Exhaust Manifold removed

We removed the exhaust manifold this Thursday. A few pesky bolts were a bit of trouble but so far no major trouble. Some of the students continued to make mock battery boxes so that we can estimate the battery box we will need. I am thinking that I will use most of the back and place a sheet of plexiglass or similar clear material between the back and front of the interior of the car. I have a few fun ideas too about that, but that will be a few months away.

One major concern is under the dash. Lots of loose wires and I am not sure where everything was supposed to be connected to what. The car had Air conditioning so some of the wires are meant for that. I plan on just having a heater (I do not like cold at all), I can tolerate the heat during the summer. I am reading up on auto electronics and it does not appear too daunting. I may end up rewiring most of the electronics as much of what the wires were there for were to support the internal combustion engine and it's support systems. I just need to be able to run the accessories (which I am learning are on a seperate harness - I hope...). Headlights, heater, dash instruments (I will be adding a few new instrument panels anyway so will have to rewire those). I am not sure if I want to remove the AC system and then just try to keep the heating system or replace the AC system with the stock heater system (from the junkyard). I will install an electric heater core and there is no need for water to run through it so that makes it a bit easier to manage.

Next up is to remove the exhaust pipes and the drive shaft. I may leave the old fuel lines, but if they are easy to remove, I will do so. Taking stuff apart is fun and easy, but putting it back together will be the interesting challenge.

We have a new sponsor: Mission Federal Credit Union! They want to fit us up with shirts and we hope to get some mechanic type pit crew type shirts. We are working on a logo for "Los Rayos Engineering" (our team name) and the Project Z logo is coming along as well.

The crew will also be included in a newsletter from Southbay Expressway!

Next up will be (finally) getting underneath the car to work on the drive shaft and transmission to prepare for removing the engine and transmission next Saturday!