Let’s see…the last time I wrote was the day I almost got t-boned in the ZX2.

Since then, lot’s has happened.
1.) The ZX2 finally died completely. Transmission went.
2.) Project B289959 has made a lot of progress.
3.) Operation Hitchcock is well under way; results still unknown.
4.) Operation Kingpin is on the drawing board.
5.) Testing of the Mobile RAID Media Controller has begun.
6.) Lynch replaced the 99 ZX2 with a 98 Escort SE.
7.) Project B289959 hit a possibly major snag, possibly impairing Operation Kingpin.
8.) I attempted to quit smoking and failed horribly.

So, that’s the last few days in a nutshell.

So, on the way home, I’m chugging along in what’s left of Lynch’s ZX2 going about 30 coming up to a green light. Now, one figures when a light is green, you shouldn’t have to stop. Thankfully, I have no faith in other people stopping and always look.

So, I’m coming up to the light, and all of a sudden I see headlights flying towards me from the right. I pretty much knew something was wrong, and instinct led to fully applying the brakes and yanking the parking brake up and trying to drift right onto the same road the car is coming from instead of going through the intersection. Good thing instinct kicked in, because the other car decided to blow the light going upwards of 60, in the middle of town, in a 25. Now, I didn’t get broadsided thankfully or I probably wouldn’t be writing this, because there’s no way the ZX2 would even be recognizable after getting hit like that. Not getting hit wasn’t the only problem though. Not having a front right brake sent me out of control. The rear end went up in the air, and then going into a 90 degree turn at 30 sent the front right side up in the air too. So, I was left with 1 tire on the ground. Not really a fun situation to be in, but thankfully the car landed fairly quickly again. In the end, I lived and the ZX2 lived, so all is well.

I figured I was going to get pulled over. The cop was camping out in a driveway behind a tree, so I had no idea he was there. Disclaimer: I’m using this as a theoretical situation, & not actually saying I was committing any infractions. I was going probably 37 in the 25, and rolled the stop sign. He pulls out, but doesn’t turn his lights on, & just rides my ass for 5 blocks and leaves me be.

Camping in driveways behind trees should not be allowed…

Well, at least I blame Windows. Not exactly sure how this even happened, but the picture says it all…

You read correctly, it’s almost done. I haven’t updated the status page over the last few days, but I just did, so it’s up to date.

What’s all gone on in the last few days.

I finished pulling apart everything that needs to come off minus the oil pan. Saving that messy job for another day. I inspected the valve train, and all looks perfect actually. The old dead alternator is out finally too. That wasn’t easy at all.

What’s left to do:
Change the fuel filter
Put new plugs in (still undecided as to what I’m putting in)
Reassemble the engine
Replace the front tires after getting them off somehow
Replace both inner tie rods and the passenger side outer tie rod
Do the alignment
Reattach the one running board
New fluids

That’s about it actually