Steve's Cabby - Getting Closer....

We've been doing some work on Steve's cabby again (1980 slant-nose). Paint is complete, he has it wet-sanded and roughly polished, the finish polish will wait until the rest of the assembly is done.

Steve assigned me the project of wiring the 3.2 Motronic system in (factory system on 84-89 911s). This has been quite hampered by the fact that most of the car's existing chassis wiring had been cut or melted by previous idjit owner's PROFESSIONAL car stereo installation. So that had to be fixed and this system integrated. Hours of pouring over two Bentley manuals, but I finally think I have enough done to start the engine. Part of the harness under the dash is missing, but that shouldn't effect the start.

Big exciting day! Well kinda... Removed the old wheel spacers and put on the new 3" ones - definately right - check out the wheel placement. Put the exhaust back on. Turned the key, and tried to start it. Well two steps forward, one step back... The fuel system kicked on and we cranked, confirmed ignition pulses, the engine kicked a few times and then we found a HUGE fuel leak... Seems the fuel lines that go thru the tunnel got melted when Steve welded in the new seat brackets. NUTZ!!!! Had to stop.

But hey, the wheel spacing looks great, we have fuel pump and IGNITION!!! Few new parts and it "should" start!!

angela

Steve is SO lucky that those tunnel-buried fuel lines didn't ignite when he was doing his seat track welding!!

I can just see it; a few sparks and then VooooooMMMMMMMM!!!!

Choco-chip Steve!!

Oh yes, that would definatly have been exciting... The running, the screaming... Fortunately the fuel tank, fuel accumulator and engine were removed. The lines were clean and blown out.

Steve had taken great pains to wedge the lines to one side for the welding (as best as possible in the tunnel). What he didn't realize is that whereas the ENDS of the line are metal, the middle is actually hard plastic...

Oh well. He knows now - and 27 year old fuel lines should be replaced anyway.

It was just disappointment that I couldn't get the car to start...

angela

1985 just phoned, they want those flares back. Sonny Crocket was lookin' for them.

"welding", "fuel lines" and "ignition" are not words you want to use in the same sentence. And I know that other feeling all to well, when you are sure you have gotten all 987 things figured out just right after much effort and delay, and so you put the juice to it, and - - - you get nothing. Because there were at least 988 things that were needed.

EXACTLY!!! I actually do think I have it, but the next test I need to do involves a pressurized fuel line... hhmmmm... gonna wait a few days for that one!

I'm considering taking a few days off work to finish the rest of the wiring. It's much easier to work on it when no one is around. I have a great deal of difficulty remembering where I'm at in a wiring diagram in relation to a mass of wires under the dash when I get interrupted. I could also clean up and install the tail-lamp housings, test those lights etc. Be somewhat productive!

angela

Sonny Crocket!
BWAAAAA-HAAAAA-HAAAAA!

You know what? I'm pretty forgiving of behavior on the internet. I figure most people think faster than they type and maybe don't always mean what they wrote down. Or maybe they meant it at the time, but not five minutes later - too late it's already written. I just let alot of stuff slide off and try to make sure I'm not the one being mean to someone else.

But over he last few weeks TC, you've gone out of your way to be insulting. You have told me my Dad's car is the ugliest thing you've ever seen. You know, some people have ugly dogs and love them to death - my Dad loves this car - let it go ugly or not. You've stated that my neighborhood is tacky - sorry it's not to your standards - don't recall inviting you over. We built this home ourselves, definately a snotty comment. But now you've insulted my husband. Last straw. Tell you what TC, when you can weld on steel 930 turbo flares 1/2 as good as my husband, feel free to step up and show all of us your handiwork.

In the meantime - don't talk to me and I won't talk to you.

angela

angela,

That's it: take no prisoners. Your line is pretty clear. Hope tc is just bein' stupid, vs. mean. Meanwhile, we wanna hear how that great big bad boy got fired up. Don't keep us waiting for long.

It looks good to me, I slantnoses and flares are like peanutbutter and chocolate.

I don't think TC was calling your 'hood tacky; "made of ticky-tacky" is a verse from an old song used in a current show: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Boxes
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weeds_(TV_series)

Ouch, that wasn't even pointed at me and I flinched.

Hi Angela,

I love the look of the flares, in fact I would probably take an early 930 over most other
porsches (in running with a nice 1970's RS). I also have an old 1973 kawasaki two stroke
that I love. The style of both of these are dated but I wouldn't trade either look for the plastic,
unistyle of today--nothing outstanding, all the same. They go faster, drive better, 100% reliabile but who cares. They have no lasting impression. I'm not speaking for others (maybe a little, I have a big mouth) but being a mechanic I know how difficult it is to;

1. paint cars at your level of finish
2. splice/rewire harnesses from car to car
3. have the vision/creativity that you and Steve have shown with your projects

I am sure you have the respect of all and everything else is a shot at humor.
I work with 99% men- my wife can't believe what we say to each other. "You fat bastard",
"boy are you ugly",----" yeah right, that hottie wants your 40" waist ,balding, shriveled body.-----------All in fun

Cabby--Can't wait to see it up and running.

"In the meantime - don't talk to me and I won't talk to you."

I apologize, Angela. OBVIOUSLY it was all in jest, I thought that you'd know that. I haven't had a call from Sonny Crocket in YEARS.

I'm honestly VERY sorry if I made you mad or even hurt you in any way. I'm gonna make it easy here, and drop out of the forum. Continuing would be kind of uncomfortable and sort of unnecessary.

If I come for the fun and friends and end up with neither . . . well . . . good bye all. And it HAS be fun, really, but not if it ended up makin' Angela angry and probably others as well.

Luck, I may still see you all at Carlisle, not sure. Otherwise . . . I'm outta here.


TC

THAT sucks.

C'mon, TC, don't go to extremes.

By no means am I saying Angela doesn't have the right to say what she said, if I was her I probably would have said the same, but come on man!!! If pissing one person in a group off (however unintended it was) is means for leaving a forum of people you call friends, a place where you obviously have a TON to offer people with respect to advice and general conversation, then why is Vince still here..see, there I go again...lol..just kidding Vince.

Seriously, I would have to get divorced and quit my job and move to another neighborhood if I didn't want to run into people I had pissed off at one time, or many times. The great thing is you apologized, but of course Angela has the right to not accept. Do yourself a favour and mull it over. I think you might be over reacting based on emotion and spur of the moment gut feel, and as one of the newer members of this forum, I would not like to see you leave.

James

TC got soft, two apologies in the same month... let'em go. Teamevil used to stand for something.

now that's funny!

He'll be back. The SOC is like a wreck on the freeway: you know you should just go on your way..... but somehow, you just have to look.

*********Happy B-Day STEVEN!!!!**************

Today is my handsome husband's birthday and he celebrated it by DRIVING the cabby! As you guys can clearly see, bumpers, spoilers and lights are clearly not required equipment for a "Laneco First Drive". Tags and insurance, yes, but the other stuff....well, what can I say. I followed him in the Jeep.

The cabby is pretty quick! Steve's drive today was a just reward for alot of hard work.

angela

Very cool, Angela!
And it looks like Steve fits in the slopenose better than in the Spyder.;)

Yes, the cabby fits him perfectly. Even better, he put 993 seats into it and built custom mounts. Placed them for his own personal fitment. Now I can barely see out of the car, but it fits him like a glove. He has explained to me that I NEVER GET TO DRIVE THE CABBY IT IS HIS CAR ALL HIS!!!

Dang... Hey Terry, Steve wanted me to ask you what color your car is. He ran across a couple of pictures that I had shot of it and fell in love with the color.

angela

Happy birthday to you!
Happy birthday to you!
Happy birthday dear Steve!
Happy birthday to you!

(Okay, so it's a day late, but it looks like he already GOT his wish!)

Hell, Angela! It's the same color as your hair!
Infinity Liquid Copper.

Angela,
Saw your pix on Pelican too and Happy Birthday Steve.
What type and size wheels are you running?~R

18x8 and 18x10. Can't remember the tire size - freaking humongous rings a bell but that isn't very specific. I "think" they are 245-40 on the front and 275-35 on the rear... I'd have to go look and the car is out at the shop not the house. I suspect they are also going to be painfully expensive to replace when the time comes, kaching.

Terry - thanks for the color info!

angela

Close enough. Thanks Angela. They look sweet under those wide fenders.~R

Angela & Steve, congrats on the new Cab project hitting the streets. Looking forward to seeing it at some N.W. event in '08, maybe POCampout?

Holy foot-prints, Batman!! Talk about putting some rubber on the road. And I am thinking Steve is going be needing every square inch, as I am sure "pretty quick" is sort of euphemism for awfully GD fast. Congratulations for reaching this milestone (car and B-day too.) It is beautiful even if it is still missing some clothing. Will be ready to drool over some more pix of all the pretty details, so pls keep the shutter working.

Congratulations to both of you! A dream car is a pretty cool thing to own-- two of them is icing on the cake. Keep us updated (I look forward to your next installment of the "dad's car saga" as well).

Thanks all - Steve has worked really hard on this car. When we bought it, it had been driven ahhhh...."briskly"....into a palm tree. Dead center between the headlamps! It was also yellow, not a cool yellow, kind of a school bus yellow, and had no drivetrain. There was also some horrendous existing wiring problems, large sections of the factory looms were melted where some hoser had improperly installed the stereo and alarm...

We bought the 3.2 engine and accompanying transaxle from a fellow in Santa Barbara. The fellow was a mechanic who had all service records on the car from day one. His customer had died and he bought the car from her estate, pulled the mechanicals and intended on putting them into an early 911. Changed his mind and sold us the drivetrain. We finished the conversion using all the factory fuel injection all properly integrated into this older chassis (the engine is an 85) and fixed the existing electricals with factory 2nd hand parts.

Still plenty of work to go. Obviously the bumpers and spoilers, but also the front oil cooler, fresh brakes, etc. Steve is on the home stretch.

Looks like we're bring TWO cars to Paso next year and Colorado!
angela

Angela,

You have (2) options, One is to leave the bumpers off, install knobby tires and use it as an off road vehicle.

The other option is to send me the engine.

So which one are you driving to Carlisle? ;-)

A slant nose is my favorite. I would love to work up a Stroesk kit on a early 80's 911. Nice job.

One side note: On the picture it seems that you are trying to abide to the strict letter of the law by hanging a license plate (Maine) on the car, without brake lights and turn signals? Or are those bubble gum bulbs the temp ones?

Yeah, Angela,what Lane said: What's ya gonna drive out to Carlisle?

Ahhh...the Maine plates... I bought this car from Florida off Ebay. The car arrived in good stead, exactly as advertised, with a New Jersey Title. The fellow that owned the car had moved to FL from NJ. Had Broadfoot Racing put in a hot-rod engine. The guy racked it up on a test drive. Evidently scared the shit out of himself. The car was towed back to the shop where it was discovered the fellow had no insurance on the car. He had also not paid for the engine. So Broadfoot placed a lien on the car and sold the drivetrain, then the car to satisfy the lien. They never transferred the car into their name, just had the previous owner sign off.

So, Florida car with a NJ title. I lost the freaking title... Could not get ahold of Broadfoot, didn't know the name of the previous owner (a Korean gentleman), state of NJ told me to jump in the lake. So I contracted the services of a title agent, signed many fine documents, affidavits, provided proof of ownership etc., and two weeks later I get a title and a set of MAINE plates!

The car is titled and insured. Slapped the plates on for a drive and followed Steve as there were zero lights. Funny thing happened. He pulled into a stop sign directly behind a car full of STUDENT DRIVERS. The instructor is pointing out the car and shaking his finger obviously explaining everything we were doing wrong...

Steve, well, being Steve, waved goodby and FLOORED it.

angela

Angela - Now that there is what you call a real red-neck 911 - COOL!!!

Yep - just get us one of those horns that play tunes like "dixie" or maybe the tune from Deliverance (dueling banjos) - now THAT would be funny!

Good to hear from you El Guapo!
angela

Thanks, Angela! We look forward to seeing the 'Dukes of Medford' in Colorado '08!! Maybe I can beg a ride in either the Cabby or Spyder when we get there?

Peace - Out!