I know, I know. I'm a horrible human for not working on my poor car. Just thought I would stop in and say hi. Coupey is currently off the lift so Steve can work on his Buick. It was fun being pushed around in the coupe during the repositioning though. I will continue to harass Mike about working on my brake lines, but he seems to have too many other projects going. Sadness. One day. He can't use his back as an excuse anymore because the surgery did wonders for him. He finally admits he should've done it years ago. Yes, Julie is always right. Errrrr...mostly always right. Okay, sometimes right. I was right about this.
Jules-
So good to see a post of yours! Really thrilled about Mike's back!! What a relief!
Despite the lack of progress on the coupe, I hope you and the family are all doing well! It's much more fun when you all are here! C'mon back and tell us how you all are doing. All the best.
Thanks! I'm just finishing up work for the day. I'm going to go for a quick jog before the sun totally sets and then I think I'm going to head out to the garage and stare at the coupe. Maybe if I pull out the manual and stare at it, magic will happen and the car will work on itself. Probably not, but at least if Mike seems me with the manual, it might inspire him to work on the brake lines. Worst case, maybe I can find some little odd or end that can be done. I'll report back tomorrow if anything amazing happens.
Probably not, but at least if Mike see's me with the manual, it might inspire him to work on the brake lines.
Saw Mike today in Anaheim and teased him a little about Coupey. Asked him when you were going to move the car over to the shop to let us finish it up. Don't worry Jules, you'll get it. We need to get you all out to some Factory 5 Family events and get you inspired again.
So I did do something last night. I mean it wasn't much, but every little bit counts, right?
I found the manual. Turns out Mike knew exactly where it was because he's the one that hid it from me. I flipped through it only to realize THIS is why I'm a mess and can't be left alone with the car. I found the last thing that had been accomplished, excitedly flipped the page and then crumbled in disappointment. No, I can't do the fuel lines or the wiring harness. Grumble, grumble. Some of those angry noises must've leaked outside of my brain because Mike turned to look at me. Oh, sorry. I asked him if he knew what I could do. He said we needed to get it on the lift and get the body off. Great, but Steve is using the lift. I mean he was literally under the Buick during this conversation. He's taller and stronger, so I don't see myself winning the lift battle. No, I whined. Is there something I can do tonight? Mike looked around a bit and decreed I could install the power steering pump. Yay! Okay. That sounds fun and easy. That's like what, a bolt or two? Piece of cake.
I hopped up and raced to the front of the car, spun and looked at the racks with all the parts and then had to ask Mike which one was the power steering pump. I don't know if he snorted out of laughter or disgust, but he made a vague gesture while saying it's over there. I thought I caught the angle of his glance, so I grabbed the largest thing in that general area and carried it over to him. This? Now that was definitely a snort of laughter. I don't know what I was holding but it was pretty and cylindrical. I put it back. Okay, is it in a box? No. Is it in some sort of packaging? No. This would be kind of a fun game if it was like an early Christmas present instead of a mystery car part. Am I getting hotter? Wait, don't answer that. He said it was near some box. I narrowed it down to one of twelve things and got lucky when I selected correctly.
It's heavy. Why is a pump so heavy? It's not big. It's like the size of my foot only way fatter. Whatever. I lugged it to the front of the car and then realized I didn't know what it was supposed to attach to exactly. I mean I know where the power steering rack is, but does it go on it or under it or near it? Fortunately Mike had anticipated my lack of knowledge and was already taking it from me to hold it in the proper place. He said I needed to drill holes to mount it. Oh no. This isn't fun. I thought the holes would already be there and I'd just smush it up and bolt it in. I mean that still would've taken me at least 20 minutes, but drilling????? No.
He suggested a step drill and that I use a sharpie to mark one hole first to make sure everything looked correct. I found a pretty purple marker which I just had to show him. Look! So pretty! So what if he was trying to drill holes for rivets for some little project he's working on. It's purple and it needs to be properly ogled. I pranced back to the front of the car (let me point out this isn't easy because of the odds and ends currently being stored in the garage for projects). I plopped down and realized I wasn't going to be able to hold the pump and mark it. The thing is astoundingly dense. I hadn't changed out of my running clothes, so I was a little hesitant to shove my foot or my leg under it, but then I realized it's new and probably not too dirty. Maybe dirty shoes would make me look more accomplished to other runners. Hmmmmm...so my foot found its way under the pump while one hand tried to keep it from flipping wildly out of control and then the other hand shakily drew a pretty purple dot...or so I thought. I unbalanced the pump and managed to get it onto the ground without damage and leaned forward to admire my beautiful marking. Nothing. Where did it go? I literally starting looking around the front of the car to find it. How stupid is that? A dot can't walk. I so clearly felt it though. It touched metal!!!! Mike wandered over about that time to see how it was going. I looked dejectedly at him and explained my dot didn't dot. He tried to stifle a giggle as he picked up the pump and reapplied it to the spot for marking. As he moved it into position, I saw a horrific purple scribble glinting on the black bracket. Oh. Oops.
Mike held the pump while I marked and I was thrilled when I saw the dot this time. Pretty dot. I managed to get the step drill chucked up and commenced hole making. Oh no. This is slow. This is very very very very slow. I drilled and drilled and barely made a dent. I admit I'm weak and this was an odd angle, but it seemed pitiful even for me. I eventually (like 10 minutes later) asked Mike if it was possible the drill wasn't sharp enough. He muttered something and continued with his project. Ok. 10 more minutes and nary a dent. He wobbled by and noticed my frustration (not hard since I was sitting in a clump staring at the lack of a hole). He looked at the drill and looked at me. He told me I was using the wrong one. I should go smaller and pointer and work my up to the bigger fatter one. I changed out the bits and reapplied the drill. No progress. 10 more minutes. Now it isn't a constant pressure for 10 minutes. It's 15 seconds and then rest for a minute and then 10 seconds and rest for two minutes, etc. I'm not Superman. I whined to Steve that it wasn't working and he whined to me that the push to connect was not connecting. Yeah, I can't ever get those in either. Mike finally went to help Steve and it was about that time I realized I had the drill in reverse. D'oh. I hadn't the entire time, just for the last few seconds. I put it back in "go" and discovered it really made no difference. When Mike was done with Steve, he came to check on me. I was back in clump position. He took the drill from me, pressed to the point where he was almost shaking and in less than 15 seconds there was a big gaping hole. Wow. Impressive. I want muscles like that. I mean, not visible muscles. That would be creepy. Maybe I could have stealth man muscles.
I won't bore you with the details about finding a bolt. Let's just say I knew it was 3/8 because I had purple marked the step drill (shhhhhh...Mike doesn't know) and it was the spot where it said 3/8. I didn't know about the length of the bolt and guessed 3/4. Nope. Too short. Then I guessed 1". Nope, too short. I eventually got something that seemed to work, but dinner was also ready and Mike was telling us to close up shop. It's really nice he has been cooking lately. Anyway, I have the pump up (don't ask how I managed to hold the bolt and the pump and actually get it all in the right spot with the bolt in the hole). I guess the plan is to try to get it somewhat level and then mark another hole, remove the pump, drill and then actually install. It's not much, but it's exciting. Only took about 1.5 hours. I'm sure that's a record. Maybe not the kind anyone but me would be proud of.
Hi, just wanted to say that i have spent the last week going over your posts. Totally amazing and fantastic work. I am in to a one year build of a #50 Gen 3 Coupe!!! Ive started my thread but i havnt posted any pics yet lolol. more time building. But fantastic thread!!
Thank you! Sounds like you should post some pictures so the rest of us can enjoy.
I think Mike is trying to sabotage me. I finally get to work on the car and then he puts a giant indy car on sawhorses dangling precariously over the front of my car (exactly where I was working). I think this is his not so subtle way of telling me I need to help Steve reinstall the fuel tank on the Buick and get the car running.
Thanks. Steve got the fuel tank back in last night (before all this rain started - not complaining about the rain). Hopefully that means he will be able to get it running and off the lift. Maybe then we can move my car back over so I can get to that other bolt. Then again, Mike might decide he wants to throw something else up on the lift. He's sneaky like that.
Mike is a sneaky husband. He had taken off my intake, but thrown a car cover over Coupey so I had no idea. He sent it off for polishing as a Christmas gift for me. It came back yesterday and is stunning. STUNNING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He's going to have to post pictures (which I already told him). Please forgive how I look in those. I had just exercised, but hadn't showered yet. Anyway, I'm not going to be the thing you are looking at anyway. I can't wait to get it all fully installed. Mike says we could be close to a first start so I should consider having a little first start party. Sounds good to me.
Been off the Coupe part of the forum for a while now but now have a friends new (to him) Gen 2 Coupe to keep my interest going.
First off, Sooo glad to hear Mikes back is coming along and he is back to [almost] pain free. Having 2 back surgeries in my life, I know EXACTLY what he is enduring.
Good to hear that you are close to a first start, if you have a weekend afternoon party, I'll try to make the drive from Vegas to be there . . . would love to a part of your 1st start party.
Doc
FFR3712K (MKII) in Lost Wages Nevada.
5.0 w/tubular GT-40 EFI, E303 cam, Custom 4 into 4 headers, T5, 3-Link 3.73 rear. Full F5 tubular suspension. Drop Butt mod, Dash forward mod, custom foot box air vents, custom turn signal system. 13" PBR brakes, Fiero E-Brake mod, Flaming River 18:1 rack w/ F5 bump steer kit on Breeze bushings. 17" Chrome Cobra "R's" w/ 275 fronts and 315 rears. MKIV seats. FORD Royal Blue w/ Arctic White stripes.
It would definitely be a weekend and I can make sure it's in the afternoon if you are willing to drive that far!!! Would love for you to be here for the first start. I think it's our turn to buy you a drink.
Man, its been forever since i have been back on here! Way too long! Anyway here some pics of mis spoiled pants Julies intake system. All polished up, ready to get dirty!
I am thinking we can get the intake manifold bolted on and we need to order a driveshaft. Then I can mount the computer and then we can have a party. Probably take a few hours of help with everyone the finish up some stuff just to get a test fire. Closer to spring when weather is good? Free food and beer!
MK4 delivery 12/17/11
Build thread: HERE
Epic First start video HERE
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Originally Posted by MRSQSL
