Busy weekend

[Tom Mandera <tsm1@domain.elided>]

and slow digest it seems. ;-)

On tap for this weekend...

Saturday, barring rain (drat it), I'm pulling the 304 from my friend's
race truck.  I also need to finish cutting and fitting rollcage tubing,
and finish-weld what's already in it, and get it "ready"

Assuming I get those two tasks done, I'll then weld the trans x-member
bracket into the racer (old one was trashed), and then use my "tow-bar
bumper" with the hitchhead (vs. tow bar) to tow the racer, sans front
axle, to the carwash for the cleaning out it needs.

Get all of that done.. and put the 'cage in so I can call that part
"done"

Sunday I relax.

Monday I pull the rear axle out of my '77, clean up the driver's side
perch area, fill the hole that's in the tube (from when the weld broke),
grind, fill, grind.

Then hole-saw some 2x2 tubing and weld the driver's perch back in -
on-top.  Then remove passenger perch, install new one on top.  Also
going to do the same approach (2x2 box tube, with a hole-saw through it
to fit around the tube, then "box" the ends) to put studs on the axle
housing for the shocks.

Then clean up the springs that are going in, move center pin, and
install.  Hope that the stock driveshaft will hold together for work on
Tuesday, or just ride the motorcycle I guess.

If that all goes according to plan, I'll see about putting the finishing
touches on the 727 (valve body and extension housing left) and my
steering knuckle.  

Never know, I might actually put the 727 to the 304 and get ready to
install... but probably NOT. ;-)

Tuesday night after our 4x4 meeting we put the gears in the front axle
(hopefully).  I also take the twisted driveshaft to have it re-tubed
(and lengthened) and install Tues night (hopefully).

Assuming the front is all set by Thursday... that means I have Thurs
night, plus the coming weekend (7th-ish) and the week after to finish
the race truck.

Install motor/trans/xfer, driveshafts, wires, drain fuel tank and
refill, install seat n' harness, adjust shifter linkage, build battery
box for the bed, finish front bumper w/ front clip mounts, install
taillights n' headlights and related harnesses.

And then hope the whole thing works when I tow it to Bozeman on the
12th. :-)

Oops, forgot we were going to truss the axle, too.. MAYBE.. Bozeman is
only drag racing.. ;-)

That'll still leave a lot of loose ends to tie up.. bump stops, longer
shocks, perhaps limiting straps, clean up the remains of the dash (might
just zip-tie the gauges n' such in place for Bozeman.. <g>)

Can I get this done?  I sure hope so...

-Tom
http://www.tmcom.com/~tsm1/scout