let me know when you're gunna start

 

I have another obligation first thing Thurs. I'll be starting on the car around noon that day.

 

Tough day today, got everything out of the way of the transmission, shifter and wiring disconnected and all the bolts out, and the damn thing is stuck fast. Was out there until after 9pm trying to separate it from the engine.

Ah well, tomorrow is another day

 

The old transmission is finally out...

This is the pain in the butt that was holding up the whole works, one of the guide pins had welded itself so firmly to the transmission housing, that it actually pulled out of the engine block rather than pop loose from the bellhousing



Clutch was pretty ugly, NOT impressed with the Centerforce DF material on the flywheel side. Lots of hot spots and uneven wear, I think caused by the chunky uneven nature of the facing material used. All of a sudden pretty glad I'm going with a SPEC 3+ this time:



Pressure plate side wasn't too bad:



Grabbing some lunch, then back at it...

 

Wow, interesting spots on that flywheel. I would maybe contact them and ask WTF!

 

Weekend update: hung up by that stupid transmission dowel. It couldn't be wedged into the bellhousing tighter if it was actually welded in there.

Penetrating oil, heat and physical force all failed. Have to call around tomorrow and see if I can get a fresh dowel.

Used part of the downtime to install the new front lower arms (the FRPP GT500 ones) and to build up the new front strut/spring/bearing assemblies. Hoping I can get back to the transmission in a day or two.

 

Did one of the strut installs this morning. Didn't know the term "sweat pouring off" someone could be taken quite so literally... Me=

 

Yea it was a bit warm today!

 

Just a bit

 

Latest status update: suspension work is done, dowel to replace the one fused to the old transmission in hand, exhaust back from the welder after having the 2 relocated O2 bungs added, plus an extra bung for the wideband.