Pandora Lives!
She runs!
Well, she did a couple of weeks ago. I really wanted to hear my engine run before I’d had it a full year. Originally I figured I’d get the exhaust put in and just run it for a few seconds so I could ignore the cooling system. Since the path that makes sense seems to change daily, I flipped that decided cooling was more important that noise control.
The radiator wasn’t in great shape when I first got Pandora. One of the first things I did was get my local radiator shop to use my tanks but replace the core with a big 4 row core from a Cadillac. With a metal fan with clutch and a much mended fan shroud, she never had overheating issues. So of course I convinced myself that I needed a new aluminum radiator and electric fans. I got a kit from Summit that included a radiator, shroud and dual fan setup. It required a little modification, but ultimately fit pretty well. The fans were intended to be enabled via the ignition switch, but instead I mounted a 3 position switch on the radiator support. Up turns the fans on, center off, and down runs off the temperature switch. Ideally, switched to the temperature switch, it would allow the fans to run and help cool things when the car is off. We’ll see how that works out. Of course, once it was all wired in, I noticed the vacuum reservoir for the headlight doors won’t fit without smashing into the fan relay. I make it hard with my reluctance to drill new holes in the car. For this I may have to.
I also found the stock upper radiator hose ran into the alternator belt. It took a few trips to the store and an online order before I cobbled together a system that I think will work. I’m not super proud of it, but it will do for now.
With heater hoses and coolant, I filled my fuel jug with 91 octane and was ready to see if she’d run. Around this time is when Sandra would start screaming when she was cold. When I realized it was her throwout bearing and not the turbo, it kind of derailed my plans. Happily, while fighting bolts that were over tight with extensions and swivel sockets because there is no spare room on that car, The Orion and another friend stopped by. I decided to take a break and see if Pandora would start. And she did! With open headers as the exhaust system, she sounded great! And I got to repeat the process the next day when The Orion brought his kids over. I’m assuming that was partly to inspire his youngest to get his 240z project moving again. But other than that, the next two weeks were fighting a clutch replacement in a Miata.
That particular project was completed Friday, so I got to spend the weekend with back with Pandora. I didn’t get as much done as planned, but I did get the exhaust system cut and fitted in. Then I removed it all. The next step is to remove the rear axle so I can replace the springs and gears. And upgrade the open differential with a posi. The exhaust gets in the way of the rear spring bolts, so I’ll finalize that installation once the rest is done. Still, it was kind of neat to have it all laid out.
All in all, a bunch of success over the past couple of weeks! That feels good. I’ve not ever touched exhaust before, so I’m dreading whatever little detail I’ve missed with that. But I’ve never messed with rear end gears either. People do it, so it can be done. What could possibly go wrong?