and MAN am I tired!

Last night couldn't, realistically have gone better. The Sled is now MOBILE and shows it's got the potential to be a contenda'!

Things I've found:
1. If you assemble and dissassemble something enough times, you start to RECOGNIZE problems you've seen before.
2. The plugwires were off by one - easy fix.
3. I almost set the timing to the wrong mark again. easy fix.
4. Foil covered insulation is _conductive_. If the hot wire on the starter touches it because you got a little happy with giftwrapping the starter, there's a big blue spark at the battery when you attach the ground.
5. Don't put stuff together while awaiting other parts, you'll only have to take it apart when the items arrive (TV cable, couldn't be installed with exhaust in place.
6. Working with exhaust SUCKS. Engines, computers, transmissions have tolerances in the THOUSANTHS, if the exhaust doesn't line up, meh, hit it with a hammer.
7. Murphy's law applies Especially well to cars. The bronze nut that holds the power cables to the starter fell between the header pipes and wedged itself at teh base of the collector. It'll be there forever. Got another nut.
8. vacuum leaks cause instability. If there's vacuum leak in an emissions system that's only there to LOOK pretty, plugging that leak makes the car run MUCH Better.
9. Chasing threads on a superram only helps if you get the gasket sealer off the mating surfaces...otherwise the bolts pick up JUST enough of the rubbery material to be a PITA.
10. Not having any leftover parts is gooood.
11. High stall torque converter will take a little getting used to. At low speeds, it takes more throttle, but as soon as it hits 2800 rpm, HOLD ON!
Tranny will take further adjustment. Shifts are firm, if a little uncoordinated, and don't occur at the right times.
12. The only REAL casualty was the vehicle speed sensor. No speedometer on a balanced engine with no cars around you means - I have no real CLUE how fast the car is.
13. There's nothing like coming back from a drive with a hot motor, lifting the hood and seeing NO smoke and smelling no funky odors.
14. Somebody called the cops. In a six mile stretch of road last night at 11:30pm, there were 5.
15. after 24 months, you forget what's in the CD changer. a 383 with no mufflers makes it really hard to hear what's playing on the radio.
16. powerbrake launches now are HELLA COOL!
17. After 2.5 years, 18 months of which the car's been off the road, it's GREAT to have it back!

I'm sure I'll think of some other stuff, but right now, with 4 hours of sleep, I've gotta get me some Joe and Drive the RocketSled to work!

 

I can feel your pain....and now your pleasure. That's a long wait to have a car back. I'm waiting for an oil pan that should be here today and then I can put mine back togther.....it's going to be a busy weekend :yesnod:

 

Damn 2.5 years, 18 months...................WOW Congrats!!! :eek: :cheers:

 

I hear ya. It's still a long time from done. Setting the shiftpoints will require dropping the exhaust to get to the Governor, and I've got almost $100 worth of Redline tranny fluid to put in once the tranny's adjusted, and I get the cast sluminum pan for it. (I have the TCI hi capacity really cool oilpan, but it'd be the lowerst point in the car by a good 1.5 inches. :eek:

 

:cheers: Sounds like you're going to be a very happy camper soon. :cheers:

 

:party:

 

AHEM!! COUGH-COUGH!!! ;) :leaving: So, how's that little 383 of yours run, Mike?? Big difference when the tranny's not slipping I bet...
-Jeb

 

Jeb, your work is, thus far, beyond reproach. I think the old stock cat is holding it back tho. (Hey, I needed SOME kinda muffling.)

That torque converter makes it a MONSTER! :reddevil

 

:hurray: