My Miata Adventure: Ruckkehr (Return)

[RuckkehrMiata]

My adventure starts in California, October 2011. I spent some time with an old and close highschool friend of mine, who happens to be ArtcenterMiata.
When we were in highschool, he made a comment about wanting a Miata. I actually made fun of him for it.
Years later, experiencing his car and meeting the people from Project-G and KINOD, I found a new love.

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That's me leaning on Kimochi before all the work that has made his car what it is now.

So, my post-college-graduation trip complete I returned to florida and began hunting. I eventually found a beat up, abused, and quite stunning miata a coworker was selling.

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We got the battery charged up, topped off the oil and I backed her out from under the tree she sat under for over a year.
She came with a pair of Tein Basics, which are beginning to show their age. She was also properly lowered by the previous owner, no cut springs here.

First things first, did a full liquids swap.

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The previous owner also assisted me in my first wrench job: replacing the heater core.

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I also spent some time re-stitching the garbage steering wheel by hand so I could get some more life out of it (still using it to this day, steering wheels are expensive)

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And spent some time with the Orlando Roadsters (photo courtesy Kabel):

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And showing off a tiny bit, people actually love this car. I had a guy from a local garage tell me his kids look for my car around town and get excited when they see it.

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ArtCenter miata even sent me some presents

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http://i.imgur.com/bFcwDVR.jpg

This was by far one of the coolest birthday presents I ever got. I even wore my Project-G shirt to miatapalooza, where I got to show my car:

(Another photo courtesy Kabel)
http://i.imgur.com/AWpmmPR.jpg
(The spray paint spots are where the old eggshel paint is chipping, or the giant S on the side is where someone hit my parked car in a lot)

Unfortunately, due to being a recent college grad who already works full time to pay his student loans, I haven't been able to do much else other than maintain its state of decay.
ArtcenterMiata has been pestering me to start a build thread, and since I have actually budgeted some money to do work on the car this year, I figured it was finally time to do just that.
So I present to you, Ruckkehr (german for Return), which was named thusly because it represented a step towards one day returning to California.
I have had her a year now, and I don't know what I would do without my Miata.
I hope I won't disappoint, and keep enough work going on to update occasionally :D

In essence: Broke guy buys car that needs a lot of money put into it.

Coming soon: New poly differential bushings coming in the mail. The current ones are so toast its metal on metal.

[I<3flippyheadlights]

I saw this car at Miatapalooza and didn't take much time to look at it. (didn't take a lot of time looking at any of the cars because I was so tired from working the event) But I thought it looked neat! Awesome to hear such a cool back story about it and you. Looking forward to updates on this car.

[RuckkehrMiata]

Something just came in the mail...

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Now I have to set up an appointment to get them installed, as this is one thing I would not attempt myself (lack of tools for the job, etc)

[atank]

Man it is really coming along well, I love finding miatas that need some TLC (like my current one), Ghostbuster!!!

[Phatmiata]

This is one of the Miatas I have seen on the Orlando Roadster FB pages and in photos.

I LOVE THIS MIATA!!!!!

I showed it to my two kids and they just start singing the Ghostbusters song and ask me to show them this car hahaha!!

I was really hoping some folks would get some pics of it at Miatapalooza since I was stuck behind the booth all day. Keep up the good work! This is one of my favorite Original Themed Miatas!! Just too cool. Makes me want to print a giant GB sticker out and put one on my car hahaha. Love it!

[RuckkehrMiata]

This is one of the Miatas I have seen on the Orlando Roadster FB pages and in photos.

I LOVE THIS MIATA!!!!!

I showed it to my two kids and they just start singing the Ghostbusters song and ask me to show them this car hahaha!!

I was really hoping some folks would get some pics of it at Miatapalooza since I was stuck behind the booth all day. Keep up the good work! This is one of my favorite Original Themed Miatas!! Just too cool. Makes me want to print a giant GB sticker out and put one on my car hahaha. Love it!

I actually got to meet you! I had to leave early and was looking for Kabel to give my tickets (never found him and the fiance was feeling ill) and spoke to you briefly.
I love this car so much, a lot of the styling was done by previous owners. However, they didn't take care of it. I want to take care of it, and am definitely keeping the busters. Going to get the owner who made it to print a new one when I (one day, in the future) get her repainted.

[RuckkehrMiata]

How many of you have seen this in your inbox?

http://i.imgur.com/4pc2c4D.png

I can't really contain my excitement!


Updates coming at the end of the week ;)

[tsingson]

Looking good! Wonder what you have coming from Ken...

[RuckkehrMiata]

Ruckkehr is at the garage right now, getting the new diff bushings put in.
I asked to peek under while it was on the lift, and found my axle boots to be completely demolished, and dry inside. Another thing to add to the list.
I also discovered today that my oil loss rate has increased, so I have pretty much confirmed the leak is getting worse.
Decided to start pricing out rebuild kits (gasket/seals etc etc) for a few months down the road.

Can't wait to feel her after those new bushings are in!
Still waiting on that package from ken :D

[RuckkehrMiata]

The good news: I fit under a trailer
The bad news: I do not fit horizontally

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Any advice for large dent removal in the rear 1/4 panel region, assuming I never do this again?


pic: failed MOTM 2013 April pic

I realize this is a huge doof on my end, just trying to fix it.

[Phatmiata]

Yikes, that looks like a body shop repair more than dent removal. Either that or replacing the quarter panel and door all together.

[SM16RMSM]

I have a door if you need one. A body shop with the know how of metal work can fix it easily. My body shop guy guy does awesome work.

[RuckkehrMiata]

Yikes, that looks like a body shop repair more than dent removal. Either that or replacing the quarter panel and door all together.

I am hoping the quarter panel can be popped out, there are no creases it is just a solid dent-in.


I have a door if you need one.

I was hoping to avoid doing that, but the dent in the door is creased etc. I just didn't want to have to deal with losing one of my GB vinyls, oh well. If you get rid of it let me know, but it isn't high enough priority compared to some mechanical things I am saving for to drop on a door just yet. Might nab it from you in the near future if you still have it.

[RuckkehrMiata]

I just wanted to put up a quick picture, a sign of things coming:

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I am practically twitching with excitement.

[artcentermiata]

I have to praise this guy for dedicating himself to fixing up the broken aspects of his car before dropping dollars on ricey fake wheels and racelands like most budget builds

Awesome work! once you get it up to spec mechanically, this will be a great platform to mod!

[RuckkehrMiata]

I have to praise this guy for dedicating himself to fixing up the broken aspects of his car before dropping dollars on ricey fake wheels and racelands like most budget builds

Awesome work! once you get it up to spec mechanically, this will be a great platform to mod!

I am actually quite lucky that she came with Teins. I will absolutely be getting them rebuilt when they reach EOL because of how fantastic the ride has been.

[RuckkehrMiata]

So I just fought with my driver side door for two hours.
However, my Project-G G-Vent is now installed, and with only a single weather stripping crease!

http://i.imgur.com/Dnp6RDb.jpeg

http://i.imgur.com/Z843vzc.jpeg

The only crease is right along the window track here:

http://i.imgur.com/Uj3lwKx.jpeg


I did discover, once I had my window out, that I actually don't even have a rear window guide any more.
Yes, this will be getting replaced soon with one from RoadsterTech (http://mazdaroadster.net/showthread.php?6007-RoadsterTech-Window-Guides-for-your-Miata)

I think this is all for today tho, my fingers are numb (I was even wearing rubber gloves) and sore, and my nerves are a little shot.

I could probably do it in an hour a second time around now, however ;)

[RuckkehrMiata]

It has seriously been a long time (6+ months) since I have updated, and I have since moved to St. Pete for a new job (in the land of the PhatMiata, nearly), but I finally managed to do something with my car.

Not pictured:

New EBC Green stuff brakes on the front, and and delrin window guides.

Pictured:

Finally replaced my 45k mile dry rotting tires and daisies with these:

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While it is just a small step towards getting her mechanically stable again, it also marks one of the largest improvements I have gotten done to the car.
This is just a tiny update, but very soon there will be more things.


PunchList (parts I have to be installed, or planned for 2014):

* Roll Bar (acquired from ArtCenterMiata, re-powdered silver)
* Mishimoto Radiator and Fan shroud kit with garagestar radiator cover
* Find someone who can either pop the dent in the 1/4 panel, or the skill to cut it off and replace it.
* Get new door or get dent fixed
* New clutch/throwout/general tranny parts (can't tell what is broken, likely everything inside honestly)
* New Axles
* Alignment (Can't find someone who will do it, they claim my car is "too low" and I don't even do stance)
* Minor motor rebuild (seals, gaskets, bearings etc. Nothing hardcore, just a revival)





Keep tuned! I hope I will have *something* to update every month!

[Dandy]

I like the look of the wheels. Any idea on the weight? :popcorn:

[RuckkehrMiata]

I like the look of the wheels. Any idea on the weight? :popcorn:

Definitely added weight with these, but I also gained surface area.

[Dandy]

Definitely added weight with these, but I also gained surface area.

I hear you. I thought the swiss cheese design might help with the heaviness and was curious how much that might be. I do like the look.

[RuckkehrMiata]

Well, friends.

It has been quite awhile but I finally did something new.
I have had this rollbar sitting in my possession for a long time (around 8 months or so) that I bought off of ArtCenterMiata (Jeremy) when he upgraded.
I finally got the balls to install it, with a friends help.

http://i.imgur.com/rBKaGsT.jpg

Until now I hadn't even unwrapped it from its shipping bubblewrap.

http://i.imgur.com/dbIyNMX.jpg

Getting started was really hard, I had never taken these portions of my car apart and I am not extremely mechanically inclined so we fumbled around a bit. Luckily my friend used to restore and build motorcycles professionally so he had some intuition.

http://i.imgur.com/ANQEMwh.jpg

He did all of the angle grinding, I couldn't handle it. I have a hard time using them now since something stupid happened to me with one in highschool metalshop. I still did a few parts, but I couldn't do it in the closed quarters of the car.

http://i.imgur.com/0RXsKia.jpg

Did I mention we were doing this in the rain? We had today off because the company we work for follows School holidays (easter friday or whatever). We didn't want to waste the day, so we strung a tarp between his Rav4 and a ladder bungied to the fence beside my driveway. We made do.

Also: this post brought to you by Founders Breakfast Stout

http://i.imgur.com/yv4ZifE.jpg

It still isn't 100% bolted in, and probably won't be. The rear bolts tolerances were off in my car for some reason, and the side bolts I need to get a different drill bit for. I may just have it welded in, but I need to decide if I am keeping the bar/car before I commit to that.

http://i.imgur.com/LVTDl2y.jpg

In the end we DID finish, and with only about 15 minutes of full-sun to spare. Here is my friend/coworker disgusted by my wooden nardi.


The bar fits wonderfully (sort of) and I am so glad to have it finally in my car.

This marks the single largest / most permanent modification I have personally made. I did it myself, and it has inspired me greatly.
I still have a mishimoto radiator kit in my spare bedroom that is begging to be installed....

[mini_fd]

Are you the original owner of this car? And are you over 6 feet tall? Is your trunk covered with +5hp stickers?

[RuckkehrMiata]

Are you the original owner of this car? And are you over 6 feet tall? Is your trunk covered with +5hp stickers?

The trunk is covered in stickers, but it is many different ones. The original owner was Charles Z, who is so tall he had to remove the back of the drivers seat to fit.
I am significantly shorter (I sit below the rollbar), and bought it off of him around 2-3 years ago. I am like the 6th owner total.

[mini_fd]

I clearly remember this car at a meet when I had a protege. He was the current owner at the time. This was I think 09

[RuckkehrMiata]

So!


Things have been moving along at a faster pace than any other time owning this car. I did a new thing!
I have had this radiator sitting around for over a year, when I bought it from Project-G and they shipped it to me at my last house. I finally worked up the nerve to turn a wrench on my own

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And then one more addition, even older than the radiator, which I bought from Kenjo (GarageStar some time ago)

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It is only attached with stock bolts right now, he is shipping me some replacement fancy ones since mine got lost in the move.

The new fans sound amazing (RACECAR), and I can idle for longer than 20 minutes without overheating (couldn't before, couldn't retain coolant because of damage)


I ran into several hiccups, and have to tear this all apart to redo some wiring (old wire was not long enough, need to reroute it with a whole new run in the near future) and find a part off another radiator as mine only had the rubber bushing for the passenger side. Luckily it is bolted in pretty tight for now, I just want to make sure it is done right.


Another update coming soon, as the old filter box is going to be deleted in favor of a UNI cylindrical filter.


(Damn those mishimoto silicone hoses are hard as hell to get on!)

[atank]

Good job on that radiator!!!!!!!

[RuckkehrMiata]

Good job on that radiator!!!!!!!

It was actually terrifying to me because I have a serious paranoia of working on my car without someone who knows what they are doing with me. This was the first time I did something so involved without a helping hand.
At the same time it was refreshing, I had to solve a few problems entirely on my own, and while some voice in the back of my head told me I was fucking everything up and it will never get fixed it all ended up turning out ok.
I even had to slightly modify the radiator (needed a weensy bit of drill bit in the holes for the rubber support -- the single one that I had). I think the whole thing has sparked a fire under my ass.

As I mentioned in the thread, there are a few issues I have to resolve still, but it is safely functional right now (just not "right" the way I want it). And - It looks beautiful!

[RuckkehrMiata]

While exciting new things have been going on under the hood for me lately, something else has been bothering me. With the recent successful radiator transplant, I have begun mulling what else I can do. The daily commute has gone from absent minded to fluttery wishful thinking and planning.

http://i.imgur.com/pbByUbx.jpg

When I first bought the car, this piece was in tact. However, the heater core was not. The PO at the time promised me a heater core (winter was coming :roll:) and to help install it. This was actually technically the first wrench job I think I ever did on the thing other than a fluids swap. So when the dash came out, the gauge hood turned into dust. I sure do miss that thing, but I can't find one for the 92 without paying so much I cannot justify it. This white is getting old. But hey, at least I can easily access my gauge cluster, right? Right?

(Also note the speckles on my windshield that I can't get off -- gonna have to try a razor -- from someone evidently spraying clear coat on various parts of my car in a shaky droplet pattern when it was parked in a garage)

http://i.imgur.com/HN57bc1.jpg

I love this Nardi dearly, and I never intend on replacing it, even if it ends up not matching the final interior. So many things on my car have been acquired from my best friend (my best man, in fact) Jeremy that it is almost apparent I got into miatas because of him. While the Nardi sits in its sparkling (unpolished -- sorry jeremy! I am a bad man) glory, behind it you begin to see the cracks in the facade. Stock gauges, well at least I broke down and ordered LED bulb replacements. They are presently in the mail. The poor cruise controls that don't go to anything (cruise deleted by previous owner), along with its weird alien pocked rust. The two player start button where the cig/power used to be is cute, and I still love it. I want to pull an Adam (sharka) and reroute its wiring to be grounded switching at the e-brake. That is a near-future project (I do bump it at times, as you can imagine, it is terrible and makes me feel like an idiot).

My HVAC is ugly now, worn and neglected by the pressures of time and environment. My entire tombstone dash section is in a shaky balance, the head unit I brought from my college-era car does not quite fit, so everything is jammed in there unceremoniously. I do have plans here, the HVAC is going to get an overhaul eventually, and the radio is going to be deleted in favor of a minimalist USB+Aux+AM/FM only head unit eventually, I don't use CDs anymore. The cubby is going to be turned into a blanking plate where I will be moving the window switches and two toggle switches that presently reside in my center console to control my aux fan and (for some reason, you would have to ask the previous previous owner) the AC unit (also broken and needing several hundred in parts/repairs). It also houses the relocated power plug, which I intend on fabbing into the glove box in the future.

http://i.imgur.com/cj5alIJ.jpg

One major plan for the near future is a complete center console delete with either a Nakamae or GarageStar style minimalist center. I want to delete all switches from the center console and relocate them, as mentioned above (excluding the trunk/fuel). My beautifully hand-made shifter boot (another Jeremy item) is tarnished by the eye-bleeding yellow handle-less handle. My carpet is pulling out of the trimming in the passenger well (fixed several times, gave up). On top of that, the carpet and mats are DISGUSTING. Years of oil, parts, shoes, and abuse have destroyed them. There will be no reselling these parts when it comes time to retire them. I should get around to replacing my door speakers and mesh covers as well. The door panels need new plastic pop-connectors as well as some TLC. My hand-made door pulls are a lot of fun, but they are getting sun bleached and worn. They were one of the first things I did in the first few weeks of ownership, they have more than served their purpose.

http://i.imgur.com/3Wt8DfC.jpg

This... disaster. I never owned the column cover, so these wires have been exposed during my entire ownership. I was on the line to buy one, I think from atank awhile back. Unfortunately I fell through on him because things were really tight at my previous job. I mean REALLY tight. (I think we found out it wouldn't fit anyways and we parted ways on the deal amicably, my memory may be off). The pedals are slick, I should put some grip tape on them. That one big cluster of wires all up in your face? Yeah, some portion of it above the clutch always gets caught on my feet. I really need to get up in there one of these days and see why everything is so messy. And I only noticed after taking this picture that there is a nice big barren patch of metal in the back corner.


http://i.imgur.com/7pudqW7.jpg

Where she stands right now is a sorry state of affairs in many mechanical and aesthetic ways.
But, I believe there is light on the horizon. Progress is being made, more so than any other time in my ownership of her. The roll bar is in, the new radiator is in, two projects that haunted me for over half a year.
I am becoming slowly more mechanically adept, and brave, with my ideas and projects. Within a week she will have a cold air intake put in with an airbox delete. Within a few months, a new valve cover and full timing belt/water pump/ etc maintenance run.

I am growing into her, and it has taken all of this time.


PSA: This was not meant to be a depressing or ranty post, if anything I am trying to assemble my thoughts and plans. I may even be referencing this post in the future to maintain scope.
I haven't ever really talked about my plans and dreams for the car, so I guess I am filling in some blanks here ;)

[RuckkehrMiata]

So I got a few things in the mail. Most importantly, I immediately grabbed the set of dress-up bolts Kenjo from GarageStar sent me (Thank you Kenjo!) for the cooling panel and some new LEDs for the gauge cluster.

http://i.imgur.com/Bn5qQSq.jpg
Something here isn't right...

So I got to work on the cooling panel. This was a quick job, and the results are fantastic!

http://i.imgur.com/k7kfWaU.jpg
TO
http://i.imgur.com/PyoznDC.jpg

It was an ever so slight pain to align the white spacers, but once I had them everything fell into place.

http://i.imgur.com/zC9q78W.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/BfQTXrH.jpg


Next up was the LEDs.


Now I had only taken my gauge cluster out once and I remember the speedo being a pain to get back in. In true form matching my recent power-house inspiration I just ripped it off without thinking and decided to figure it out later.

http://i.imgur.com/dxBQ1IC.jpg


Whew, step one complete.


Now in case you have never seen the original bulbs, they aren't THAT bad. I like the OEM glow which is why I chose green bulbs for the new ones as well.

http://i.imgur.com/frYKjXP.jpg

Bulb condom and everything.

http://i.imgur.com/Dsh3CeY.jpg

Here we go...

It was a little interesting, because I didn't know necessarily which ones to put them in at first. I decided to go with all four green caps as there were 4 of them (and I remembered I ordered 4 for a reason based on revlimiter's post somewhere, turns out I was right). I saw I had some bulb caps missing, I don't know what to make of it just yet.

http://i.imgur.com/4sK2TgW.jpg

They are so bright they even show up with the sun up! The OEMs never did this, I honestly can't wait until it is dark so I can rush out and look.
Now I am tempted to research which LED #s to put in for turn signals :)

[RuckkehrMiata]

It comes with some great pain, both in my neck and heart, that I have to tentatively declare the end of Ruckkehr.

http://i.imgur.com/yKN4J04.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/S1xUAHM.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/lcHfM0d.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/UDYQNtN.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/9pE9NUH.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/Qp7PsKO.jpg

If you would believe it, there were 3 other collisions / rear ends within 20 minutes of my own at that spot.
The woman I rear ended was almost untouched in damage, only a crack in her bumper.
Meanwhile, ruckkehrmiata may need to be put to rest as she has no collision insurance and might be totaled.
I might have to join a bicycling forum...

Don't really have much else to say I guess.

[WASABI]

That sucks!!! I trust you are OK then? Does your still drive? The damage doesn't look all that bad. What exactly happened?

[riefdaddy]

Sorry to hear about the accident. Hopefully you can at least keep the car and part it out. You might be surprised in the cash you can generate doing so. I can't tell what was caused by the accident, but the hood isn't a big deal, $100 at Pic-n-Pul to replace. I'd remove the fenders and see if the front frame is damaged. You might only have cosmetic damage. Mine looked worse than that and I still drive it.

[RuckkehrMiata]

The tl;dr is:

Jeep stopped in right lane due to collision, car in front of me stops dead, I stop dead in their bumper.

The subframe is crushed, my radiator was stopped by the sway bar.

Mechanically, she was fine enough to drive the 2 miles home (I talked the officer into letting me). The insurance company will almost guaranteed total her since it is so old, and the extent of the damage. I will just never make enough money parting it to afford another one. It's really a big lose/lose for me, meanwhile the other car had a cracked bumper.

The damage looks cosmetic until you see crushed body/subframe.

by far the biggest damage is to my pride, and heart. This car was my baby, and now I don't have one. Even my wife was buying me parts for it for a wedding present.

[tsingson]

I understand about losing the car. I sold mine and I can imagine how you feel. Just to kind of put a somewhat positive spin on the situation, first off, glad that you are ok. Second, this may open an opportunity for a whole new canvas (miata) for you. I was in the same situation before thinking that I would never be able to feel good about another car but you can put in the blood, sweat and tears and it comes back. Sometimes, more than the previous one.

[RuckkehrMiata]

I understand about losing the car. I sold mine and I can imagine how you feel. Just to kind of put a somewhat positive spin on the situation, first off, glad that you are ok. Second, this may open an opportunity for a whole new canvas (miata) for you. I was in the same situation before thinking that I would never be able to feel good about another car but you can put in the blood, sweat and tears and it comes back. Sometimes, more than the previous one.


The largest problem will be if she is totaled, I am getting next to nothing. No matter what happens I am probably out of a car and money. I bought this thing for $2k and $2k miatas don't come around very often (and I don't have $2k anymore)

[RuckkehrMiata]

I was just informed by my insurance carrier that since my coverage for some reason wasn't covering collision, I am getting exactly $0. They don't even care about my car, they are just fixing the dented bumper on the other car.

Soooo, now I don't even know.

[Demon I Am]

That sucks, man. If you have the time and space, sell out/part what you can, to recuperate some money, or buy a roller and swap the engine

[RuckkehrMiata]

Taking her apart, I am having a hard time assessing if the damage can be "reversed"

http://i.imgur.com/AIulGtO.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/kgoVGwm.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/osAbyDc.jpg

The frame?body portion around the drivers headlight assembly is just... pushed... back into the car. I am having a hard time assessing it myself.

The fluid on the ground is a just a bit of PS fluid, its always been a leaker.

[MEOrdonez73]

Here is a shell for you to put your engine, transmission and suspension.
http://tampa.craigslist.org/pnl/cto/4471285898.html

[Phatmiata]

I like those fancy bolts you used, where did you get those?

The LEDS look super bright!! Nice work!!

sorry about the front bumper, at least you did not get hurt.

More pics of the woof woof helper! (the dog)

[atank]

Here is a shell for you to put your engine, transmission and suspension.
http://tampa.craigslist.org/pnl/cto/4471285898.html

^^This sounds like a great project^^