Success: the photo of the engine below is of the car running for the first time in at least a month. I finally got the new gas tank in and added fuel thanks to a filtering funnel provided by the trusty neighbor.

Need to get it out there again soon so I can play around with the other lenses and films I picked up later last night.

Whatever I did with the car, no matter what, these glasses were to remain with it.

They were, in his humble opinion (and now in mine as well), part of the car’s history. So here it is… these came with the car, whose name is quickly leaning toward becoming Magdalene. Fitting for the 60s era bifocals, and perfect irony for the car’s plates, which begin with 666.

I have accomplished a few items on the car. A few weekends ago I drained the gas tank and pulled it from the car. I put the car in the garage and began pulling off parts.

Close inspection yields several areas of surface rust, several more than I remember seeing upon original inspection. I started sanding down the roof and the passenger door last weekend and it’s going well thus far. After bursting a few rust bubbles it has also become apparent that I’ll definitely need Bondo in a few places. I also discovered rust just above the rear driver-side window under the rain guard.

I am still torn as to whether I should do the body repairs that need to be done, restore the gas tank, lube the clutch, tighten the e-brake, fix the shifter and leave it at that for now, or if I should do a full restore. A big part of me wants to do the former. Eventually, I’d like to get a second 2002 or 1600 that’s in slightly better shape so I have one to drive around while the 1600 gets the full restore, but that won’t happen until Andi and I move further into the country and have room for such toys.

Jim recommended getting a circular sander for the rust, so that’s on my list of items to research. I’m quickly coming to find that (at least so far), a big cost of restoration is the tools to execute it.

Here’s a list of tools I’ll need sooner or later…
- Circular sander
- Jack and jack stands
- Pressure bleeder

I can’t really proceed until I get these items, although I’ve been contemplating restoring the Roundels (i.e. the circular BMW symbols that go behind the rear windows, on the hood and on the back panel). I could use a quick project success. That would motivate me to tackle a big dirty project like the gas tank. Yuck.

Rhonda came by yesterday and we took her Mini Cooper for a spin. I stalled it out a few times, but did pretty well overall. Realization: It’s a mix of me and the car. It’s me in that I’m too nervous to stall out the BMW as it’s old and I’m afraid it won’t start. It’s the car in that the clutch does stick.

I think I’m left with no choice: I need to cave. I didn’t want to do this, as I was hoping to enjoy the car for a few months before garaging it, but I don’t think that’s a possibility.

I put in some Seafoam yesterday morning to clean out the carbs and everything else down there, but that dislodged some gunk and now it’s leaking what I can only assume is oil. Haven’t checked this morning, so I hope it stopped or at least slowed.

Caving means a new laundry list of items to tackle. Hopefully I can keep it garaged for a few months then have it back out on the street without tackling the full rebuild. We’ll see…

Here’s the list:
- Lube the clutch
- Fix the oil leak
- Generate a new door/trunk key
- Begin rust rehab
- Start the interior restoration

Today, I posted for the first time over at BMW 2002 FAQ. I posed a question about troubleshooting a sticky clutch, but I think most people may overlook it due to my tendency to be slightly “long-winded” in my writing. Either way, it’s a project for another day; perhaps next weekend.

One exciting feature at BMW 2002 FAQ is the quantity of posts about parts. Looks like they do quite a few exchanges, which is good for me as there are a few items I wouldn’t mind picking up.

Here are a few items I’ll need eventually:
- Trunk (or warp fix)
- Hood (or warp fix)
- Center dash console (holds radio, including the shifter boot)
- Replacement seat covers and filling (front and back)
- Carpeting

A guy down in Seattle has a few of the items, including a few spare 4-speed transmissions, but he wants to sell it as a whole and I just can’t front that amount of cash and that much garage space right now.

I’m slowly coming to the realization that I may need to put the 1600 in the garage before I can play with it… at least to tackle the clutch issue and the gas tank. Oh well…

After spending about half an hour trying to figure out how to disconnect the spark plug wires, I realized I just wasn’t pulling hard enough (for fear of breaking them). Once done, I swung over to Lowes and picked up an extension for my socket wrench and a deep 5/8″ socket and I was ready to work. Half an hour later, spark plugs were replaced.

I finished the project about two minutes before Jim next door returned from the Farmers’ Market. He came over for the first firing, and boy did she sound nice with all four cylinders going. With a little pull on the manual choke, the idle hit the right note and damn! There’s a reason people love BMW 2002s, but my little 1600 suits me just as well.

A few hours later, I fired her up again with plans to take a slow spin around the neighborhood a few times, but I noticed the clutch sticking to the floor when I put it in reverse and figured I better hold off a bit.

Jim had also recommended replacing the fuel filter as mine is coated in rust from that gas tank problem I’ve got. A brief stint of research and I have my next few projects lined up:

1. Flush the transmission and replace the fluid, including the clutch fluid.
2. Replace the fuel filter.
3. Eventually get around to pulling the gas tank and giving it a full overhaul.
4. While the tank is out, disassemble the passenger side door, pull the lock to have a key made, and reassemble (including attaching the rear view mirror which is sitting in a box in my garage).
5. Begin tackling the body rust.
6. Pull off the passenger fender and pound out the dent, clean up the rust, and reassemble with a blinker the previous owner included.

Lots to do. Eventually, I’d love to give the entire car an overhaul, but for now I just want it in a condition I can enjoy.

I found this video on YouTube of a 1600 at a retro rally in Europe, and boy do I love how the car looks with that dull white paint and black bumpers. Maybe I’ll try to mimic the look…

The first of many projects on my new 1968 BMW 1600 is to repair the fuel tank. Pop open the trunk and you’ll quickly catch the scent of gasoline. Run the car for any lengthy period of time and the same odor permeates throughout the vehicle. Pop the trunk and remove the liner over the gas tank and you’ll see there are light areas of surface rust in a few spots on top of the tank. The back section appears damp, hence the leak.

The key reason this is the first project is that I need to get the car into the garage, and I’m not comfortable keeping it in there with the gas leak — especially now that we’re in the middle of summer and the garage is often sweltering. I need to get the car in the garage because of the next project, the roof. There are a few areas of rust up there that need attention sooner than later.

To my limited knowledge, based on light research and a discussion with the neighbor, I will need to do the following:

1. Siphon all gas from the tank.
2. Remove the tank, as noted in steps 1-7 on the 02restoration site.
3. Clean the tank as best as possible (not quite sure how I’ll do this yet, although I found some info on a VW restoration site).
4. Take steel wool to the exterior areas of rust and rub it down to bare metal.
5. Seal the inside of the tank.
6. Paint the exterior of the tank

My neighbor noted there was a sealant that would plug a pinhole from rust, which is likely what I have. He said it would also help keep it from rusting quickly again. What this product is, where I can purchase it, and how it apply it… I have yet to find out.

Here are a few shots of the tank in its current state.

In the first photo, you can see a wet area toward the bottom. It’s clearer in the second shot. That appears to be gasoline that has leaked from the tank. The neighbor took a look and said I likely have a pin hole leak somewhere. Based on a little research, it sounds like it would be near the seal where the tank is bolted into the trunk.

These next two shots show some of the surface rust on top of the tank, which I’ll tackle as well. Once done, I’ll clean the area where the tank sits before reinstalling it.

You can’t see it too well, but the rear wheelhouses and shock towers are immaculate. From what I’ve read, these tend to be major rust areas on 1600s and 2002s.

So I went for it, that 1968 BMW 1600 I mentioned a few posts back. I made the decision a few weeks ago and have since been working with the previous owner to cover the logistics of transporting the vehicle from his place to mine. There it was, chugging along as it approached the house this morning. Title transferred, cash exchanged hands, and we were set. I have a new car, a working, running, driving project. Something I’ve wanted since I was 12.

I’ve decided to dedicate a substantial portion of this blog to the work in progress that is my 1600. It is to be the documentation of the work I’ve done. I being one who, at this point, doesn’t really know much about fixing up or restoring cars. Futhermore, I haven’t driven a manual in upwards of 12 years, and when I did drive one, I only drove it a handful of times so I’m basically learning from scratch. I’ve already discovered that first gear isn’t happy with me. Probably user error.

There are a few items I must tackle in the near future, and they are as follows:

1. Minor fuel tank leak. This produces a strong stench of gas throughout the trunk that seeps into the interior when driving at low speeds (not sure about high speeds, as I haven’t taken it out on the main road yet for fear of stalling). Once parked, it drops about five to ten drips before stopping. I found a note discussing the issue on a 2002 restoration site. As most parts can be interchanged with that model, I think it’s a good start.

2. Roof rust. There are two or three spots on the roof that have exposed metal and rust, and one or two spots with bubbling paint. I need to sand these areas down, possibly apply (I believe) bondo in the worst of places, smooth it all out, primer it, and paint it. My neighbor Jim, who is in the process of rebuilding a Fiat Spider in his garage, recommended a product that changes the rust to primer. I’ll have to ask him what that product is. The areas will still need a bit of work before I get to that point though.

3. Various interior pieces. The car is pretty near complete in terms of parts. The one item missing is the center console between the driver and passenger seats under the dash. This houses the air conditioner (I believe), which to my knowledge came as an option in the car. It also holds the radio. Following suit, there are no speakers in the back, although the car is wired for speakers. The seats are in pretty bad condition, but again all parts are there. They need new filling and new covers, though. The seat belts are awful, although they’re standard for the model. The previous owner believed there was a conversion kit available that would replace the stock belts with some more modern and up to today’s standards (or close to them).

So, this is my first post as the owner of the car. As I go along, if any of you stumble across the site and have recommendations, feel free to drop me a note. Like I said, I’m new to all of this, so there will be a lot of learning as I go and any constructive thoughts or ideas will be appreciated. What I know at this point is that my plan is to keep it stock and as much an original as possible.

I’ve been hooked on the new AMC series Rubicon, the first episode of which has not yet even aired. I’ve watched the 48-minute sneak preview of episode one on Hulu twice and I’m watching it on Comcast On Demand as I type.

There are a few things Rubicon is doing right, and it’s the same things that have made their other dramatic series’ so popular. But before we get into that, I feel obligated to note that these photos were taken with best intention from the AMC website photo gallery featuring stills from the first episode.

First and foremost is acting.

It’s good; the cast is good, they have the proper expressions and demeanor. From the main characters to the one-off roles like a clerk or security guard. No one half-asses it. Ever. Good directing wouldn’t let them. And it is that precise reason why I’m getting turned off to select shows I’ve been following casually on USA (Royal Pains and Burn Notice). Comedy, drama, romance, action; it doesn’t matter what the genre, bad acting is inexcusable. The acting in Rubicon takes it to the next level.

David, pictured above, is plagued by superstition. This quirky flaw makes his character interesting, drawing the viewer in. Will Travers, the lead character, is an insanely brilliant code breaker for David’s intelligence-based think-tank. He lost his wife and child in the attacks on 9/11. We feel for Will because we can understand the emotions of that tragic day. His facial expressions, David’s consistent avoidance of the supernatural plagues that could-be, these things are fascinating.

And it’s not just the main characters. Miles Fiedler’s character appears to have mild anxiety complex backed by hints of anti-social behavior and possibly even Asperger’s. Kale Ingram is a mysterious character whose position above David makes the viewer question his loyalties, while wondering if he plays a bigger part in a happenstance such as David’s death, if he truly has died. Mystery surrounds Rubicon, and for that it makes it easy to return for more.

Second is the music. Heavy, tension-filled strings cover the moments when Will is in deep thought. The dimension music plays is important in a series.

Take for example the scene where Will visits Maggie Young well after midnight after discovering David’s car parked in spot #13, something he would never do due to immense superstition. In this moment, the music is dominant as Will sits watching the bay. The next moment he’s at the office speaking with Maggie and there is complete silence. Original score is imperative to great television. A score like this fits with the series, is made for the series, and it consciously added at the proper moments.

Do you want to know why I’ve watched the sneak previous of Rubicon three times already and will likely watch each episode multiple times? Because the acting is par none and the score gets me every time.

These same reasons are why I continue going back to Arrested Development and Fringe, two very different shows that are both very, very good.

We got chickens about two months ago. Andi saw how cute they were at her parents’ house and she thought it would be fun to raise a few. Plus we’d have a consistent supply of tasty eggs. We got four.

Turns out one of them was a rooster; the white Polish one. Poor guy has had it rough from the start. The ladies kept picking on him. They gave him a hefty bald spot, pecking the feathers out of his head.

Then, the other day I returned home and noticed him limping. Upon further inspection, the head pecking had returned in full force due to this new injury and the poor guy’s scalp was bleeding and swollen. We isolated him and brought him inside. Iodine went on his head and we made him a nice warm bed in a giant blue plastic container.

Two days passed and Mr. Rooster is still struggling. His leg is no better and Andi thinks he has Marek’s Disease, which is apparently fairly common in birds, and is somewhere (oddly enough) between herpes and cancer. It causes varying degrees of paralysis (leg, wing, neck), blindness, lack of appetite, and facilitates the growth of tumors.

I checked on him this morning and while I was holding out hope for it to just be a sprain, I’m starting to think she is right. After all, she is amazingly good at diagnosing these sort of things.

Today she’ll be taking him to the vet, and he/she may ultimately put him down. I guess that means I’ll leave you, and him, with this:

RIP Mr. Rooster: Sometime in March or April, 2010 to July 3, 2010.