The Tragic Tale of ElSuperPinto

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...and then came to pass, the [end] of the CT wars :O_o:
Speaking of things coming to an end...

I put in my two weeks' notice with Carmax Thursday night.

I was offered 25% more per flat-rate hour, paid training, a 2 mile commute (and that's round-trip, compared to my current 105 miles round trip) at the BMW dealership here in town, and I'll be working during the day instead of at night.

Suddenly, my weekends won't be mostly devoted to sleep, and I'll have three hours of my day back.
 
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Finally made it out to the boneyard to pick up the Jeep hat! Also got the similar, but taller one from a Durango, but it looks like Jeep is going to be the way to go here.

It naturally fits facing the driver's side, but there I'm going to run into the coolant reservoir, washer reservoir, and radiator. Going the other way means buying more parts, but I can get to the original cool air inlet that way.

Hmmm...
 
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The amazing friend that donated the TR3650 to the "super-secret-powertrain-swap" also gave me a Procharger-branded conical air filter for the current pushrod mill's budget cold-air intake this week. We'll see where my energy level, funding level, and the weather are over the next week, but something should happen soon.
 
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Measurements have been made, stuff has been ordered... The ol' pushrod mill will run again soon.
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Two weeks at the BMW dealership and I'm already caught up on the bills I'd fallen about a month behind on (all credit cards, one of which is maxxed out with medical debt from three years ago still). Between the $75 a week I'm not spending on gas (I haven't gassed up in over two weeks on the 4Runner, which used to be a twice-a-week thing), making slightly more money, and being able to come home on my lunch breaks and just eat leftovers (and play with the dogs, watch videos on Youtube or an episode of something on Hulu or Netflix, use my own damned bathroom, etc) and not buying a tool for this brand or that brand on a regular basis has saved me a lot of money. It's been freezing and/or raining (and even snowing one day) in those two weeks, so I haven't got a lot done yet, but things are starting to happen now that I'm not too tired to do anything but collapse into bed on a daily basis.
 
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Got home, it's dark, but I had new parts...

I need a hose clamp, and maybe a different adapter for the filter itself, but it works, and looks surprisingly not bad.
 
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You making a sheet metal shroud for the filter element?
I'm not sure.

It's only a temporary setup, that only the air filter is likely to migrate from to the new powertrain. Thing is, unless I can keep finding cool bargains and freebies, the 302 May be there another year or two, and it's not like I don't have some piece of junk or another laying around I could make one from.
 
If it were me, I'd fabricate a shield from cardboard that fits in the space and leaves room for changes... Just to see what it looks like.

Thing is: It's does [not] in any way, have to be sealed. There just needs to be positive airflow from the front so that hot wash stays away from the inlet.

I think it could be pretty minimalist :chin
 
If it were me, I'd fabricate a shield from cardboard that fits in the space and leaves room for changes... Just to see what it looks like.

Thing is: It's does [not] in any way, have to be sealed. There just needs to be positive airflow from the front so that hot wash stays away from the inlet.

I think it could be pretty minimalist :chin
I should make it from a part from/for another car to keep the theme with this cold air intake going. The plenum is from a Jeep Grand Cherokee, the tube's listed application is Honda Civic/Acura Integra, and the filter came from a Procharger supercharger kit for a 4.6 4V. :rlaugh:
 
My friend Kenneth, who previously gave me the Tremec, all of the associated parts, and the air filter for my CAI, gave me a set of pedal pads and a billet radiator cap on my last night working at Carmax. I've been trying to get him to join the forum and show all of you his INSANE 2004 Mach 1 for the better part of three years. I'm going to send him this update, so everyone say hi to Kenneth!
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Time for bling! Wait, where did my coolant go, and what is this :poo:? I guess a flush and pressure test is in my future.
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But DAYUM, don't that cap look good????
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Stopped by NAPA on the way home and picked up that other hose clamp.
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So now the CAI is complete except for a mount and shield. The kit came with some aluminium pieces for mounting, and I quickly figured out how they could work using a factory hole, but I'd rather the CAI be mounted to the engine so it moves with it instead of being mounted to the body. So while this would be easy, it's not happening. I found a use for the aluminium though!
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Hi Kenneth!!

I have a buddy with an 04 Mach that I've asked a few times to join the site, but I don't think he has. He was on the SVTperformance forum, but it looks like he hasn't been active there for a while either. The blue Mustang in my old avatar was his Mach and here is a pic he has on that other site. I haven't talked with him in about a year, but the last I talked to him he was debating on trading the Mach for something new and different. I'm hoping he hasn't - his car is super nice!!

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