Trans is in (again)… NASA American Iron Javelin update
ok, overdue for an update… here’s what I’ve been up to. First, as the title suggests, I had to pull the transmission back out of the car. I have to admit I was pretty sure it would have to come out for something. When I was first test fitting everything I tried to mount the external slave cylinder. It mounts on a simple aluminum block that bolts to the bell housing. Well, it interfered with the header. So, after looking it over for a while Joe said the best bet would be to switch it to a pull style slave cylinder that mounts towards the rear of the car. I didn’t even know pull cylinders existed… Ok, great I thought, problem solved. Well, my mistake was I never checked to see if the FORK interfered with the header as well before I put the trans in. Of course it did hit. So the trans came out and the fork got shortened. Ordered a pull slave and now I just need to figure out where/how I’m going to mount it.
Don came over yesterday and I put the fork back in the car and he helped me get the trans back in. It was great to Have Don on hand. He’s a mechanical engineer and an autocross champ. We were having trouble getting the trans to seat the last half inch. Don showed me a trick where you take a lever and push on the clutch fork a bit. Worked like a charm, the trans slide home the last half inch with a satifying thunk! Next up was the trans mount. I had been trying to figure out the best way to mount it and was having a little trouble. Don looked at it for 30 seconds and came up with the right solution. Once he explained it to me and I understood it was pretty quick and easy to cut a piece of angle iron, trim the stock crossmember and start welding. I just need to add a couple of gussets and grind some of the sharp corners down and it’ll be good to go. Don also helped me test fit my hood back on the car. I was worried it wasn’t going to clear the air cleaner but everything clears fine so that was a relief. And the last big thing Don helped me with was getting the rear glass back in the car. Thanks Don!!!
Couple of other odds and ends… I got my fuel lines to the Carter pump finished. Fuel system is done. I also made an aluminum block off panel that closes up the gap between the front spoiler and the lower radiator support. I need to finish boxing in the radiator so I need to make some side panels and a top next.
Getting the trans back in and the trans mount almost done felt like a big milestone. Really think I’m almost ready to go get the exhaust done and the drive shaft made! Stay tuned…
What’s up lately on the AI car? Chumpcar Recap?? Don’t leave us hangin.
Looks like a bunch of us are signed up for Sept 17-18 at Buttonwillow with NCRC. It would be sweet if you could make it with one of the Javelins!
-Steven
I know… sorry… this is my busy season at work. I’m working on a chump car video and the AI car is getting close. I’ll get the updates together soon!
I’ll put the September date on my calendar.