Day 1 - Wiring . . . (8/10/2104)

So Day 1 is down in books . . . No parts flew and very few wrenches were turned. But a lot continuity testing, wiring, and soldering was accomplished.

Since I haven't seen or done anything on the 350is in YEARS, it made sense to start the wiring from scratch. The harness I had was a juicy mix of a 88-91 and 92-93 Foxbody 5.0L harness . . . that was hackered to death. AWESOME!!!

I sat down with my mulitmeter and wiring diagrams from the 88-91 and 92-93 Mustang and the E36 V8 Swap manual. Look at all the fun I had . . .

Let's actually read the instructions . . .

Starting with the Fuel Injection Harness

Green tape FTW!!

Tracing wires in the Main Harness. Much fun was not had . . .

Finished up the Fuel Injection Harness

Starting on the BMW X20 Connector for the Harness

Main Harness traced and taped

Soldering skills still there. Focus skill with the camera is absent

Main Harness taped and laid

Main Harness COMPLETED . . . or is it??

Remember that bit I spoke of my harness being a hackered two timer?? Yea, I sure didn't. The 92-93 harness comes with a fuel pump relay wired into the harness and 88-91 needs to have one added. Care to guess which part of the harness I have . . . . Nope, no shots of me adding the fuel pump relay and proceeding to smash my forehead again the garage door because I forgot to add it be before I wrapped it . . . 

I finished off the day by removing the seats and all of the items that I had stored inside and on top of the car. I threw a battery in and fooled around with the passenger window before I retired for the evening.

Day 2 = Engine + trans Removal and repairing a janky passenger window regulator. Stay tune!!

-=PJ

Hillclimber in 30 days? I thought they only did that on TV . . .

So this guy named Ted Theodore has been bugging me all year to do something called a Hillclimb.

They close off a section of road and proceed to send racers uphill and downhill in set intervals. Sounds dangerous . . . where do I sign up!!

Well do to this thing called life that continues to haunt me, it kept moving to the back burner and eventually off the radar. However, that guy named Ted does not give up too easily.

He sent me information on the Time Trial and Time Trial School at Talladega Grand Prix Raceway. I really wanted to attend to get licensed so I can terrorize tracks up and down the east coast.

Alas, it was not to be due to work and having no car available with the required safety items to hit the track.

But this would not deter that guy named Ted!!

Three days ago, I made an innocent post regarding a Can-AM car I would hoon to end of the earth. That damn Ted Theodore called me out . . . talked about a birdbath and put me in contact with a fabricator to get a roll bar and other safety items to run the Dragon on September 13-14.

So now . . . I have a fabricator to call and Ted Theodore calling me out. Not only that, Mrs. Zero is telling me to take one my crapcans and go . . . So which crapcan should I take?? Well the Corolla is out since that is the GRM $20xx Challenge car and I'm not putting a bar in an AutoX only car. The LS still has a tiny man with big hammer trying to get out of engine. The "LadyBug" is off-limits. Why not use the 530i??

It's a proven track crapcan with a track weekend and a HPDE weekend under its belt. But why would I take my former DD and put a bar in it? Well . . . when I retired it from DD duties, I move it back to country. I went several months later to start it and the interior looked of 6 month old bread. Thanks to a heater core that sprung a leak and the lack of ventilation (yea I forgot to crack the windows . . .), the interior has the green and white fuzzies.

So with the plan devised to get that guy named Ted off my back and scratch a racing itch I've had for the last 3 years, I started to make arrangements to get the 530i back to Strike Zero Garage. However . . . plans change . . . as always.

After speaking with the fabricator about the car and the state (stripped) he would need the car to be to complete the roll bar, I decided all the work to get the 530i ready may not be worth it. Sure it be awesome to bust the Dragon in big ole V8 powered E34, but that's a lot work to get it ready (mold abatement, strip the interior, etc). So why not use something that is already stripped . . . 350is . . . after all, it is the Track Rat!!

Armed with an old plan with a new twist, I will attempt to turn this into a hillclimber in 30 days . . . Follow along to see if we make it . . . .

-=PJ

It's been a while . . .

I haven't undated this thing in YEARS . . . That's what happens when life takes over.

I did pick up some more non-running and badly running crapcans! I also acquired a new daily driver!!

I'll get to those later.

I'm going to attempt turn a pile of parts and chassis into a hillclimb racer in 30 days!! Get your popcorn and beverages ready!! Wrenches will be turning and parts will be flying . . .

-=PJ

Some stuff . . .

I got some coils for the 7. After chasing a random misfire and finding the coil on Cyl #5 pooched, the 7 is running GREAT!! Yea, I still have to add LUBEGARD® Dr. Tranny INSTANT SHUDDER FIXX and get some suspension stuff for the ole girl.

The 530i is running pretty good with the new engine temp sensor. No check engine lights but the ECU is still having a slight issue with cold starts. It takes a second or even third turn of the key to start, but once she fires to life all is good. I took it to Augusta to pick up that piece of T-5 transmission and she drove VERY well. Mrs. Zero has been testing it out in DD mode and issued no complaints (it does have heated seats).

I found this for some inspiration on my 780 build:

Most drool worthy 780s indeed . . .

More to come soon . . .

-=PJ