New Track Rod/Center Link

Yesterday, in need of distraction, I drove to Midnight Motorsport where Patrick was kind enough to replace the track rod on the car. I had noticed for some time that the steering creaked when turning the wheel to the left and a quick examination under the car revealed that the driver side joint in the track rod had lost its rubber seal, allowing water to get into the joint.

The old rod didn't take too much persuasion to break off the ties rods. The castellated nuts came off easily, and then a few well-placed taps of a hammer completed the task. The old rod was found to have lost all its rubber.

The grease on the driver's side joint was our attempt to mitigate further damage last year while I waited for the right time to replace the piece. The new track rod looks great and the difference in steering is quite astonishing, the feel is so tight.

Now the wheels must be aligned, after taking the steering apart. A small price to pay for such vast improvement.

Lessening Cabin Noise

While trying to lessen cabin noise I put carpet pads under the back seat, which helped, and also installed the shift tower insulation after discovering this:

Similar to a hole in the floor, you can actually see the road when you remove the shifter boot. The OE item was inexpensive but not quite a precise fit.

I'm not sure the cabin is quieter because of the insulation but I will have to drive the car further to really test the theory.

The Defroster Vent Rides Again

This morning, on a day that dawned dreary, cold, and damp, I gave a couple of people a ride for fun. The passenger side winshield fogged as uaual, since the defroster vent has never worked. I thought, well, why not see what the problem is and fix the issue. It took a minute to realize that the hose from the heater box to the vent was missing. And I happened to have a couple of hoses, sent to me courtesy of Sr. Barbieri. So... maybe one of them would fit? Sure enough, one appeared to be the correct item and now I have stereo winshdield defrost action. Amazing.

It has a small dent in it but doesn't leak air.

Jack 'er Up

Got the car up on jackstands again today. Another great Christmas gift!

Christmas Comes to the Wheel Hub

I have to say I never much liked the brown vinyl of the steering wheel hub, especially since figuring out that the hub color had originally been black. Actually, a lot of the car's black vinyl had been placed with brown.

So I bought some acrylic paint and a small brush and set to rights this particular item.

I also discovered that the plastic pins which secure the hub in place can be removed and re-inserted, in order to more firmly hold the hub (it had been loose) to the wheel. So now the hub is more solidly secured than before, an unexpectd bonus.

New Windshield Gasket, Decoratively Framed

I've had these lying around for ages - a new windshield gakset and the solid chrome decorative frame that fits inside it. First item on the list was to remove the old gasket. I believe it came originally from a different car, as it had been cut down the middle, presumably to aid in fitment.

We found no rust on the frame, unlike the horrors that other people have been known to encounter there. However the many faults of the dash top became easier to see.

The new gasket and the chrome insert went on without a hitch. The car sits quietly, much happier with its lot in life.

One Down, Four to Go

Krylon Dull Aluminum paint gave the spare tire a rejuvenated look but I'm not sure I want to repeat the process for the other four tires on the car.