As Steven remarked, it’s a good thing the Fish didn’t make it last year, because we weren’t ready for the scale and scope of issues we’d be facing once we got here. Among the problems identified and solved:

- The suspension needed modification (by Dennis, of course) to hold even the seven people we ideally like to put into it.

- The carb had to be modified to not spill gas into the throttle body when tilted further than its once pedestrian existence permitted.

- There’s not enough juice. The alternator attached to this engine was never designed for the 12v load we put on it.

As a result of that last little tidbit, the car died all the way across the playa last night. Matt hiked back to get a charged 12v to get the car home, and then this morning the playa engineering division went to work. Our generator has been wired right into the car, delivering serious auxilliary juice to the lights and sound. The Fish is brighter, louder, and more reliable now, thanks to the work of men like Dennis, Steven, and Brian.

… until it breaks again, as these things always do.

Categories: Stuff  |  Author: Formica
No Comments »