis. I think because I would use it as a brace to get out of the car. So I decided to build an axle for it to rotate on. I started by using a Grade 8 bolt as the axle that goes thru the mount on the chassis, and build a mount to bolt the opposite end to the floor. I think it turned out nice and it wont ever bend again..
I also needed to address the problem of the front end shaking, so after much consulting, I checked the toe-in and discovered I had none...I made that adjustment and I think we are ready to go again...I really still love working on it and making changes.
I was hoping to run one more But its gottentoo hot and I will have to wait til fall, if not early next year...It sucks, but not much I can do...
So thats the latest from IJD, Thank You to everyone and we'll see you at the races !
