building up strength

wow... it's only been a week since i last posted! i told you i'd get better. alas, i still haven't had time to take pictures but i'm hoping to do so this weekend. i know, i know, i keep saying that. but you will see pictures soon. i just don't know how soon.

so over the weekend i went to take the bug for a little test drive and i couldn't get her started. plenty of gas and spark but no fire. it was weird. so my friend paul swung by after work last night and he couldn't figure it out either. after he left i remembered that i'd reattached the electric choke wire after i'd shut it down last wednesday. i didn't see how that could preclude the engine from starting but i was frustrated and ready to try anything. unhook the wire, crank, crank, VROOM!! crazy stuff. so i let it warm up, idled still really smoothly so i decided to drive it around our yard some. got it over to the driveway and did some runs back and forth. the brakes weren't grabbing like i thought and it seemed to have no power at all. but, i grabbed my new license plate, stuck it in the window and took it for a spin around the neighborhood.

it wasn't bad. just no power at all and the brakes aren't what i think they should be. they are better than before but the front end should really be diving (i kept trying to lock them up) and it's not. the pedal is a little spongy so i'm just wondering if it needs a good powerbleed. as far as the power issue goes, i'm thinking the carb needs a good tune. hopefully that'll cure it. i know it's running rich. so who knows.

overall, i'm happy that it's starting, running and stopping. i just need to work out the kinks and it should be good to go.