Sprocket's Competition

[j2k4]

It's a pleasure to be in the gallery during these trying times, sir.

You'll get 'er - no worries.

[clocker]

Picked up the recommended tie rod ends from NAPA this morning.
Can't tell about the pin taper but these are straight (like the stock FD ones were) and appear to be about 3/8" longer than the FCs.
With luck they'll solve all three of our issues in one fell swoop.

[Detale]

Forgive my ignorance bud, but why would you want manual steering?

[clocker]

Some people- myself included- prefer the heightened sense of connection to the road that manual steering affords.
"Feel" aside, we are dealing with a more practical issue.

Although the RX7 came stock with power steering, when the V-8 engine was installed they didn't bother with the power steering pump so we had a worst case situation.
All of the drag/resistence of a power rack without the benefit of assist.

Depowering the rack was an option but the manual FC rack has an advantageous ratio and seemed the easier way to go.
We'll see soon enough.

[Detale]

Thanks for the explanation. Myself I never liked the "feather touch" power steering of old in a '72 Monte Carlo I had for a short while (Started rebuilding it but it was too costly both time wise and monetarily. I much preferred the Assisted steering on later model cars. As far as manual goes I had a beat up Chevy Nova '70 I think and it had manual and I hated that thing especially living in NYC where if you get over 60 it's a big deal, and forget about parallel parking ( the norm here). I may be jaded though.

[clocker]

Obviously, environment is a major factor.
I can't even remember the last time I parallel parked.

This car will never be a grocery-getter anyway.

[j2k4]

This car will never be a grocery-getter anyway.

A crying shame, that is.

You could drive 'er up-and-down the aisles easily, even with the manual rack...of course, it still wouldn't fit in Sahadi's, so.

[clocker]

Whole Foods frowns on internal combustion shopping bags.

[j2k4]

Even if it's passed a sniffer test administered by complete incompetents?

A sad state of affairs, that.

Of course, the only pub I've ever been banished from found it necessary only after I'd driven a friend's Harley round inside the place, so.

[clocker]

Friends don't let friends ride Harleys.

I picked up the super-secret tie-rod ends from NAPA yesterday(oopsie, forgot I'd already posted this...perhaps I should read my own stuff sometime).
It's impossible to tell if the pin taper is correct (it's hidden under the dust boot) but it is physically about 3/8" longer and straight instead of doglegged.
I'm encouraged that they'll work, even more so after realizing that we were trying to "zero out" the toe-in with the suspension fully extended.
This should be done while the car is on the ground and the suspension loaded, just like a normal alignment.
Having just begun to grasp the effects of bump steer, I can see how this works now.
I hope.

I also found the correct fitting to connect our clutch line hose (braided stainless) to the new Wilwood clutch master cylinder.
We found yet another little timebomb when our recent brake work opened up that area and we could see what what there originally.
T'weren't pretty.
The "builders" had fabbed an adaptor fitting that was obviously pieced together at Ace Hardware- it even had gas compression fittings in it- and then soldered the bejeezus out of it.
How it managed not to rupture is a mystery.

Still awaiting the highly critical steering knuckle...the seller has provided a new tracking # but it hasn't gone live yet.
If it arrives by Friday, we're golden.

To kill some time, I'm going to be painting the valve covers.
This is merely a cosmetic project and of no real importance other than it signals how close I think we are to actually having a functional car.
And I'm bored.

While the car is in the air we're also making templates for the underbelly tray that will ultimately need to be fabbed up.
I'll be forming this from 3/16" ABS along with a beauty panel for the radiator and a cover for the intake.
About my favorite type of fabrication, I'm quite looking forward to it.

That's it for now.