I hope everyone had a good week. I went to Florida to see the Space Shuttle launch and to attend a mini-reunion. It was a terrific visit. Its amazing seeing everyone, the 25 year gap in seeing each other seemed to fade away. The trip came to end too quickly. We left 80 degree sunny days and arrived in NH with 30 degrees and snow. I had to shovel to get my car out of the airport parking lot and then had to snow blow the dirveway when we got home. Ah, the joys of New England winters. Looking forward to spring.

I will be dropping the engine on my cabrio on Saturday. I need to repair its burned wiring harness. I have a used replacement, ready for it. I think it will be a lot easier to do with the engine out of the car. While I have the engine out, I am considering rebuilding the motor. Its got 230K miles and has a few drips. I'm sure it could use some freshening.

What do you have planned?

 

My car in the the hospital this past week...some much needed repairs after my last track session!

Believe me it's no fun spinning backwards, looking over your shoulder to see where your car is going! At least I was on a race track! What a ride, and I would have gotten off Scott-free if it wasn't for those pesky braking markers on the side of the track...^#(^@&$$@#!! Slapping one on your fender flare at speed has to do some damage right?

Luckily I found a great local shop to do the work. They been in business for years and I spoke directly to the owner about everything. They do the usual work, looked like a rental lot out front with all the bland cars parked around. Everyone took a break and came out when I showed up. You could see the owner's energy and enthusiasm build at he looked by car over. He actually got excited about working on the car! I started to feel very comfortable with him and mentioned I'd deliver the car with the side sils removed and that I'd take the sunroof out if he could offer a good combo price. More bents and scratches gone...BONUS!

Got the car yesterday, installed the sils and sunroof last night, washed the car this morning and delivered it back to him for some more detail work. AND to install the driver's side mirror/base...I laughed when I saw that it wasn't installed yesterday...I knew what happened. They unscrewed the bolt too far and lost the hook down in the door! They are fixing that right now...

So with all the hard work done, I'm ready to enjoy the weekend and attend our local car & coffee event with my son, then off to his first soccer game of the year.

 

I have already had good weekend. Yesterday, smoke a new Mustang on a back country lane who kept charing my rear bumper. Dropped down to third and walked away. Mustang's mistake was trying to keep up heading into some decreasing radius twisties. He wound up in cloud of shoulder dust.

 

I'll be taking off the front control arms and replacing the bushings with the polymer bushings of one of our illustrious members.

Then if/when that's done, new rotors, and pads for the track day at Laguna Seca in a week and a half.

 

Jetta - Glad your spin didn't do any major damage. The repairs look great. You can't even tell that damage was done.

 

I am just glad to be home. I drove the 964 to work today just to hear it. I've been in Toronto all week where it was way to cold for this NW slacker.

 

I'm simply continuing construction here in Bugtussle with the renovation from hell - and wishing my little car was here, not in Oregon!

 

Relatives are here from South Carolina, so I'll take them on some blasts through horse country, and no wrenching whatsoever.

Glad you and the car are OK, Jetta.



Don't do it! You'll have to change your signature and won't be the legend with 230K on the original engine. The oil endorsements will disappear, just sayin'

 

Jetta -

Didn't know your spins did that!!! You could have just said I did it when I drove your car The shop did an amazing job - can't even tell!

Yesterday I was able to get the oil changed - the drama is noted on another post.

Today, I was able to get my new Hawk Blue 9012's bedded so that I quit destroying my street pads at the track. Went through half of the fronts (Hawk HPS's) on my last track day. Man can those Hawk blues slow that car down!!!! I had to put my 5 point on so that I would slide out from under the stock belt They are just for track use (the deal I made with the wife so that I could get them) and the HPS's will go back in next week after a track day at VIR on the 12th.

Other than that - just plan to give the C4 a good wash and probably a spirited drive with the wife out in the country.

 

Engine is on the garage floor. I was off today, so after a Remicade treatment (Crohn's Disease), I took off the exhaust, engine tin, pulleys, and cam covers, and de-greased the engine.

Tomorrow, off come the valve covers for a valve adjustment, replace some O-rings and gaskets, and change the wires, rotors and caps. (At least, that's what I hope to accomplish!)

 

eh... trying to figure out where to store a 12 foot roll of photo vinyl in the ceiling so it's out of the way but accessible when I need it. Cleaning up some cars, and possibly trying out the new vinyl too

 

Installing a Steve Wong chip and a g-pipe.

 

Well, I got the front calipers, rotors, and control arms off. And I got the old bushings out of one of the control arms. Also painted the hats, and edges of 4 new rotors. I'd estimate the time so far at about 8 hours or so. Still need to get the other control arm bushings out, and put the front end back together. Then off to the back to replace the rotors, and new race pads.

Much longer than I had anticipated, so the family will have to put up with me working late nights this week to finish the project.

 

Bad luck but a nice repair Jetta...

I had a good weekend!

Now that snow has gone and the roads are clear of salt I thought the P-car should see the light of day on Saturday.

Curious to see what three months of inactivity might show up I slipped the key into the ignition and... click......Nothing.

Not even a click actually.....B*gger....

Whipped the battery out and popped down to the local parts place and had them test it - dead as the proverbial...

Cash changes hands and I have a nice new battery and half an hour later I turn the key and voila!

Instant start first time and no faltering idle, rock steady at 800rpm...luvverly...

OK time for road test, armed with AAA card, cell phone and half expecting some glitch to show up I tentatively cruise round for twenty minutes and warm it up, oil pressure fine, brakes OK, clutch good...... Blimey... its all works!

40 miles and an offer from some bloke in Cayman wanting to buy it (very flattering but "No") and I'm bitten by the 964 bug again.

When the temperature first dropped below 40f back in November I was disappointed to see my first oil leak so Sunday I looked underneath and the drip tray was completely dry. Result!

 

No spare DME relay? Just in case