AE86 Update: Part 4

The project has gathered momentum and is ripping through the gears at a more comforting pace. Things are coming together in a more orderly manner than before. Months ago, there was this massive gap, in terms of time lost, between the removal of a ’10 nut’ and its subsequent replacement! Not so now.

A lot has changed, largely as a result of the availability of my friend and builder, Marvin. He has taken the project as his own and as the problems arrive, he negotiates a smooth path through them and creates a solution. He has always wanted to build a race car, but for one reason or another it did not materialize. So the AE86 build, gives him the opportunity to excel in a field, which in mind, he was born to do! He has not admitted it yet, so if you know him, do not tell him!

As stated in earlier updates, the machine’s combustion chambers have felt their own fire – we started the car. We are essentially in the process of installing the essential gauges, which will play the crucial role of monitoring the ‘vitals’, to guarantee the continued existence of my small displacement,’baby motor’.

Noel ‘Spi’ Rhone built -’Baby motor’.

On Friday (24th), ‘Speaker Pro’ (his alias -DUH!) passed through to help us with the exhaust manifold. We spoke earlier and despite a few days delay, he finally came and got to work.

I got 2 ‘Black-Top 20 valve’ exhaust manifolds from Noel ‘Spi’ Rhone (of drag racing fame) and with them, ‘Speaker Pro’ commenced his build.

In all fairness though, the first portion of the manifold was built by Victor Brown. Essentially, ‘Speaker Pro’ was adding to what was already present, inorder to complete the manifold.

The incomplete exhaust manifold, before Speaker Pro’s intervention.

So,within 40 minutes after his arrival, he reduced the previously intact ’20 valve’ manifold into minute macaroni bits, did a few temporary welds, afterwhich he removed the manifold to complete it at his shop in Portmore. By his account, it will be completed and installed on Tuesday (28th). We will see if he is a man of his word!

Cecil Munroe Gleaner On-Line Writer