There are so many projects I could have been doing while the shell was with Victor. Some cost money, others just time. I had hoped to focus on the labor-intensive pieces that required time in the shell’s absence.
Working on engine bits seems like doing things out of order but it’s probably, for me, it’s the most satisfying bit to do. I’d been resisting this temptation because I determined early-on that the car should be completed in phases, creating a rolling chassis first, then filling in the missing spaces. I got seduced, breaking my vow to not do engine work, by the throttle bodies, whose beautiful, individual chimneys that help create that S14 howl. After ordering the 48mm carbon plenum I had anchored myself to having the 46mm throttles bored to 48mm and along the way, convinced myself that it was a good idea to refinish the aluminum and steel hardware on the ITBs with dry ice blasting and zinc coating. Klevis at VAC will help me out with the porting but that initially left me with a lot of complication because it would be on me to handle the refinish. After talking to Klevis a few more times I learned that he can handle the whole process, much to my relief. This means I’ll be sending Klevis a pile of parts and pieces that he’ll process with a bunch of money and time to send me back something gleaming and special.
A few weeks ago I helped Greg from RKT Motorsports who is restoring Charlie Donnelly’s Evo 2 Group A clubman down in PA. I had some rare but impossible-to-ship parts to donate to his efforts and in return he offered blasting of the throttle bodies as a favor. Every hour is precious.
Other things that need to be done, building a set of doors that function from several damaged doors, locating a body shop after losing my friend Joe’s shop to a fire two weeks ago, trying to figure out how to coordinate the shell’s eminent return with seam sealing and painting so it doesn’t rust, aligning the money to meet the schedule.