The Dark Wob

I still haven't had any time to carry on with the turd engine but as I have been asked about the import process on this thread I though this might be a good place to put this. It looks like New York has to be avoided if you are searching for anything to import. I had this email from the shipping company I used.

URGENT NEWS FROM US CUSTOMS AGENCY
US Customs blocks export of all Vehicles with a NY title nationwide

Effective today Friday, February 7th 2020 the US Customs and Border Protection agency is unable to connect to the NY State DMV and clear NY titled vehicles for export. The reason is political and is tied to inability of the DMV (NY State) and US Customs office (Federal Government) to share information between the two systems. The NY State is trying to protect the identity of illegal immigrants with NY State driver licenses and no longer shares access to its database with any Federal agencies.

We are very disappointed by such damaging decision and are still evaluating the impact. This will impact vehicles leaving all ports, not just Port of NY/NJ.

We strongly advise clients to not purchase any NY titled vehicles until this situation is resolved.

So far we know there will be $1000s of fees/fines from the ocean carriers and trucking companies for each container delivered to the Port with NY titled vehicles. Those containers will need to be returned back to our warehouses and unloaded.

West Coast Shipping is your partner during these difficult times and we will not accept ocean carriers to charge you any fines/fees for containers which must be returned from the port.

At this point we have two options to help mitigate this problem:

1. We can help owners with NY titled vehicles, older than 25 years, to be re-titled in another state through a legal process. Our current estimate for this process is 5 business days at which point we will be able to submit the new title to US Customs and export your vehicle from the same port as originally planned. There is a significant cost to this process and we estimate our expenses at $1000/vehicle. Unfortunately this option doesn't apply to vehicles manufactured after 1/1/1995 or salvage vehicles.

2. There is an option to re-title vehicles manufactured after 1/1/1995 but the process is more complicated and involves transporting your car across the entire US. The cost is $1750/vehicle.

3. Resell the vehicle at a US based auction where you purchased it originally through the same dealer. We expect the car values to take a hit due to a flooding of these NY titled vehicles at auctions.

If you have NY titled vehicle in our or your possession which you planned to export internationally, please get in touch with your dedicated Account Manager to select the option which works for you.

Sincerely,
Alex Naumov

I feel sorry for the poor bastards who are trapped in this farce, the lawyers are going to have a field day with it.

Obviously the fuckwits who decided to try and score political points didn't think it through, as usual.
I guess that it's in retaliation to Trump not being impeached.

I had another look at the main bearings today and found nothing wrong but when torqued up again now it all turns over ok. I still have to take the rear main off again to fit new seals in the grooves. It could of been a bit of rubber from these seals got trapped and caused the problem. Or at least thats what I am telling myself.

Are you presently trying to give away a brown RO80? I notice none of the twats who moan when anything gets raced have posted yet........

Line em up and let em go.

Yeap it is going in about half an hour I hope. I have had a couple of people who want to race it but it needs loads of work just to make it fit for the track. I expect the bloke having it will end up scrapping it as he reckons he wants it as a project

Hope you managed to break even with it

Whilst waiting for parts I decided to do a little more on the turd. I bolted all the sump back on and filled it with oil only to realise I should of put the drive for the oil pump in first. Grrr better take the sump off again later and do it all again.

I have a little bit of time this week and a free weekend so hopefully the 'turd will get back on the road. Whilst the engine is out I pressure washed the engine bay and after a Zic primer slopped a load of shutz on the lower areas and 3 cans of gloss black on the inner wings. The photo's don't really show how high the front end is with the engine out and front bumper removed. Everything is so heavy on this car. I had to use a transmission jack to get the front bumper off and can only just lift the bloody thing. I shall give the paint a couple of days to dry then hopefully put the engine back in at the weekend. I had to remove the bumper so the engine crane has enough reach considering this lump weighs way over it's fully extended limit. Fingers crossed there is some good news to report next week. I have also spoken to a bloke about sorting out the only bit of rust on the car, it has some small holes under the battery tray. I will get that repaired and fit a new universal tray just to finish things off under the bonnet.

What a bastard it has been getting the engine in. I haven't got as far as I would of liked but that's enough for today. It turns over and gets oil up to the heads so thats a start.

I assumed it would be easy getting the engine in with a bay of that size!