Driving 5177

Lookin’ good, Joe!

(Can’t find that article on my phone, but I’ll keep looking!)

Just keep driving!!!  It's what these cars were made for and do best!

trying to figure out how to take and edit vid.    don't know why out of focus.

cold start   https://youtu.be/mMZrxXaltxY

I discovered a driving idiosyncrasy I don't recall hearing before.

when I released the clutch, the toe of my shoe was "grabbed"

does my steering knuckle look like it is the the right place.   This is a new piece.  any comment about brake pedal.

500 miles today!   no trips just loops around neighborhood.

the plan is, make notes of what needs to be changed, then back to shop after first of the year.

i am having dexterity problems and finding first is a challange for me.   i took a cabinet hinge and made a reverse lockout.   WHAT a differance to be able to push to left and pull down.  I now don't have to hold clutch down at stop light.

THANKS to ebay's "barbaram442"  i now have a working lap and a set of 72 shoulder belts.   i used a7/16-20 x 1" bolt for anchoring shoulder belt.

those belts are a pain.   lap belt "locks" and keeps tighting and can't pull out till full retract.   the shoulder has to be hooked in lap before buckling

Question . . . I have a new radiator and pusher fans (unknow vendor).   the  sealing panels ( 53 & 54) were left off.    How important would you think they are, especially 54, preventing frontal air going around radiator.   I didn't see the tabs on the new radiator and area looks conjested where they would fit

Hey John!  Glad you got your car back.  !  Is is overheating?  The air deflectors made a difference with the stock radiator at road speeds.  I struggled with overheat problems for 10 years before we figured that the orifice under the thermostate was too big and never would stop off the bypass.   I see your brake pedal and I cut the bottom corner off mine and it cost nothing and makes a huge difference when driving!

You can make simple deflectors, I actually used foam pipe insulation and just blocked off the areas  above where air could get around my rear condensor mount. You can see the sides are simple thin   aluminum sheet I bent and fit tight,

My clutch foot toe will also get grabbed. This is when you need your smooth sided Italian loafers!    If you take my reccomendation and cut your brake pedal corner off, you will immediatly notice more footroom. I want to add this modification to the 20 best mods for under 20 bucks.

Thanks for the "experiances" lessons learned !

the driving tecnique and muscle memory going from one car to another got me.   I hopped in the TR6 to run to town for gas (and keep battery up) and almost wrecked aproaching stop sign,   all THREE pedals responded different.

as for brake pedal, the fact that it was lower than throttle.   (opposite on TR6).    I think I have a tecnique that will work good as I continue to use it,   that is keep the right heel on floor and "turn" foot from throttle to the lower brake, using between toes and ball.

sort of same thing with clutch, keep the heel on floor (inline with clutch) then raise slightly to use between toes and ball, instead of arch.  

both of those have me thinking about a "heel rest".    shaped something like wall mounted bottle opener!

I have not removed tube to even look at the AC condensor and its sealing for air flow.    (I had wanted the "L" trunk profile made like earlier car for more air exit flow, but didn't want to delay in driving)

"I" think the side shields are needed but didn't want to be more "picky" for taking care of any items noted during my driving.

With the car moving, I did have one segment where I "thought" the radiator temp was not dropping and the fans stayed on.   that was based on battery voltage stayed low at speed.    I have three points in coolant system for measuring temp.   the Holley Sniper sensor and display are at the block position, the console gauge and its sensor in the water pump inlet (radiator return) and the idiot light switch in swirl tank (can't recall its setting) and the coolant fan swith in the radiator exit upper side tank (i also don't know its setting but think I reqest about 160"

Most times at road speed sniper temp is 185 to 190 with console gauge abot 170 (just right of 160 mark).   I have very little time in stop and go traffic, temps do go up.   have not been there to see if temps level out above 200F.   (currently running 7psi cap (on pump suction).   Shutting down HOT after slow roll down drive, there has not had gurggling as coolant temp rises during heat soak.

another question. . .

When tighten shift linkage lock nuts, holding Gate in center L/R in 2 / 3 path is done, BUT how do one hold the trans shifter shaft?    ( In my long ago thinking bouts, I drew up a radial fine adjustment "clutch")

My brake pedal sits higher than the gas pedal. I would check the pedal stop screw and booster rod to see what can be adjusted.

#24 screws into #18 and is the pedal stop.

My brake pedal is also higher than the accelerator. This is why cutting the corner off the bottom right of the brake pedal helps get your foot off the gas and ON the brake.  I actually think I would prefer the gas pedal to be higher though.

the brake being lower does seem to be nice.  off throttle, turn foot and press down to contact brakes.   i'll think more about adding brake pedal to list of things to change now i know it is not the norm.

beautiful day, and with shift linkage still not right, instead of a drive I tried to take a couple pics.

question . . . can the shifter's gated plate be removed, or does it hold something together?

after last week's adjustment of the turn buckle, the as left was not really that good, but all gears could be selected.   after hour drive, i am not able to select fourth and fifth takes about as much force as i want to use.  definately feel the shifter and gear box detents are not aligned.   not sure if the "new" linkage has hysteresis/clearance issue.

thinking if i loosen / remove gate i can ignore the shifter detent and at least drive some more.

another question. . .

When tighten shift linkage turnbuckle lock nuts, holding Gate in center L/R in 2 / 3 path is done, BUT how does one hold the gearbox shifter shaft?

do the lock nuts need to be gorilla tight or just good enough

Yes, the gate  plate can be removed, as can the rubber seal. They don't hold anything in place. Bolts need to be tight. I've had mine slip.

Have you had someone watch the linkage as you go through the gears to ensure you don't have interference issues?

THANKS.....

i would recomend to some one new to adjusting linkage to drive with OUT the gate first!   that way, one feels how it should be (or the best it can be if damages have already occurred)

I have a shifter plate that have the gates machined off.  Intended for “spirited driving”.

Easy to swap back and forth between styles….

...Yes!! Remove the 'Finger' Plate. I removed my plate, sold it, and replaced it with a new plate I machined with a Clearance Opening, For unobstructed Shifting. Now! Remove parts 26 the Detent and 25 Detent spring. Put a good size 'Glob' of grease down the hole and place one or two Quarters (coins) on top of the grease. Then replace the Cap 24 and clip 23, back-on. Reuse the Rubber seal when You have a 'Cleared' Plate to go back on. Leave the Detent and Spring Out!!

The Quarters press the grease down, by Gravity. With every shift, the Sliding Rod is Automatically Lubricated! You do not need the Detent here! The Shifts will be More Accurately Defined by the 'Better' Detent, back in the ZF Transaxle....as Both of these detents have, all along, been 'Fighting' each other for a true alignment! Plus! You were insisting the 'Shifter ROD' Coordinate with-in the alignment of the FINGERS!

Good Luck with It!!

MJ

P.S. Do Not Re-Install the Spring over the Quarter(s), as it would squeeze ALL of the Grease out in a Little Time. You just need the weight of the Coin(s).