Saturday, April 10, 2010

At Long Last, Ready for the Body Shop

Sorry for the long time between posts, but not much has happened physically on the car.  Our winter was very rainy so I didn't get a lot of good weather to do work on the car.  I did spend a lot of hours on improving the code for the Android battery pack monitoring app though.  It's pretty much ready to go, waiting for real batteries to watch.

When the weather broke a couple of weekends ago, I dove back in and removed the flywheel from the engine.  I installed the flywheel lock and it came off very easily.

 
Then I got the rest of the car stripped.  The only stuff I can't remove is:

- wiring harness - don't want to pull it if I don't have to as it snakes all over the car
- brake fluid reservoir and brake lines - again, don't want to
- drive shafts - the axle nut is frozen on both shafts.  I've tried WD-40, Liquid Wrench, a heat gun and a 2' breaker bar on the socket.  I hope the body shop can get these off because I'd like to clean them up.

I've found a highly recommended body shop right here in town - Rainbow Marine/Auto Body & Painting.  No web site, but phone is (805)239-3791.  They're going to media blast, repair the rust spots, prime, undercoat, paint and clear coat it.  My buddy Gary at G-Rides does a lot of work on a Porsche Turbo that is painted "Meteor Grey Metallic".  It still keeps the silver theme on my car, but a darker, more metallic shade.  I think it will look really good.

Here are a few pictures to show the state of the car before it goes off to the shop.  I promise I'll peel off the carpet first!



Well that's it.  More details as the shop gets to work.