Everyone must really be busy...

[BruceK]

...out having fun or doing stuff.  Because it's been like 38 hours since the last post on this site.

Me? I'm at the dog park.   Earlier I got up at dawn and went for a two hour motorcycle ride out in the country.  And later on, before it gets unbearably hot, I'm going to flush my Mini's cooling system and trial fit a new Chinese aluminum radiator. 

[94touring]

I've been hiking.

[MPlayle]

I've been moving apartments.

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[MiniDave]

I've been working on the Bug......

but like Bruce says - it's HOT!

I don't know what it is about these little A series engines, but they seem to make mud in their cooling systems - the engine in the Bug is supposed to be a fresh rebuild and it was full of thick brown crap, and that's despite me changing the coolant twice - so I'm gonna do like Bruce and flush the heck out of it before I put the radiator back in.

Bruce, remember the bolts in the sides of the Chineseum radiators are metric - 6mm, not 1/4-28

[94touring]

Run a phosphoric acid solution with distilled water through it.  Probably let it sit and do it's magic for a couple days.  Metal prep from the hardware store.

[MiniDave]

At what ratio water to acid?

[94touring]

Mmm I'd probably do 1:1 but as diluted as 3 parts water 1 part acid would work too.  I think the gallon bottle has recommended ratios.  I do 1:1 on shells. 

[gr8kornholio]

Bruce, I was thinking the same thing yesterday.  We were busy keeping cool with friends at the pool.

Dan, I'm guessing that's in CO?  Where about are you? 

Yea it's been hot, and next weekend I'm hoping to finally put some effort into my subframes.  Be fun with temps cresting the 100 mark. 

[94touring]

Estes Park in the national park.  Did 5-10 miles a day for 6 days.  Highest point was 12,200 feet.  11.5k and 7 hours in the pic I posted.

[gr8kornholio]

That's a pretty area and a lot of hiking.  Get caught by any weather?  It was chasing us around the north east our whole 2 weeks.  Either heat or downpours.  Of course heat up there is 90 so not bad for us. 

[tsumini]

Plotting my next move from couch to garage.

[BruceK]

Bruce, remember the bolts in the sides of the Chineseum radiators are metric - 6mm, not 1/4-28

I appreciate the heads-up, but my Chinese radiator uses the same shorty bolts that the MiniSpares 2-core uses.   I just got back from the hardware store where I got some shiny new bolts and I can confirm they are 1/4 28 fine.  And I bought the radiator from EBay you recommend in another thread.  They must have changed the specs.

[94touring]

The Chinese rad I just installed used standard mini hardware too.

Mark- mid 80s during the day and low 50s at night.  One day it went from 82 to light rain to hail to 55 in about 10 minutes.

[MiniDave]

Yep, that's summer in the Rockies......

[MiniDave]

Bruce, remember the bolts in the sides of the Chineseum radiators are metric - 6mm, not 1/4-28

I appreciate the heads-up, but my Chinese radiator uses the same shorty bolts that the MiniSpares 2-core uses.   I just got back from the hardware store where I got some shiny new bolts and I can confirm they are 1/4 28 fine.  And I bought the radiator from EBay you recommend in another thread.  They must have changed the specs.

They must know their market!

[gr8kornholio]

Definitely remember those weather days living there.  There was at least one day I remember started out sunny and low 70's and by night fall we had a foot of snow on the ground and temp was still dropping.  Love those nightly cool downs though. 

[MiniGene]

Crazy busy! I've been moving out of our house, shipping the classic mini, shipping the new Mini, shipping our household goods, and out-processing the AF.  Today (Sunday) is the first day in a while where we don't have anything to do.  The craziness picks back up again tomorrow

-Monday is more out-processing and clearing the house with the landlord (fingers crossed is goes well!)
-Tuesday is my final appointment with my commander and then running to get the dog her "fit to fly" certificate at the vet
-Wednesday is my final out-processing appointment on the base and then we have to drive 40 miles to drop the dog off at a kennel service that will get her to the airport
-Thursday we leave the UK, bound for San Diego! (and the rest of our lives-LOL!)

I need to get some pics posted that i snapped of the Minis at the shipping drop off points.

[MiniDave]

We'll be glad to have you home again!

Where/how will you live those last three days after all your stuff has left and you're still there? Hotel? Base temp housing?

I'll bet your bride will be happy to get settled once and for all......kids too.

My Ex married an army guy and they moved every three years as normal, my kids liked the adventure of it but regret they weren't able to have any long term friendships from when they were growing up. They've each been married 24 years now, so I guess they're making up for it!  ;D

I'm in the last throws of getting ready for a week vacation trip, the highlight of which will be my grandson's wedding next Saturday, but from the way the wife has been prepping the last month you'd think we were mounting an expedition to Everest! Hell, I bet we'd take less stuff on that trip!

I've been getting the car ready for the trip and the house ready to be gone (making sure things are locked up tight, put away and not leaking (came home from a trip once and just as the garage door opened I heard the washing machine cold water hose pop - sprayed water everywhere till I could get it shut off - now I shut off the main when we leave) , changed the oil in the Audi, checked all the fluids, aired up the tires, installed the car topper, did all my laundry and so on - I won't pack till Tues morning, she's been packed up for a week now!

[BruceK]

I've been working on the Bug......

but like Bruce says - it's HOT!

It is indeed too freakin hot.  It was 98F (38C) inside my garage yesterday afternoon with a heat index of 103.  Even with a fan blowing on me I couldn't keep comfortable.   It's cooler on the morning but the humidity is much higher.  In the afternoon the humidity goes down a little bit but the temperature goes up.  So it sucks either way.  I did get a ton of mud - as Dave calls it - out of my engine.  Took quite a lot of flushing for water to run clean.   Same with the heater which I flushed separately.    I was planning on working on my car today but it's just as hot.  I think I'll enjoy the great indoors instead.

[MiniGene]

We'll be glad to have you home again!

Where/how will you live those last three days after all your stuff has left and you're still there? Hotel? Base temp housing?

I'll bet your bride will be happy to get settled once and for all......kids too.

We're living in on-base lodging.  We lucked out, I was able to make reservations several months in advance so we ended up in one of their nicer accommodations.  It's a 2 bedroom unit in a duplex and it's pretty comfortable!

[MiniGene]

Here's my last pic of my mini before shipping her off.  This was from 6 July.  According to the shipper's tracking system it's at the port in Southampton.

[MiniGene]

And here's the wife's MINI at the shipping drop-off location this past Thursday.

[MiniGene]

...And the Bonneville getting ready to be crated up this past Monday.  This will be its 3rd trip across the Atlantic. 

[BruceK]

So you've got a Mini, a MINI, and a Bonneville? 

What excellent choices!   ;D

[ve9aa]

So you've got a Mini, a MINI, and a Bonneville? 

What excellent choices!   ;D

I missed the mark.. :-[  I have a Mini, a MINI and a Harley ! (Oh Mike, where did you go wrong? LOL), though in fairness, I did look at Triumph's and Royal Enfields before the Harley purchase.  I still am maybe interested in getting an old Triumph or Royal Enfield....someday!

Why are you shipping your Bonneville overseas?

And to the subject line....I've been in a ham radio RadioSport/Contest competition all weekend long. Recovering now.