Thursday, April 30, 2009

Getting my hands dirty



Well, I rearranged the stuff in the garage. I wont be able to park in there now, but I have plenty of room to work on Penny. :)
The particular nut that gave me problems before is really stripped bad. I think there's another way to get it off -- the other side is attached to something ... I'll have to get a picture of it, but it's part of the removal of the drive axles.
If that fails, maybe I can cut the nut off or something ... appreciate any help or advice on this one.

Thoughts and figures

OK if I read my electric bill right it's about 0.103c /kWh
Going with 0.44 kWh / mile (have no idea) x 0.103 / kWh = 4.5cents/mile
I read you also should add +3.3c/mile battery replacement so = 7.8c/mile

My current car is rated at 18mpg City / 26mpg Hwy (wow, didn't know it was that bad!) so let's go with 22mpg...
0.0454 gal/mi. x $1.95/gal (current price) = 8.8cents/mi.
at $3/gal = 13.6cents/mi.

If you add oil say $30/oil change x 4 times a year x 12,000mi. = 1cent/mile
so that + filters/etc.

Hmmm... do these figures sound right? I might be off a bit on my kWh price depending on how you're supposed to read the bill (they bill me for water/electric/trash all on the same bill).

I also called around some shops to see what the cost for pulling the engine would be like. I don't want to give up or take the easy way out but I also want to make progress on this.
Well, I found someone who owns their own shop and quoted me $45/hr for labor and said he thought he could remove the engine in about 4 hours easily, but since the transmission wouldn't have any support, I'd have to have it towed back to my house.
Interesting... Also can't have the engine just sitting there so I'll have to convince one of my friends to let me borrow their truck and drop it off at a salvage place or something.

Anyone want to buy a Ford Probe engine? :)

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

This project is still alive.

I know. I haven't been around or saying anything. Truth is, I really don't have money for this right now. I intend to change that. Stay tuned.

When I started the project, my Dad was also helping me. He's since moved to Minnesota, so I find tearing apart a massive, heavy object somewhat intimidating, but I can't let that stop me. :)
I also had plans to offset the cost by having a roommate (my Dad, or more recently another individual), but that too isn't working out.
I'll have to find a way to budget this thing. :)

I plan to post soon some calculations on the total cost of the vehicle, technical specs on how far it could actually go and how fast/etc., how much money I'll be saving and all that.

Now and then my coworkers and friends ask, "So what are you going to do with that car?" or "What have you been doing...?" Hopefully next time I'll have something to say. :)