What I tell you three times is true.....

The oil cooler hose talked to Hakan three times.

In an earlier blogg Hakan celebrated the completion of the oil cooler installation.
One part he didn't tell that clearly and precise about was his three times visit to Hydroscand.

They are very service minded and can help you with a lot, but that was not the reason why Hakan went there three times. He needed at least three tries to get one oil cooler hose to the right length.

With a slight worry that they would meet him with a too big smile, 

Hakan enters Hydroscand the third time with his hose.

The long shadow from him seems to follow him on a distance... 

not wanting to be a part of this third time. 

Oh, this could have been done in a more efficient way!

 like measuring there times instead of cutting there times...

The shadow has disapeared and is no longer with him....  

-You see it's still too long, Hakan explain s in a charmfull way...could you make it shorter...please...
- Is it the same hose again? the technician replayed.
- You have a lot in storage, Hakan noted.

Plenty of parts...

Cutting is easy, almost like measuring...

Clamping the new end on the hose.

Paying! Well worth it and a good price....you see the remains of a big smile.

Now, on a normal sales staff level.

Epilogue

Hakan came back to the garage tried the hose .... and yes, it was shorter and closer to fit, but instead of cutting a forth time Hakan moved the cooler position. (In his opinion to a much better position). Hakan claims that he's an educated and experienced engineer, which is the case! But when it comes to the oil cooler hose, that's not what he practiced....but it was a fun day!

The Beast is Getting Strong every day...We're on the move using a fast taming mode!

If  you're determined, and I mean really determined, you'll come to a make-it-or-break-it point. When it time to cut the crap and prove the concept. Big talk is over, the beer and coffee is consumed, it time to get going.  For Salt Slush Racing, this Saturday was the day.

Here we are. Focused as can be. There was silence in air. Rain was expected any minute and thunder could be heard from a distance. The  Amazon heart was pounding a somewhat uneven and the bare bone race machine was on the street. The oil and blood pressure was raising.

The first release from the cage (the workshop) under its own power.

First stumbling drive, very gentle and still very early tuning (almost no tuning)

Work has now started to move in to the next phase...the reach for speed

You got a first notion of the upcoming salt fever ! It's fantastic and no cure can be found.

Meanwhile, inside the workshop kitchen, while the exhaust thunder was roaring outside, Carina, (dresses in her Speed Shop best) and Linnea prepared  Dr. Mabuse type of food experiments which they tested on hungry, hard working (!) car guys. 

 

Remark: We're not talkin beef or burgers, we're talking Falafel, a medival type of vegetarian dish,

Kalle and the beast, happy as can be.

 Carina and Linnea tested the falafel's on Magnus. And yes, he survived, but he's more in to beef, burgers and bare bones.

The tank, The challenge, The toothache and the headache ....

I don't know why, but the making of the big coolant tank has been an uphill struggle.

From other projects in my life, I'm used to deal with (versus my capability) huge challenges, extremely tight timelines and still be able to come out of it in a good way.

The coolant tank became rather good...ok, I know... I wouldn't qualify for the big name, high quality hot rod shops, but still it's done. It took a lot of time and interfered with other priorities like my C10, my wife's -69 Camaro, and plain normal daily work.

How did it all come together eventually? It all stared with piece of Carina's delicious blueberry black & current pie with some vanilla custard. As always, very good.

A small piece left for Magnus when he arrives for the Salt Slush night shift.

I needed to make some holes to enable the tank to be filled with ice at the race. Round hole in aluminium is easier than thick hardened steel, but still, you need patience and good tools.

Patience pays off.

First hole done...

And Yes! The lid (a marine part) fits like a glow or like a beer after hard work in the sun. You know what I mean.

TADA! The tank is connected, with the big lid and the ice feading holes. 

Solid tank fixation has to be done.

The relief pictured!

My garage friends have had a lot of fun on my expense while I was doing the tank. The slow progress, the enormous resistance from my side to get it done was all very amusing. Now they will have to find other challenges in order to hunt me down.

Sometimes a Cigar is just a Cigar....

Gothenburg is back, back to the normal grey and gloomy weather. Rain is pouring down and the cold summer wind is blowing when the sky is not just deadly grey. 

Luckily, Salt Slush is vaccinated against boredom. Who gave us the injection? None of us remember, but it must have been good stuff. Because we're prepared for indoor activity.

The headline statement applies. Magnus has fabricated a crucial in and out connection.

The oil cooler is finally in position. How many hydraulic hose I made? I don't want to reveal mistakes, but here's clue; A good thing are three...

What's this? Well, you've got to pump it up to get going... 

... and all the veins are now in place. 

We're soon ready for the first step.

There's not just heart and lust in our wild Amazon. Superego is now in place as well.



Nala and the Suburban fever

Where is my Suburban ! I want it back !

A few months ago we wrote about a friend who was convinced to buy a Suburban !

It was Nala, The Mastiff Puppy that was the trigger for Marcus to buy a Suburban. Nala visited the garage yesterday (no chewing marks on the Sajo Milling machine after she left)

She's presently around 15 kg but she will land on around 65 - 70 kg.

Unfortunately, Marcus has some issues with his Suburban and it's now at the workshop for a transmission repair.

Therefore Nala felt an enormous longing for a Suburban and what is better than having a smell and a look at Håkan & Carinas Black Big Block Suburban

Nala, here in Suburban missing mode!

Hakan heavily encouraged by Nalas visit, felt that he hade improve his Suburban. Out with the old leaking hydroboost unit and in with a another one from Osby amazing junkyard.

Carina supervising Hakans work and helping him when he's messing things up.

Empty no leaking hydroboost unit

A Hydroboost unit from Osby junkyard

Carina doing some of the tricky under-the-dash-work focusing on the 5 minute to 2 hour brake pedal clip removal.

Nala enjoying a Suburban moment and a Suburban improvement.

What's on here mind? Soon mine will be back!

Working Nine to Five! Service and Devotion!

Tumble out of bed

and stumbled to the workshop

 poured myself cup of the good hope 

not to yawn and stretch

but to get Adrenaline!

 

Drove out on the street

Where The Schenker man was howling 

while I was trying to get out of my morning mess.

  

But the Service and Devotion from race team members

made me think

that we're in to something special  

that will be really really nice.... 

 

After I made some turbo delivery workout, Carina immediately started to assemble all the turbos that had to be shipped away. 

Kalle was doing precision lathing using his left hand only.

Remark: His not left-handed. Did he call a friend for the next step? Or can he do advanced workshop work with his left hand? 

I concentrated on creating high pressure hoses to and from the oil cooler. I made two. One did fit, the other one not. Stupid of me? Yes. Time for harakiri or at least a stressful moment? Nope.

  

I'm In the same boat with a lot of my Salt Slush friends who're

working 9 to 5

with the motto:

Measure once, cut twice.

 

 

 

 

Stop it! Cool down!

In all projects there are some special tasks that are almost magically repellant. Eventually those tasks might turn sour...if not...someone just steps in and heroically solves them smoothly.  

 

Today, we put a stop to one though topic as Magnus made magic moves...The rear brakes are now, designed, package and assembled. 

Salt Slush proudly present... The rear end brake caliper brackets!

The proud hero in person.

 Brackets in process.

How difficult can it be? Well, rather difficult actually. We almost wore out internet in our search after a disc brake, with a small diameter but with the correct (rather big) bolt pattern and the correct somewhat odd offset. Eventually we managed find calipers  suitable for the discs while...

...still enable us to fit to the 15'' Crager rims with a rather strange offset.

But now we're good! Celebration! 

Another component which its creator (Kalle) is referring to as The Wisdom Tooth (meaning the ice/water tank) is now in place and completed. Not yet fixed to the frame, but still, another Super Sunday Success.

Why this pic? Well, we're a bit proud, right here, right now that's why. Soon we'll lower the body and hit the road..eh, track.