Looking Montana, and Feeling Minnesota

The morning started off with an extended discussion among the adults in the house about hospital birth (our first daughter) vs. home birth (our second daughter). Details were shared, eggs were eaten, coffee was dranken. Drank. Drinked. Then we got to work.

Ludwig's old fuel pump, one of those boxy CLACKITY CLACK CLACKITY CLICK CLACK types, fell off its perch toward the end of our last trip. Luckily I had a spare whirrrrzwhirrrrywhirrwhirrz pump, which after some contemplation we mounted high up in the crook where the rear seatbelts mount, except, you know, on the outside of the car. Someone (unclear who) mounted one of the fuel filters backward, which provided necessary comic relief especially since we'd just been over that.

We had to use two fuel filters, actually, because the nipples on the pump are too big for the hose that runs from the tank, and to the carbs. So it goes 5mm out of the tank to filter A, big 'Mrcn hose from filter A to pump, big 'Mrcn hose from pump to filter B, 5mm out of filter B to carbs. Okay. Love that new pump sound. That is, lack of sound.

Along with the new pump, we installed a relay such that the pump only runs when the engine runs, and not merely when the key is on as it had been before. Being morbid, I like the idea that after I roll the damn thing, as I lose consciousness my thought will be "at least the pump isn't still pumping gas all over the hot engine while the kids are strapped helplessly in their seats". Yeah, that's how my mind works.

An unresolved mystery is why the heater tube on the passenger side was half melted but there was no evidence of fire. Scary stuff. (Sorry, no picture.)

We moved on to some minor carb tuning, mostly to accommodate the lack of a working brake booster (I still have one Satchmo graciously gave me and which I ungraciously have yet to install). We also green loctited all three solenoids to the carbs, as they were having backing out issues.

Ludwig's front tires, the overly vaunted (formerly by me as well) Hankook RA08s, have worn in a way that indicated (now watch me get this wrong) too much negative camber; wear on the insides. They also had (now watch me get this wrong) too much toe in, which we also adjusted. I had no idea these adjustments were so relatively simple. Colin also explained in much-needed detail how I will install a new center pin (for better steering).

Lastly we did a cursory investigation of the brake lights' anomalous behavior. Headlights off, everything's copacetic. Headlights on, and on the pass. side the parking light and reverse lights light up, dimly, when you hit the brakes. Time was short and I have to do things myself anyway, so I got Colin's best diagnosis. And then a little after 7, I think, he made his way toward Minnesota--with us, he's always coming from or going to Minnesota.