First stubs at the donor

This post is more of an update. I can't really jump up and declare that the donor is stripped and I am onto the next step. However, I must say that it's a pleasure working on this car. You see, I am a rally fan. And that fact conditioned me into thinking that the cars built for rallying or motorsports in general must be easy to work on mechanically. How else would you explain: suspension characteristics tweaks performed by drivers on the side of the road, 34 min service for repair of a horrible role over, and just over an hour to swap out the entire drivetrain? So for years I have been working on my Subaru and thinking how easy things are to work on. Well it's all relative and I had nothing to compare to.

Frankly, I don't know what motorsports Mustangs are in. However, I would expect such an iconic car to be in some form of competition. I must admit so far it's a blast to work on this car. Yeah they do some things differently at Ford but that's what I expect from different companies anyways. In addition, the car is very simple. Almost primitive. One of the guys from mustang club told me that it's no surprise since the car is mostly based on Fox platform. Those things have been around since late 70s. Simple is good, right? Every car guy would agree. Well every hardcore old-school guy would agree. I just found out that my motor does not have MAP sensor and relies %100 on MAF. So that means that I have too keep the stupid air pluming. No oval cobra filter. No carburetor look. How is that for "simple is good"? I'd say that outright "sucks". I find "no MAP" a bit hard to believe because guys at Ford have to compensate for barometric pressure somehow. But that's to find out later.

Over all the car is only getting better and better to work on as more and more parts are being sold. Of course, it's missing most of the parts that are usually in the way. A big thanks to all the guys who work on their cars and don't want to pay premium for new parts.

Is this always the case?

It seems like a familiar story every time. Yet I did not notice it until yesterday night. It's like back in school. In order to write a good essay you should follow this steps: blah blah blah, whatever they are. And then for the rest of your school all you do is follow those simple steps.

Here's what I mean. Seems like everything I do is happening according to preset plan.

1. Oh cool! Good idea.
2. It's easy. I can do that
3. Read something. Watch some YouTube. Educate myself a bit.
4. That's not hard at all.
5. Tell my wife it'll take me 15 min.
6. Hack at it for 3 hours
7. Have "The hell with it" thought cross my mind.
8. Promise myself a cold one once it's done.
9. Hack at it for another 3 hours
10. Have it complete
11. Stand back and ask "what was that easy part?"
12. Skip on the beer. I told my wife I'd be back 5 something hours ago. Out of time now.
13. Sleep on it.
14. It was not so bad after all.

Maybe I am just a slow learner. It appears I go through the same 14 steps every time I do anything and come back to doing it again. If needed of course. For the exception of car stuff,  that's pure masochism. I can't come up with any rational explanation on that.

My enlightening moment came after attempt to remove windshield and convertible top off of the donor.

 Ah, it's like throwing octopus on hockey ice. It's just makes me smile to see it flat on the driveway.