Radiating Progress…

This week’s progress involved taking care of the gaping hole in the front of the engine bay:

I’ve had the radiator ready since the end of February but until today it was just able to sit and collect dust on the shelf. This was especially sad considering it took all of four bolts and ten minutes to put it back on:

After the radiator was secured, I attempted to install the pretty pretty braided hose that we spent so much time on a couple of weeks ago. I’m displeased to report that the cooperation rating of the hose did not improve this afternoon.

After 14,258 skin-piercing pricks with the wire, I’d almost got the thing installed:

…but the failure point came when I tried to install the blue clamp covers. It must be that this hose was just too big for the design of the braid because the clamps wouldn’t even fit over the radiator intake. Trying to make them fit resulted in a bent and busted cover:

It was at this point I rage quit the installation of the braided radiator hose.

Figuring I’d never get the braid off the hose I had, I got ready to head into town to get a new hose. The cheapskate that I am though wouldn’t let me buy something without at least trying to use the hose I had so I gave it a shot.

It came off in about 15 seconds. The only part of the installation of the braided hoses that worked in any way shape or form was taking it off so as to not use it. I’m taking that as an omen that it was simply not to be.

In the end, I did decide to use the one remaining undamaged hose clamp cover for the time being over just the radiator hose. Without the braiding, the clamp cover fit well enough to go over the clamp without breaking.

I don’t know if I actually like this, but I paid 20 some dollars for the braid kit and this at least lets me feel as though something came of it…

Next on the docket was the installation of the bottom radiator hose:

And the installation of the transmission cooling lines:

Last but not least was the installation of the engine cooling fan into one of the few remaining holes left in the engine bay:

Astute observers will notice that the color of the engine fan is not quite the same color as the engine block and that there’s still some dirt and gunk visible. This will be addressed in due time (perhaps with a new fan) but for now I’m all about getting the engine running and slightly different shades of blue are an acceptable price to pay towards that goal.

We’re almost done. Here’s what’s left as far as I know:

• Starter
• Alternator (with belt)
• Shock tower braces
• Power steering pump (with belt)
• Battery & Wiring
• Transmission dipstick
• Fluids

That’s not a huge list – and most of those are fairly quick installs. I’m sure something will come up, but I’m starting to believe we’re perhaps only a couple of weeks away from the engine turning over for the first time.