So the driver from Stewart Transport called me to tell me he is on his way, he has over 1000 miles to cover first but he is on his way. With weather the way it sits now it looks like the kit will be in Sweetgrass on the 17th or 18th of March (early next week). I will drive down early in the AM and cross the border into Montana, I will then wait in the big parking lot (eagerly) until he arrives.
I will be sure to get lots of photos including the iconic "car hanging from crane on tractor trailer"
Erik (The Race Line) sent me a picture of the transaxel today. Erik promised me some photos as its torn down and and modified, i will be sure to post those as well.
The high lift garage door parts should be here tomorrow, might be a few days before i have the time to install it.
Today was concrete day, I searched online and found a guy down the street from me that bought a cement mixer and rents it out to people in the community for $25, I thought that was a hell of a deal. I bought 10 bags of 6000PSI concrete (twice the PSI spec that is required in the lift guidelines). I started mixing bags and shoveling them into the holes and it became very evident that 10 bags was no where close to what was required. I left the mixer running and quickly made it to the hardware store to buy 11 more bags before they closed for the night. In total 21 bags left me with about half a bag of extra concrete. I used my hands to push as much concrete as i could up and under the slab to lock the lift footing into the existing slab/rebar.
I also took the time to level the footings even though the garage floor is not level (slopes toward the door). This way the lift will be mounted without shims and will lift the vehicle vertically.
The concrete mixer was a great idea that i feel did save a lot of time however it took about 2.5 hours to clean it. If it was summer i could use a hose but its winter and -20 outside so i had to clean it in the garage using hot water in buckets, SOS pads, and a flat screw driver. It's important to me that it be returned cleaner then i when i got it, I just didn't realize how hard that would be.
Parts should be here Thursday to convert the garage door over to high lift so i can lift vehicles all the way up to the roof without the garage door or opener getting in the way. I will take some pictures of that as i go. Cost to buy the opener, drums, cables, spring bars, springs, track extensions, etc all totaled a little under $1000. I called around before buying the parts myself and the cheapest bid was $700 just for labor, parts were an additional $900. Figured I could do it myself, I watched a YouTube video.... that makes me an expert now. 🙂
Lift Holes
Rebar done, not the prettiest but functional. I used green epoxy rebar and i sprayed the old rebar with an epoxy coat as well.
Bending the rebar was a little problematic and i managed to catch my leg with my BFH while trying to bend the last piece. I am only walking with a bit of a limp :-).
I picked up 10 bags of 6000 PSI concrete, i bet its not enough but i should get a better idea after i fill the first hole tomorrow.
(about two weeks until the kit arrives... which is perfect because i have some work to finish.
Filling the Lift Holes
Dug a bit, slow progress because i cant fit a shovel in between the re-bar holes. I ended up using a metal crow bar and a blue parts bin as a scoop, I originally planned to dig down 4' but after getting to 3' and struggling to reach the bottom i decided that 3' is deep enough. :-). Not to worried about the frost line as the garage is heated and I don't think the ground under the garage freezes.
So this is a picture of what the plan is.
Black is the current slab
Green is the new concrete i will be pouring in to make the footings
Grey is the existing mud/dirt under the pad
The new concrete will be poured though the existing re-bar, I will also add 16' of Re-bar into the new holes. The holes are 1.5' wide and 3' deep, it will also lock into the bottom of the existing slab. This should produce a safe footing for the lift.
Also think i might pick up one of the 996 "budget" gearboxes from "The Race Line".... just need to make time to call Erik and talk about gearing and the options for limited slip.
Found a cool rearview mirror today (actually a coworker found it for me)
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/5-inc...363649043.html
Might help with the lack of rear visibility, just leave the rear camera on all the time showing whats behind you. I tried to find one that was 100% LCD but this is the biggest i could find.
Customs paperwork came today. 2 weeks to the day of when i submitted the second time.
(I did send them an email yesterday asking about the status so its possible the poking is what make it come)
Update: Talked to Factory Five, kit is completely built and waiting for pickup. I called Stewart transport, waiting for a call back.
Update2: SMC Performance quote was completed for my complete wiring harness (fuel/rad/engine). price is <$1000 so I am ordering that today.
Update3: Stewart Transport is estimating that the the kit will be in Montana by the week of March 16th.... this gives me just shy of a month to finish the concrete wor
I finished removing the tape from the now freshly painted column. Looks good enough to be hidden in the dash 🙂
Tomorrow marks the 2 week mark for my resubmitted paperwork to Transport Canada. (5 weeks since i sent it in the first time but they lost it that time).... hope to have that paperwork back soon.
Had to modify the new rubber dust covers for the e-brake. A few seconds on the belt sander and they fit perfect.
I put the spindles/bearings/brakes together. I will attach the upper and lower A arms after the body arrives, for now the units remain smaller if there not assembled.
Tomorrow the first contracting company comes to look at the concrete floor.... Fingers crossed.