"Get Your Motor Runnin'... Head Out On The Highway"

I've been feeling reluctant to post much lately, for two reasons. One is that most of what I'm doing now with the Eagle is just driving it around to use up the old gas to try to pass emissions. So that doesn't lend itself to a lot of photogenic moments, and we all know that the internet loves - no - demands pictures. 

The other is that the things I am actually doing besides driving it are pretty small right now. I had a duplicate key made. I finally washed the thing. I tightened a drivebelt so I could use the A/C without it screaming. Okay, I was pretty jazzed about that second one, to be honest, since it's supposed to be 95 degrees here on Monday. Amazingly, it works just fine. 

In my exuberance at this discovery, I decided to cross another thing off my list and de-grease the engine bay. It went all right, but not great, although it is somewhat cleaner than before. And, well, there was that thing about how I took it on the freeway for the first time this morning. The good news is that it can get up to about 70 mph without exploding in fiery death. The bad news is that when you have only 3 forward gear ratios, the RPMs get a liiitle high at that point, and holy Hannah does the gas mileage suffer when that happens. I've never seen a fuel gauge move that much on such a short trip. I went less than 25 miles, and the needle moved at least 10%. And remember, that tank is muy grande.

• Reinstall starter and brace
• Put in the transfer case
• New transmission fluid cooler line to replace the one I had to break
• Fix speedometer
• New u-joints for the driveshafts
• A new driver’s side CV axle in the front
• Install new exhaust components
• Change oil and brake fluid
• New driver's seat belt ($$)
• New (stock) rims and tires ($$)
• New shift indicator cable (which keeps the gearshift from moving accidentally)
• Service the front and rear differentials
• New gas springs for rear hatch
• Insurance, operation permit, emissions, title, registration
• Flush coolant and repair heater core with some stop-leak and a prayer
• Fix whatever makes the A/C compressor scream when it’s on
• De-grease the engine bay
• 4-wheel alignment
• Probably a new carburetor ($$)
• New under-hood insulation
• Interior detailing 
• New paint job. Desperately needed. ($$$$)