Bella - The 88 Project Vert

[~Groll69~]

Well We have the convertible officially plated again.  Now we wont have to worry about plates for the next ten years.  We got the Michigan Historical Plate for it.  Last night in an effort to fix the exhuast leak, I dropped the exhast and painted it silver.  I didn't want the rust getting the better part of the exhuast.  The auto store did not have the gasket in stock, so its on order.  I re-installed the exhuast without the gasket.  Hopefully i can complete the exhuast on thursday.

In the mean time i bled the brakes, but i think there is still an air bubble in the line some where.  I think i need to re bleed them all again.  Otherwise just trying to work on the simple stuff that i can work on before saving money to buy needed parts.

[murz]

Very nice, what does the historic plate entail and how does that work? Only able to drive to and from car shows or something? Have any pictures of her?

[~Groll69~]

The cost for the historic plate i beleive was $35.  you are only suppose to drive the car to car shows, parades,car club events etc.  you are not suppose to use it as a daily driver.  Since generally that is all we ever use the car for now, ie special event stuff, then it works in our favor.  (except right now its a temp daily till i get the jeep fixed)

I will have to post pictures of the car.  its still looking rough since it needs a new top on it.  otherwise its pretty decent.

[~Groll69~]

Well we taped up the holes in the side of the convertible top, again.  I swear eventually we will buy a new top for it.  It is getting really really bad.  I also pulled the heater controls and opened it up.  I resoldered some points in it and re-assmbled losing one button.  (found the button and now have to re-open to put it back on)  The fan control is now working flawlesly.  I don't have to beat on the side of the control box to make it work sparadically.  I tried to hook in the cheap radio, but it wasnt working.  I decided to open it up and found that a capacitor had blown on it.  Looks like time to buy a new cheap radio for the vert to go along wit the ghetto house speakers i threw in it for sound, until i actually buy the board and make the interior how i want it.

[fidelity101]

The cost for the historic plate i beleive was $35.  you are only suppose to drive the car to car shows, parades,car club events etc.  you are not suppose to use it as a daily driver.  Since generally that is all we ever use the car for now, ie special event stuff, then it works in our favor.  (except right now its a temp daily till i get the jeep fixed)

I will have to post pictures of the car.  its still looking rough since it needs a new top on it.  otherwise its pretty decent.

car shows and car meets count too, also in August you are permitted to drive it anywhere in the state for any reason.

I have historic plates on my truck and rx7, they are 1 number apart and when I usually use the suburban I tow the rx7 so technically I am going to an event of similar vehicles.

Also the trailer hides the plate nicely and I have a racing-beat license plate frame which PERFECTLY covers up the words HISTORIC on the bottom for both vehicles

Granted I barely drive the two it makes insurance MUCH cheaper and for both vehicles to register that cheap for 10 years? hard to pass up.

[~Groll69~]

I need to get a good license plate cover for it.  I already got pulled over once before having the actually plate becuase the officer did not see the paper plate.  No ticket or anything just a hi and your good to go after he saw all of my paperwork.

[fidelity101]

next time you buy something from racingbeat I suggest theirs, its one 1 dollar too

[~Groll69~]

that is cheap.  i will have to remeber to do that.

[murz]

That's awesome, the whole month of August? I might just have to do that. Also, when I ordered a new exedy clutch kit from Racing beat, it came with a free license plate frame haha.

[fidelity101]

Yeah one time they messed up my order and sent me the frame with a few stickers along with the correct part on expedited shipping.

[toplessFC3Sman]

I've had some good luck patching the top with vinyl patches & glue - they last for about 2 years in places that flex a lot.  Basically cut a patch that's a bit bigger than the tear, smear the vinyl glue all over one side of it & stick it on, and then using some thicker thread, sew it around the edge of the patch to really hold it in place & keep it from moving.

[~Groll69~]

Well, minor maintance has cropped up.  i need to put on a new brake master cylinder for the convertible.  Otherwise the car has been running great.

[~Groll69~]

I put on a new master cuylinder, but i beleive that i adjusted the pin out to far, so i need to remove it from the booster again and reduce the pin length.  Brillant idea just didn't work as i thought that it would.

[~Groll69~]

It is time to start doing some work on Bella.  We brought her out of storage today and she started right up and drove home with no issues. 

[~Groll69~]

I thought she had no issues, turned out the power steering pump was beginning to fail.  Looks like a replacement is going to be needed to keep her operating smoothly.  Right now the belt is disconnected from it to prevent a total failure and seizure of the pump while driving.