Wednesday, August 31, 2005 - Definitly Takin' my big blue bOx to Ojibwe

I should have started posting day by day updates on the status of my box truck. In the begining it was dealing with dealing with Jasper to warrenty the thing. Well, actually in the beginning it was limping the thing back from Canada.

Jasper finally decided that the pump burning out (though I'm still not lucid on the inner workings of a automatic tranny, Why is everyone so caught up on converting torque? I like my torque as it is thank you.) is covered under warrenty.

They chose a shipping company that still uses mules and carrages, because it took weeks for the new tranny to arrive, and then they forgot to put pices in with it. One piece holds the shifter cable stable allowing one to shift. That seems to have been the biggest problem.

With no shifting, there is certanly no road testing, you can't put the fluid in, because you have to run through the gears to get an accurate fluid level read.

I was wondering why every tim I called up the secretary said they hadn't put the fluid in, that's all he said they had to do, put the fluid in. I asked him how much fluid, he said 28 liters, I should have known something was up.

Last night I dropped by. I've been crapping myself thinking that these guys arn't going to get my box done for Ojibew. Maine wasn't too bad, only a 4 hour drive, but I'd hate to do 30 with no spares, and no espresso maker. That's when I learned the real reason we were waiting, that shifter clip. 2 minutes, and 1 hoseclamp later the truck was shifting like a champ. That's rally-friggen-engeneering.

Well, park was still a little rough, but the mechanic drive back and forth, and that seemed to solve the problem. However, the overdrive light was still flashing. So, the truck gets jacked up, the something plug gets forced in, and the flashing stops. That's when Alex, the mechanic, notices the leak. 20 minutes later he emerges with a freshly broken banjo bolt. Now he's on a mission to get her finished (I can't use git-er-dun now that's it a nascar copyright).

Now it is thursday. I really hope I'll be taking my big blue box truck to Ojibwe.

Truck is done, See you at the MOA, and the Headwaters of the Mississippi.


That's pretty much the story. Maine Moose Rally? We stank. 2 Flat tires put us into 9th place. Ole and I lost 4 minutes trying to change 1 stinking flat. The jack got stuck, the lugs got stuck. It was only because of the high attrition that we broke into the top 10.

The second flat tore off our left fender and bumper, but they were so beat up before hand that I already had a painted set ready to go. The Box truck's tranny is fixed, and should have been in a week ago, but the guys doing it have been dragging their asses. Anyway, Dannii would be ready to go by now except for the bits that are locked away in the truck.

Kylie's motor is not done yet. That motor has been away since Rim, May. MAY. We should have it back by next month. I was hopeing to shake the engine down at Ojibwe, but it will have to wait untill Ste-Agate, hopefully. Woah, a friggin wasp just flew by my head! Eve will be going to Brian's to paint tomorow, and My sister is coming on monday to design Kylie's new cloths.

Speaking of Kylie, I had to search all over Boston to find it, but I finally got another copy of "Light Years," which Ole had stolen. I also picked up a couple of singles, "Giving you up" and "I believe in you," I think they're called. Really good stuff, I highly recommend them.

Finally I have to give a shout out to Pat who I met at the wicked big subaru meet, and who made the effort to drive up to Maine Moose Rally. Hey.