June 12, 1999- I spent 7 ½ hours sandblasting the right fender.
I sandblasted from 8 am to 9:30 pm taking breaks only to eat. I used both Bill Stripp’s compressor and Vince Pletcher's compressor. This works very well!!
June 15, 1999- I purchased an exhaust pipe at Johnson’s Auto Parts. I brazed the right fender until I ran out of brazing rods. I only had four with which to start. I also bought putty and tiger hair.
June 18, 1999- (I broke my foot at work on Tuesday. Right now, I’m laying on the couch with the swollen mass of foot up on the coffee table with an ice pack on it.)
July 1, 1999- I rebuilt my carburetor in the last couple days and found out that it’s a Carter Model W-O, tag number 636SA. (This tag was bent and ready to fall apart. It would fall off later when I was driving the jeep.) I also found some of the carburetor linkage wasn’t hooked up correctly this would account for poor engine performance. Now the engine runs well. Now, it’s better than I expected. NOTE: [Don’t boil aluminum in vinegar. This process pits the metal.] I cleaned the carburetor all over with carburetor cleaner. I scrubbed the air horn and cover assembly. I did a good job cleaning the throttle body before, so it didn’t take much; however, I boiled the main body assembly in water, in baking soda and water, and then vinegar to rid it of the baking soda. Then, it started to turn black, so I scrubbed it with SOS pads until it shined. It all worked out okay. -I forgot to cleanse an orifice in the carburetor, and the engine runs a little better now that the carburetor is properly cleaned. Dad and Dan helped me bleed and adjust the brake lines. We took a little jaunt around the yard with a portable gas tank strapped to the front bumper. I rode along with my broken foot.
My Jeep could finally be driven, but I couldn’t drive it.
