Fenders, Lights - ACTION!: 1/24/2003

OK, finally we have working headlights, running lights, tail lamps and license plate light.

After wiring the headlamps and getting the fenders to fit (more or less) I decided to throw some wheels on and attempt a small maiden voyage around the block.

	As you can see, the bonnet has not yet been installed, as I am awaiting the delivery of a tie-bar that connects the inner front fender brackets.
	On stands with no wheels, the underside looks tidy.
	Under the rear end.
	Right rear fender, took only 3 hours to fit.....
	Bumper, tail lamps, and spare finally up off of the floor and shelves....

After putting the wheels back on and dropping the car back down I thought I would just fire it up and hit the road for a very short run just to make sure most of the major components were working. I pulled the starter, (anxious to get going) only to hear a single slow crank. I had been testing the lights and a bunch of other things since it last ran.... so I threw the charger on, and waited. Later I came back, pulled the starter, and got the same "click - whuuuuhh" and then nothing - until I noticed smoke wafting off of a ground wire from the wiring harness near the voltage regulator. I shut it down and thought about what had changed since I had hooked up the lights. After some investigating, (and a call to O'Connor Classics) I realized that the same ground wire that had been "warm" was connected to the dash. It turns out that I had not properly isolated the second wire for the generator light from the dash. (Which also explained why that light had not been working during our previous motor tests.) With that fixed, the car cranked over and started right away. Of course by this time it was getting dark - but being the smart and patient person that I am, I figured - "hell - the lights work - I'm going."

For me, the "maiden around the block voyage" was a mixture of nervous excitement and sheer terror all mixed together. This was the first time the car would turn a wheel under its own power in over 30 years.... I could see myself getting stuck a block from home on a busy street downhill from "the shop." The car ran fine, didn't shake or rattle, the gearbox was perfect and felt great.... I do need to bleed the brakes again - the pedal feel is a bit soft, but in all everything was fine- until I tried the panel light switch and the wire between the light switch and the panel switch went up in smoke. That is fixed now and all the lights work (no more small fires!)

Below are the "post drive" photos. After these were shot, I have installed the running board chrome. What is left? Front bumper, bonnet, finishing the striker alignment for the doors, sorting out the sending unit in the gas tank, and the hood (top) and sidecurtains.....