To-do

• Change oil?
• Change air filter?
• Finish detailing the car
• Install new brake lines if they arrive in time

Packing List

• Randy's dial indicator
• Craftsman rivet tool for Randy
• CHECK track compressor
• CHECK tire plug kit
• CHECK Peake tool
• CHECK 2-way radios
• CHECK iPod
• CHECK camera stuff
• laptop
• cell phone
• cell phone charger
• CHECK Detailing stuff:
  • wash mitt
  • drying towels
  • other microfiber towels
  • Rain-X glass cleaner
  • glass wipes
  • Menzerna detailing spray
• Subwoofer repair stuff:
  • weatherstripping
  • silicone gasket material
  • screwdriver
  • trim removal tool
  • silicone gasket material
  • black RTV silicone
  • clear flowable silicone
  • allen wrench

  Bag-wise, I think I can put my camera bag and detailing bag in the trunk, and my clothes bag and laptop in the front. That should leave me room to carry my boot cover.

  My subwoofer has an air leak. As near as I can tell, it's not the speaker gasket this time. I think it's the lid to the base of the enclosure. I checked the neoprene washers on the mounts. I'll try to fix it at Tapoco with some flowable silicone.

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  Work Log

  • August 18, 2006
    
    • I picked up oil, oil filter change kit, air filter, coolant and an E36 M3 rear rotor backing plate at the local dealer. I ordered new protection foils for the body under the hood near the A-pillars, as well as a new underhood emissions label.

                  1  71.22.7.833.194  EMISSION LABEL FOR UNDERHOOD
                  1  51.14.8.410.661  LEFT PROTECTION FOIL
                  1  51.14.8.410.662  RIGHT PROTECTION FOIL
                  1  11.42.7.833.769  SET OIL-FILTER ELEMENT
                  1  13.72.1.730.946  AIR FILTER ELEMENT
                  7  63.12.0.029.683  CASTROL TWS MOTORSPORT SAE 10W60
                  2  81.22.9.407.454  antifreeze, 1.5 liter
              

      I waxed the underside of the hood. I polished the windshield using Griot's Glass Polish. I cleaned the windshield seal and applied Gummi-Pflege.

  • August 19, 2006
    
    • I installed the 5-LED bulbs in the front bumper cover lenses. They had to be modified to fit; the side-firing lenses don't allow it to be inserted into the lens. I installed the same LEDs in the side markers.

      I have my battery on the battery charger.

      I powdercoated my hood pin hardware in Black Chrome to hide it better on the newly painted hood.

      I programmed Tapoco and the Embassy in the GPS.

      I installed the rivets in the center of the front bumper cover.

      I scrubbed all of the bodyshop dust out of the ragtop. That was a lot of work, a lot of it was in the gap between the top and the body. I wiped down the interior.

      I polished the hood with Final Polish II.

  • August 20, 2006
    
    • I washed the whole car and polished the hood again with Final Polish II. I also applied 2 coats of FMJ to the hood, even though Gary has some work to do near the Roundel. The rest of the car got 1 coat of FMJ.

      I seriously damaged the driver's side rollhoop when removing my windscreen. Serves me right for talking on the phone while trying to remove VHB tape. I'll order a new one, and patch the current one for now. I've always intended to install an HMS bar, looks like that goes on the winter list.

      The polycarbonate in my amplifier waterblock cracked around the pipe fitting. I ordered some aluminum to replace it, which should be here Tuesday. I was going to do this back when I installed the silicone gasket on the waterblock, but didn't. Oops. My R drill bits are in the tap and die drawer in my tool cabinet.

      I made up a phony brake pad wear sensor for the front of the car. It's a stock pad wear sensor, but I cut it very short, twisted the wires together, soldered, and applied shrink tubing. Buh-bye half-ass tying of the original pad wear sensor to the strut.

  • August 21, 2006
    
    • I installed the Wet Okole seatcover on the driver's side. Sadly, this was the first time I'd had it out of the bag, and the pressure release valve for the lumbar support is missing the button. I ordered some ADC deflation valves from medplususa.com.

      I reinstalled my custom windscreen.

  • August 22, 2006
    
    • I quickly fabricated an aluminum piece to replace the broken polycarbonate on my amplifier waterblock. I powdercoated it, but it's not pretty since I didn't have time to do it right. It's installed, I'll fill and bleed the system tomorrow.

  • August 23, 2006
    
    • I managed to make it to my appointment at the dealer to have my tire moved to the new undamaged wheel. I picked up the hood protection foils and the emissions sticker while I was there. I'm still waiting on the mudflaps, they should be here Friday.

      I powdercoated 5 new lugbolts and put the new wheel on the car.

      No word on the custom brake lines; they may or may not arrive in time.

  • August 24, 2006
    
    • I powdercoated 5 more lugbolts, for the front passenger wheel. I filled and bled the audio amplifier cooling system.

  • August 25, 2006
    
    • I took Myles to the vet for his shots and some antiobiotics for his lip infection. I went to the credit union to set the PIN for my VISA check card. I got my hair cut short. I stopped at the local BMW dealer to pick up my new mudflaps. I paid the DTE bill, and transferred $1000 from my checking account to my creidt card. I installed new paint protection foils left and right for the hood, and installed a new emissions sticker on the underside of the hood.

      I installed the fake brake pad wear sensor in the front. I also finally put red loctite on the bracket-to-kingpin fasteners for that caliper. I installed the new driver's side mudflap, after putting some Sonus on it.

  • August 26, 2006
    
    • I gave the car a quick mechanical once-over. I dropped my cold tire pressures to 33 psi all around, and dropped my front bump setting to full soft. I also bought new Ray-Bans for the trip, same as the ones I lost sometime this year. I wanted Serengeti Celcio (with Polarmax Driver's Lens), but my local Sunglass Hunt doesn't have Serengeti in the store (even though Serengeti's website says otherwise). I miss my old Serengeti's, the lenses are better than Ray-Ban lenses and they're less expensive!

      I packed the car, and will head out sometime late tonight.