spridgets
[Top] [All Lists]

Midget activity

To: spridgets <spridgets@autox.team.net>
Subject: Midget activity
From: "William M. Gilroy" <wmgilroy@lucent.com>
Date: Mon, 08 Feb 1999 00:09:13 -0500
Organization: Lucent Technologies
Reply-to: "William M. Gilroy" <wmgilroy@lucent.com>
Sender: owner-spridgets@autox.team.net
Not very much happening with my Midget.  Works has been very
slow over the last couple of weeks, I hurt my lower back
(and for such a young guy) and it is taking a long time to heal.
I used to heal a lot faster when I was younger, oh well.  Here is
what I have done so far, since xmas.  I purchased an engine to replace
my tired one.  Then I hurt my back and the engine rode around in
the trunk of my nissan for at least a month.  Made for a funky
tilt toward the trunk :-)  Since I don't have an engine lift and
I would need one several times, I was thinking about buying one,
but a friend of mine had an extra chain hoist, so I swapped a 
1.2GB disk drive for the hoist.  Computer parts are like produce,
the older they get, the less valuable they become.  In a couple of
years the disk drive would only be good for a door stop.  Then I had
to figure out how to hang the hoist.  Since I don't trust the rafters
in my cheap attic I tried the following.  I looked in a couple of
salvage yards for a 12 foot 4" I beam.  None to be found.  I did
find a 4" pipe in a scrap yard in freehold.  I went there to look
around and the guy running the place told me to look on a pile of 
scrap in the back of the yard.  Told me twice not to climb on it.
Hell, I didn't want to get to near it. The pile was about 50 foot
high with very steep sides.  I figured if that thing fell down I
would be toast.  So I found an 8' 4" pipe right on the ground.  
Only problem is that sucker must weight about 80 pounds.  Took
it anyway, as it was the best thing I could find.  I then ran
2 2x4s across my garage ceiling. Then I screwed 4 more 2x4s 
between the ones that ran across the ceiling.  These were set just
far enough apart to fit in a 2x8 that I would run from the floor to
the ceiling.  I then cut holes in the 2x8 to accept the pipe and 
then placed the 2x8s between the 2x4s on the ceiling.  I also
added a deck hanger on the 2x4s on the ceiling and drilled a hole
though the 2x8 and the deck hanger.  This is just to prevent the
2x8 from tipping front to back.  I placed the pipe in the 2 holes in
the 2x8 and then hung my chain hoist from the pipe. The cost to me
was about $30 and an afternoon to find and assemble all the pieces.
Of course the next day I saw an engine lift in the price club for 
$160.  I then used my fine setup to take the engine out of my 
Nissan, and I think I heard it breath a sigh of relief when I lifted
the engine out.  I also screwed  a couple of 2x6s together and placed
them on 4 casters.  This is used to move the engine around the
garage.   Make it very simple to move the engine when I have to,
which is important in a small garage.  Now if the machinist will
ever finish the head I gave to him, I will be quite happy.
Next task include swapping the engines, replacing the front shocks
and bushings, and installing a new hood on the car.  Should keep me
busy until St. Paddys day.  Sorry about the length of the post,
I didn't mean to be so long winded, must be the Irish in me :-)

-------
Bill Gilroy
77 Midget
90 Shar-Pei

<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>
  • Midget activity, William M. Gilroy <=