Planning Team To Do List

Over the next few days while the Jag is in the shop we need to make an exhaustive list of everything that we need to plan, organize and get done. I propose breaking it up into three sections; Needed, Logistics, Optional. I'll start.

Needed:
Brake pads for rears and an extra set of brake pads all the way around.
Bleed brake system twice. First to remove all old brake fluid and then to replace cheap fluid with high temp brake fluid.
Source Star Spec tires and get them mounted and balanced.
Bushing solution, whether that is to make new ones or buy a kit.
Remove small amount of remaining trim on the car.
Build new battery box.
Patch speakers holes in rear package tray.
Source and install electrical kill switch. Decide how we are going to wire that switch.
Source and install better rear view mirror.
Drain coolant system and replace with distilled water
Finish exhaust. Either we can cut out the rest of the cats and run straight through mufflers or we can just put turn downs on the existing pipes.
Source and install fire extinguisher
Source and install cage padding material
Remove rear window
Insulate wires from hot floor pan
Paint interior white with high temp paint
Paint exterior.
Build mounts and install race seat
Build mounts and install race harness
Decide on pit communications (pit board?)
Decide on fueling. 55 gallon drums? If so we will need a pump and a number of 5 gallon jugs to fill the car from. This will necessitate modifications to the car's fuel filler neck.
Change out the oil in the engine to a suitable race oil.
Separate the tranny fluid from the engine coolant system and mount many large tranny fluid coolers where ever possible.
Source new air filters
Source head gaskets and associated gaskets.
Source Jag shop manual.
Decide on extra fluids to bring
Paint front tow hook red and mark its location
Install rear tow hook. I have heard of some teams having success with making tow hooks from tie-down straps.
Clear tape over all remaining glass. Side mirrors, tail lights and turn indicators too difficult to remove.
Weld sunroof panel back into place
Foam neck collars. We could have one for each person, or get buy with just one or two. Two would be nice as they could partially dry off between stints.


Logistics:
Basically, how are we getting there?
What vehicles are we driving?
What are we packing in which vehicle?
What are we eating/drinking?
Shade?
Where are we sleeping?
Showers?
Who, in addition to the four of us, is going to be in our pit?


Optional:
Removable steering wheel
Cutting the airboxes
Cutting vents in the hood
Extra braking solutions
Brake foil
Cool shirts


Please add to this list. By the time the Jag has it's cage, I want to have a list of every single remaining step and a decision on what we are going to do for each of them. We have FOUR weekends left. It's time to get our game faces on.

Yesterday I bought 3 gallons of Royal Purple 10W-40, High Temp brake fluid, an oil filter, and a fire extinguisher.

Here is a link for a neck brace for $25. I think that it meets spec. Let me know what you think and I can order it. The one on the 24hours website is $45.
http://www.kmjent.com/cart/product.php?productid=1542

Go ahead and pick up two of these.

Ok. I will order these tonight.

There is a junk yard in Oakland that I can try to hit tomorrow for some transmission coolers. They go for $20 each according to the website. There are also these: http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Standard-Transmission-Coolers,4268.html?sc=WGB&utm_source=GoogleBase&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=GoogleBase that go for $20 for 70^2" of cooling area each or for $30, 120^2". Buying two of them would give us 140^2" of cooling for $40, or 240^2" of cooling for $60.

Done:
Brake pads for rears
Bleed brake system
Build new battery box.
Patch speakers holes in rear package tray
Drain coolant system and replace with distilled water
Source and install cage padding material
Source new air filters
Weld sunroof panel back into place

Excellent.

Here is the list of nuts and bolts that we need to buy. Alan, correct me if I am wrong.

Fire extinguisher - 4 @ 1"long x 3/16"
Seat Mounts - 8 @ 1"long x 3/8"
Seat belts - 3 @ 1.5"long x 1/2"
Spoiler/Wing - 20 @ 1.25"long x 1/4"
Locking nuts - 4 @ 3/8"
3 @ 1/2"
4 @ 3/16"
20 @ 1/4"
Non-locking nuts - 4 @ 3/8"

Alan - I can stop by Home Depot on my way home today if you can't make it today or tomorrow.

If I remember correctly, we are bolting the seat mounts to the raised floor seat mounts, so the bolts will have to go through two layers of sheet metal separated by ~1/2" and would need to be longer than 1".

It took a welding table, 1/2" steel sheet, pair of C-clamps and a dead blow hammer, but the seat brackets are bent. I will try to have the load spreaders cut from 0.080" steel tomorrow.

How does this plan sound...

Alan and I work on the Jag this afternoon and then drive to Antelope, get Kevin's truck, get Alan's trailer, and bring it to Alan's house. Then tomorrow, over my lunch break tomorrow, I will go get two 55 gallon drums. After work (3:30), Alan and I will take the Jag to the exhaust place in Davis (since there isn't one close enough to Alan's house to drive it there. While in Davis, we can go to, or hopefully have Loren come to my house and get the seat belt brackets installed (I still haven't gotten a hold of him though). Then, we will drive the Jag back to Alan's Thursday evening and take the trailer and truck back. This way, we can get the barrels, exhaust, and seat brackets done in a timely manner and be sitting good for the weekend.

Ok, that sounds like a lot of effort, but it should work.

A couple of things to add. I will call T-Hill today and find out what they charge for bringing 55 gallon drums.
Make sure Kevin is ok with you towing the Jag. There are some things that you need to know.
Loren might not be available till the weekend. I think that he said he spends the weeks in Willows.
One of us needs to pick this up http://www.harborfreight.com/barrel-pump-45743.html I fight the traffic to get to one before it closes or if any of you have one nearby that would work as well.
Will we need to move the Jag for Alan's open house? If so we might want to leave the Jag and trailer together. Maybe at the Davids.

I will talk to Kevin this afternoon about the truck. I thought Loren was in Winters, which is why I thought that he would be able to get me the steel tomorrow. My mistake. I can stop by a Harbor Freight this week to get the pump if you don't get around to it. There is one about 10 minutes from my work. I will keep you updated once I talk to Kevin.

Sorry, I meant Winters.

This Lemons thing is eating my life and I'm sure yours and Alan's as well.

just for clarification, why is it better that we spend extra money on a pump, barrels and the drop fee instead of driving 5 miles to a gas station every five hours?

I am assuming that you are referring to just gathering all the 5 gallon jugs that we can and refilling those as needed?

We could do that. I am all for whatever will be cheapest and easiest. Let's see how many jugs total we can gather up.

This shop is just over a mile from Alan's. http://www.meineke.com/Services/Exhaust/tabid/281/language/en-US/Default.aspx http://maps.google.com/maps?q=sacramento+ca&oe=utf-8&rls=com.yahoo:en-US:official&client=firefox&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=Sacramento,+CA&gl=us&ei=aj1HTK-UMIn0tgPl0PS5Ag&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=image&resnum=1&ved=0CCQQ8gEwAA I don't know anything about it, but it's awfully close.

I will stop by Meineke on my way to Alan's today and see if they can help us out. As for the 5 gallon jugs, how many do we have between the 3 of us. I know that I don't have any. If it is cheaper via that route though, I am for it. There are also ~10-15 gallon jugs that I know ATV people use when they go on trips. I can have Kyle ask Austin if he has any and if they would be willing to loan them to us for the weekend.

Ben has one 5 gallon jug and may be able to scare up a few more. I believe that the Davids said that they had some as well.

I got a reply from T-Hill about the drop costs. It is below.

"

The drop fee is $50 per barrel. And yes it is every time you
bring in a barrel of fuel.





Thanks for asking the question. BTW, please remember when you by
fuel at the track the difference in the price between town and the track
goes
straight into improving Thunderhill. J





Thank you,






Shannon Ell


General Manager


Thunderhill Raceway


Phone: 530-934-5588 ext. 103


Fax: 530-934-8794


www.thunderhill.com




5 gallon jugs it is!

Also done:

Paint interior white with high temp paint
Paint exterior.
Separate the tranny fluid from the engine coolant system and mount many large tranny fluid coolers where ever possible.

The welder didn't have the power to weld the seatbelt mounts so I will have to pick up mine.

Alan –

For the transport today, have a list of everything that you want me to talk to the exhaust guys about. Also, let’s plan on having the truck ready to leave your place 4:00-4:15, whichever works best for you. I can not see any reason why I would not be there by 4:00. In regards to the seat belt brackets, sharpie their desired location on the floor and then sharpie where you want the upright pieces on the brackets. I will see if they will weld those on as well, but it may be asking a lot for the price that we are paying. If they are too busy, I guess we will have to get your welder. Also, can you take a look at the A/C condenser and tell me what kind of condition it is in? I’ll be taking it to Davis tonight because I may have a buyer for it. Thanks.

Cass -

Did we decide if you going to order the gasket set? The cheapest that I found is $208 at Gasket. The company does have a 15% restocking fee, but that is worth it I believe for the peace of mind of having all of the gaskets.

I will order the gasket set.

Also I heard back from John at EGR. Our tow hooks are fine. We just want to label them well. We can do that this coming weekend.