Friday, January 27, 2012

Okay, carpeting is finally installed.  Woohooo!  New car smell is back!  This is the most the car has been put together in 14 years!  Carpeting is installed.  Now I need some panels, and some speakers.  Some photos of the installed carpet :


Note that the center console still hasn't been finished.  I have the wiring in position, but still need to cover the shifter (after converting from the TH350 automatic to a new Tremec TKO II standard).  I dropped a sheet over the passengers foot pan to protect the carpets for a little bit.


And another photo of the rear compartment area, without the panels :


Next up, is to pick up panels, finish the shifter console, get the rest of the wiring installed, install speakers, install a battery and then the door glass (and then the door panels), and the dash board.

Then, headlights, plumb and lube the engine, and the suspension and steering joints and bearings, and then put the hood on.  Might get a little expensive (the only thing holding it back right now).  But, it's coming along!

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Update on the car

Wow.  A little time and it's amazing what you can accomplish.  So far, I have installed Dynamat Superlite in the seat and floor pan areas of both sides, along the sides of the drive train tunnel, and along the dash board.  I have installed Reflectix on top of that (using some 3M 8090 Super Trim Adhesive stuff), and tacked that down, plus, tacked down the carpet on top of that stuff (with the same 8090 adhesive - it's a contact adhesive, spraying both sides, let it set for 5 minutes, and then tack them together, give them an hour to cure, and viola!).  So, I now have two pieces of carpeting installed.  I'll still need to trim it up once I have the panel components, but seriously, there is carpet where each of the seats go!  Woohoo!

The next step is to procure four speakers so that I can install the dashboard.  Two under the dash pad, and two at the kick panels.  I also need to pick up the kick panels, and the windshield trim, plus the t-top center trim and rear quarter panels.  With that stuff installed, it's the rear compartment area, the storage boxes, and the rear speakers (might go with 10" subs, or 6"x9" mids - in that small of an area, the subs might be useless).  Plus, install the door glass (after the battery goes in so I can adjust it), install the door panels, and some various trim pieces.  Given a week, and all of the parts, I could have the interior complete.  Wow.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Main Website Revamp

Time for a technology-related post.  I finally finished revamping the layout for the main website.  Yes, the redesign took 6 MONTHS.  It's ridiculous.

The problem comes when I do work at work, and when I get home, I am done with computers.  I'll keep on handling the content changes as the domain is converted to my own personal playground.  But, it is definitely on it's way.

Still the site that advertises consultation that is being migrated, I will honor consultations that existed prior to 6 months ago on that owner (but not before that one), plus, new consultations are accepted until the site is migrated.

So, there you have the status.

Updated arduino code

Okay, I have now figured out how to do the interrupt-driven arduino alarm system, using a series of diodes for each input. I also found out that the resistors were pointless, as the inputs on the arduino typically contain a pull-up or pull-down resistor already embeded on the device. It makes it quite nice to set up an input. I'll furnish the schematics and the code for anyone that wants it.