The Mini-Raptor, K-fab Style

[jimmyg]

You all seem to chase pain and injury like me and the fridge. I'm board I wonder what's in here to eat?

Other than that good progress and like always you side story's are always worth a read. Classic.

[K-fab]

You all seem to chase pain and injury like me and the fridge. I'm board I wonder what's in here to eat?

Seems to be the way of life for me starting at 5 with a concussion from spinning off a stool in a hamburger joint and stopping the concrete floor with my head and then my first broken collarbone in third grade, bailing outta a tree (I don’t remember it, add concussion #2).

51 years later I’m at 28 (I think?) snapped/crunched/shattered bones, specializing in clavicles and ribs. I need to post up my recent clavicle pix - even I’m impressed! Lol!

Other than that good progress and like always you side story's are always worth a read. Classic.

Thanks! Glad you enjoy the tales. I enjoy living them.
My wife keeps telling me I need to write. I sit back and read some of the stuff I posted on Yellow Dog Racing over the years and find I’m quite entertained by my own writings. I pretty much put on paper the shit that’s float around in my pea brain as if I’m talking to my buddies around the camp fire.

——————-

Quick note (haven’t uploaded video yet because I’m sitting here in bed with my morning cup ‘o joe) but the Mini-Raptor LIVES!
Well, kinda... I turn the key, it now turns on the ignition and fuel system and it did one turn of the crank before the battery said “I’m not playing with you yet. Charge me.”

There’s life coming back out of it. WOOOO HOOOO!

I’ll get the update posted here soon.

[K-fab]

Got the exhaust system buttoned up yesterday. Realized that I hadn't installed the header gasket so I had to dig around on the table and locate it.

It (heat shielding) ended up going in better than I thought it was. I'm really pleased that it's almost exactly parallel to the cam cover gasket when you look down on the same plane. Nice.

Also got the little cover in the back covered in magic gold reflecting material. I'll probably put a piece of it on the rear bulkhead once powder coating is done. The turn down in the headers is pretty close to it.



Had planned on wrapping the collector and tube that head to the muffler but after fighting with trying to get the cloth around the tapered section and being that it hangs out in the breeze I finally said F it and it'll stay just as is.



So I got the header all tidied up and went back after the wire harness.

ONE LINE AT A TIME! Go to colored wire diagram, find wire, chase wire, mark off of diagram. Everything was good. Looks like my first attempt was correct (although I was able to pull out one of the junction thingies).

So I started checking components from battery out. Big fuse, check, switch, check, ignition/fuel system relay, uh...
Pull relay, play with ohm meter, get funky readings, finally put 12v across activation leads and I get a spark. UH OH!!! Just to make sure I reversed polarity (since there's a diode in the relay), still get spark. AHA!!! Little bastard!

Find spare relay, put 12V across activation leads and "CLICK". Dis one iz goot!

Plug in relay, turn key and I get this!



WOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOO!!!!!
Shit happened!
Battery flat but I had things make noises, buzzes and clicks. YES, YES, YES!

Put battery charger on, shut down the shop for the night and went to the house with a huge grin.

Headed down to reinstall all the disconnected sensors, senders, crap that got pulled out of the harness while chasing the bad relay.

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I mentioned being a clavicle specialist - found some old x-rays and then my most recent.

Left clavicle - snapped it in two spots coming up short on a double jump back in 1997.
1997 x-ray:


23-24 years later, check the bridging under the big knot! Looks like a #2 pencil will fit just fine. I keep thinking I need a titanium ring inserted through it. That way next time I get in a pinch where I need extraction, all they gotta do is toss me the clip on the end of the winch and drag me out.



Broke my right one at the dunes years ago (soft spot in the sand sand, over the bars I flopped) and it never knitted.

Didn't realize I had an x-ray of it from then.



And here's how it looks now (pretty gnarly - the ends pivot like an elbow):



I'm pretty sure if I knew exactly what to look for I could find the breaks in the ribs in both shots - I can think of at least five on each side.

[jimmyg]

I have no words.

[K-fab]

LOL!
You sound like the chiropractor that took the x-rays.
”I’ve seen some messed up shoulders but never anything like either one of yours. You win!”
Not sure what I won... Didn’t even give me a cookie or gold star.

I need to get these x-rays tattooed on the outside.

[K-fab]

Spent most of yesterday afternoon tidying and routing wires, getting the loom cleaned up.

I’d mess with a section, attach the positive battery lead, turn key, get noises.

Worked on the leads that run up to the dash. All seems fine. Hit the power button and nothing.
Huuuuuh?

Walk around to the back and check with the ignition key on the rear panel (what I’d been doing as I worked).

Nada. WTF?

Checked my little connection points - all had the plugs in them, everything is correct. Aaarrggghhh!

Wait, what’s the black line with the ring terminal doing just hanging in the air? (in the Power Commander harness). Touched it to the intercooler, turned the key and the MR has life. (still not started it yet) Went to the cabin controls and YES! They work. Stupid ground.

Unwrapped the junction that’s in the PC harness, pulled one of the filler plugs in one of the two connectors, relocated the ground into the harness and stuck a lead into the other side of the plug so it’s integrated into the harness and not another lead hanging about and called it a day.

Hoping to get into the shop today and try to finish up the harness. This depends on if my wife decides to do the usual Sunday napping - if she does I’m watching Supercross, as I got it recorded.

Getting closer! Finish the wire repairs, redo the hood mounts and then it’s testing time again. I’m hoping to get out in the next 4-5 days.

[jimmyg]

These both look like they hurt.

Edit. Not that you will listen but your neck is more of a worry. C7/T1 looks compressed and calcified. Might almost be time to look after your self. Heap of nerves you need in that area.

[K-fab]

These both look like they hurt.

Edit. Not that you will listen but your neck is more of a worry. C7/T1 looks compressed and calcified. Might almost be time to look after your self. Heap of nerves you need in that area.

Fortunately I have no pain in my left shoulder and minimal in my right. I have tears in three of the four tendons (along the grain, not against it so that’s a plus) and probably 90% mobility in my right. It argues with me when rotated and arm back, sweeping up or say pushing something onto a shelf above my head. There’s a move in Pilates called “draw the sword” - pull strap from left hip diagonally up to pointing up and right. I refer to it as “I can’t defend!” That motion is not pleasant.

On the neck comment: Side shots showed no issues in my neck/upper thoracic spine other than some slight misalignment and the chiropractor has helped with it. I’ll have him take a look again.

About 9 years ago I compression fractured four of my lumbar vertebrae. Two slightly, to pretty severely. Knocked 12mm out of my already short shit stature in one fell swoop (MX bike spit me over a tabletop - remember leaving the bike, sort of).

I still have tingles over my left kidney area but acupuncture and therapy have help alleviate most of it.

I’m a well used and high mileage unit. One would think I live in pain with all the self inflicted damage and shit but fortunately it’s not the case.

[jimmyg]

Try to keep it that way. I've seen my father go through major back surgery and it changed me somewhat.

Otherwise, as always......Love your work.

[darwinpayne2000]

Regarding the injuries, all I can say is . . . ouch!!!

I think I sprained my thumb once. Other than that, I'm fit as a fiddle, which is a real blessing, because I have a brother that lives with an injured back and he's in constant pain.

K-Fab, you're really close on this buggy. I'm really waiting to see it drive out of the garage under it's own power!!