Spring has sprung...

Topic: Spring has sprung... (Read 2145 times) previous topic - next topic

Spring has sprung...

March 28, 2009, 05:23:13 PM

...well, it has for a minute, anyway. Temp got into the mid 50's today, a far cry from the foot of snow we got Monday/Tuesday. And it was even sunny out! Needless to say I released some pent-up energy today. I replaced the rad and battery in the Nissan (battery was frozen when I bought it, charged up OK but had been gradually losing capacity and wouldn't start the car yesterday, so I "borrowed" the one out of the T-Bird until I could get a new one today). I noticed a cracked and leaking rad tank while swapping in the T-Bird battery, so that had to go too. After replacing the rad and battery I installed an external tranny cooler (even bent up steel lines, using the old cooler lines from the T-Bird). After all of this I removed the daytime running light module and brought it in the house to fix it (had a bad solder connection on one of the relays). Then I made and installed a trailer hitch for it. No pics of any of this, because I know you guys don't care about Nissans.

It wasn't all about the Nissan, though. I actually did some work to the T-Bird today, too: after nearly two years of having no lenses on the tail lights (they fell off) I finally cleaned up the housings and lenses and stuck 'em back together. A tiny step toward having this thing on the road this spring! Oh, and I took the battery back out of the Nissan and reinstalled it into the T-Bird, and while I was about it treated the 'Bird to some new battery cable ends as a way of apologising for taking its battery away for a puppies car, even if it was for just one day. No pics of this either, yet - camera batteries were dead.

It actually feels good having got something done after months of being holed up in the house...

Spring has sprung...

Reply #1 – March 28, 2009, 05:28:51 PM

Sweet!...I'm still waiting. It's a balmy 20F with windchill in the low teens/upper single digits. My floor is still covered in ice. So I'm sitting here cleaning up my computer of all it's files. Never realized how many pages one can accumulate just on 5 lug swaps, disc brake conversions, and axles.

Spring has sprung...

Reply #2 – March 28, 2009, 06:04:30 PM

It's been above 60 all day...can't believe it. Trying to get schoolwork done...epic fail..wanna cruise around with the windows down...cant wait til the cat's back from bodywork...*kiiinda* hard to feel all badass in the....vic. :hick:

Spring has sprung...

Reply #3 – March 28, 2009, 06:44:58 PM

What'd you use to glue the lenses back in place? mine are coming off as well.

Spring has sprung...

Reply #4 – March 28, 2009, 08:17:42 PM

Quote

.....and battery in the Nissan (battery was frozen when I bought it, charged up OK but had been gradually losing capacity and wouldn't start the car yesterday...

No pics of this either, yet - camera batteries were dead.

Fkin batteries. Went to move the Ventura earlier so I could work on it and all I got was a click, dead battery:beatyoass:

I managed to get my Ranger drivable again today with the NA2.3 motor. Still got to get some more stuff for the 2.3T.

Spring has sprung...

Reply #5 – March 28, 2009, 08:45:14 PM

Quote from: Grumbles;264509

What'd you use to glue the lenses back in place? mine are coming off as well.

I used black caulking to seal 'em, and the original clips to actually hold the lenses on. I just bent the little tab on each clip back out so it would bite the plastic.

Tomorrow is looking to be nice too, so I'm gonna try to get some more work done. I want to get this thing drivable in time for the salt to be off the roads...

Spring has sprung...

Reply #6 – March 28, 2009, 11:39:10 PM

i'd say it's been in the 60's... it usually is when it rains. its been raining cats dogs and pianos the past 2-3 days.

Spring has sprung...

Reply #7 – March 29, 2009, 03:07:26 AM

Its snowing.... FML.

Way to kick off spring break.

Spring has sprung...

Reply #8 – March 29, 2009, 03:40:00 AM

We got us some sleet and freezing rain up here...I went outside to feed my outside dogs and the wild cats I have lurking, and was amazed at how sharp and bitter the wind was...i guess the last week or so of 50-60 degree temps had me believin' that winter was over for a few months...

C'mon already...the only cold wet white stuff i wanna see now had better be on an ice cream cone or in a bowl mixed with cake! :hick:

Spring has sprung...

Reply #9 – March 29, 2009, 02:30:14 PM

Was in the mid 60's today (as I type, it's 67F according to my electronic weather station thingy). I celebrated by painting the T-Bird's rearview mirrors and installing them, which allowed me to reinstall the inner door panels that have been off for over two years. Now I've just got to paint and install the roof strips and I can fully reinstall the interior. After that it's paint and install the hood scoops and side trim, and the car will be ready for the road!!! I can't wait to see the looks on the faces of the guys at the shop when I get it safety inspected - the current sticker expired three and a half years ago, and the last time they saw the car it was 100% stock with faded/stained paint. Looks like a whole different car now...

...unfortunately that shiznitty low 30's weather with sleet, snow, etc, that some of you guys are complaining about is supposed to start tomorrow and stay with us for a few days (we're actually supposed to get several inches of rain, which should help melt the remaining snow). Spring is truly the cruelest of seasons. Oh well, at least the two nicest days we've had since October happened on a weekend, and I was able to show the cars some love :D

Spring has sprung...

Reply #10 – March 29, 2009, 02:36:07 PM

Quote from: Thunder Chicken;264642

Was in the mid 60's today (as I type, it's 67F according to my electronic weather station thingy). I celebrated by painting the T-Bird's rearview mirrors and installing them, which allowed me to reinstall the inner door panels that have been off for over two years. Now I've just got to paint and install the roof strips and I can fully reinstall the interior. After that it's paint and install the hood scoops and side trim, and the car will be ready for the road!!! I can't wait to see the looks on the faces of the guys at the shop when I get it safety inspected - the current sticker expired three and a half years ago, and the last time they saw the car it was 100% stock with faded/stained paint. Looks like a whole different car now...

...unfortunately that shiznitty low 30's weather with sleet, snow, etc, that some of you guys are complaining about is supposed to start tomorrow and stay with us for a few days (we're actually supposed to get several inches of rain, which should help melt the remaining snow). Spring is truly the cruelest of seasons. Oh well, at least the two nicest days we've had since October happened on a weekend, and I was able to show the cars some love :D

It rained all day. I mean ALL DAY yesterday. A lot of heavy stuff. it had its times it would slow down but never stopped. I know we got atleast an inch in most places. Then there was a little sleet, then heavy wet snow. The big nasty flake kind. Sucks. I am trying to get all my front end work done this week but trying to work around my work schedule and the weather I dont know what is going to happen.

Spring has sprung...

Reply #11 – March 29, 2009, 04:27:49 PM

iits supposed so snow is some parts of oklahoma today. I fell asleep watching the weather channel last night. Our high was 51 so far today, and that was at 12:01 am. I was sitting outside smoking in a t shirt.

Spring has sprung...

Reply #12 – March 29, 2009, 08:10:47 PM

It snowed here last night, covered the ground and then melted this morning.

Spring has sprung...

Reply #13 – March 30, 2009, 06:49:10 AM

Oh yeah! Yesterday was amazing. We got the whole family out there. It got up to 15 degrees here. Ange was raking up the gravel drive behind the house (we're going to let the lawn grow back in there) and I was working on getting the lawn tractor going again. Which was a success. Coira was playing with her new bubble set, and Seamus was having his first real outdoor experience that didn't include a snow suit (he was too young last year for it to make any impression, and he was barely crawling by the time summer was over).

And I started up the T-bird as well. That may not be a big deal, but it's the first time in a long time that the car started without having to be charged or boosted in a really long time. It was a pretty good feeling, and is getting me pretty ramped up to have it on the road soon.

Speaking of DTRL's, did you hear about the new law coming into effect in Nova Scotia? All vehicles must now have their headlights on at all times, day or night. That means if your car was built before 1990, you have to turn your lights on (that's us and our T-birds), or we can get fined. I wonder how many dead batteries it will take before it causes an uproar.

And that's what happened to me with my lights. The driver's side cover came off in a carwash, and the guy behind me drove over it before deciding to get out and bring it inside to the gas station. It was my last drive before putting it away that fall, and Ange and I drove all over Edmonton with bare rear lights staring everyone down. I had no idea until I was on the far side of the city. It was a pretty sketchy drive home.

Spring has sprung...

Reply #14 – March 30, 2009, 07:22:46 AM

Spring had sprung here also, but now that season has ended and its winter again. 2 Inches of the white overnight and I guess more today. yuk