Since the hoist was on-hand to set the bandsaw on its stand, it was used to pull the engine. The chassis is complete enough that it can come off the table. Unfortunately, dismantling the table leaves the tubing (stored on a hanging rack below the table) with no home; guess it’ll go in the rafters. The table is a beast, 2 x 6 lumber, two MDF surfaces, glued and screwed together, probably around 300 lbs. There’s no way it’s coming apart nicely – might need the chainsaw.
Anyhow, the chassis will sit on sawhorses, making access much easier, though things such as tipping the chassis over to get at the bottom become a bit dicey. How to proceed is a bit unclear:
1. Finish the chassis, cut and drill the panels, then finish the electrical, dash, brakes, clutch, reinstall the drivetrain, then drive down the road and back. Then, completely disassemble it for paint, repeating assembly once it’s back.
Or:
2. Finish the chassis, cut and drill the panels, and go straight to paint. When it comes back, <em>then</em> finish the electrical, dash, brakes, clutch, reinstall the drivetrain, get it tuned, and be done.
At the moment, the second approach seems more efficient because the engine, wiring, brake, and clutch system are installed only once. With Kimini, the first approach was used, ensuring that every bracket and hole was in place. The second approach is faster and can be just as good, but there’s a chance of missing a hole or bracket, meaning the painted chassis would have to be drilled or welded.
Then there’s the fuel map. Disassembling the engine today revealed evidence that it’s running very rich, the exhaust system contained a <em>lot</em> of raw fuel. Too much fuel washes oil off the cylinder walls, causing trouble with the rings. It seems wise to have the engine tuned before driving it, though this alone doesn’t decide which approach to use. Still, at the moment, #2 is looking faster.
In other news, I asked my brother if he was ever going to finish painting his Stalker. He said that at the moment there’s no point. His rear fenders are badly sand-blasted by grit kicked up by the front tires. Maybe I’ll use the side vents as shields.