The Transmission Has Arrived

Well, the transmission showed up via freight on a pallet in a wooden box.  There's a lot of stuff in the box...  It's a little intimidating reading through the packet of information.  In order to get the transmission properly installed, the entire engine and drive train have to be installed.  The reason being that once it's installed, a series of pressure tests have to be run and the pressures called in to the company (BTO).  Once the pressure and temperature tests are called in, only then does their warranty apply.  The pressure tests have to be run in every gear, so the parking brake must work...  So here's the order things will happen...

• Finish cleaning and painting the engine compartment
• Install the new battery post in the engine compartment
• Put the transmission insulation in place
• Put the engine and transmission together, and then install in car
• Mount differential
• Clean and recondition driveshaft and halfshafts
• Rebuild parking/emergency brake
• Install new radiator
• Finish A/C system installation (needs to be done to put interior back together)
• Replace remaining bad hoses and lines
• Perform transmission pressure tests and adjustments

Once all that's done, the car will be driveable, but there's still some things left to do (mainly the stereo for this year).  This winter break will hopefully be the time to do the suspension.  I'm on a notification list for when the stage kit I want has the option for aluminum lower control arms (upper arms are already available).

Also installed the serpentine belt today...  For some reason, our first measurement was off by more than 1/2" so the belt I ordered did not fit.  No one carried the size in town so I had ordered it through JEGS.  However, the next two sizes up are carried by O'Reilly so I went and picked them up today.  And the
winner is.... 81"!  It's the Gates Micro-V AT K060810 81-5/8" OC and it just barely clears the water pump.  Had to remove one of the idler caps to get it on, but the next size up was too big and was causing lots of adjustment in the tension arms.