This morning I had a few hours I could use to work on the Metro EV.
I first worked on the radiator, figuring that it was in front and the first thing I should do is make some space for me to work by removing it.
The radiator came out pretty quick and easy. It really was just disconnecting a few hoses and turning out some screws. Nothing was terribly rusted in or required cutting off. In case you were wondering, a Geo Metro holds exactly one coffee can's worth of coolant.
Then I started on the exhaust system. Not the same there. The middle connection of the exhaust actually did just unbolt. The muffler wasn't going anywhere though. I did end up having to cut that off.
I tried removing the right rear tire to make room for working on the muffler. To my suprise, nothing happened after taking all the lug nuts off! The tire is still stiffly attached to the hub!
What's keeping it on there? I did spray some PB Blaster in and around the lug threads. I will look again tomorrow to see if anything loosened up.
Speaking of impossible to remove, how does a person take out exhaust manifold bolts!?!? I PB Blasted the heck out of them and tried using a breaker bar. Still won't move! Tell me there is nothing crazy like they are left-hand thread or something.
The photo at the top shows the parts that I got off the car so far. Not in the photo, but also surgically removed and available for resale is the pine tree air freshener that was hanging on the mirror.
I also stopped at the photography store today and bought a clamp that will let me mount my video camera to the wall near the car. This will facilitate some sort of "video log" of my project.
Expect to see some sort of videos in the future. Most likely time lapse of me cursing at trying to remove the gas tank. (please see my Dodge Shadow
Gas Tank Rant)