BREAKING NEWS FROM THE NOVICE MOPAR GARAGE IN OHIO!!!!!! EPIC FIRST START A HUGE SUCCESS!!!
I stood there with butterflies in my stomach and a nervous stance with my family gathered round. There was palpable tension in the air. My husband nodded at me. It was time. I gathered up all my courage, held my breath and turned the key. CRANK CRANK SPUTTER SPUTTER went the motor. Then nothing. The garage was silent. You could hear a pin drop. My husband looked at me and said, "Try it again." Again, I gathered my strength, said a prayer and turned the key. CRANK CRANK WAAAAAAAAAAH - she fired! She gathered momentum as she got up on her legs for the first time. Then she stumbled. The engine died. Wade turned the distributor. He looked at me and said, "Third times the charm." So again, I turned the key. WAAAAAAAAAAH - she fired up stronger than ever! We revved her up and took her for a strong gallop to 2200 RPM. I tried to tie off the throttle, but couldn't get it tight enough to maintain RPM's. So I thought to myself, "I'll just hold the string..." The more she galloped the hotter it got, and the hotter my face got. Damn - this was a bad idea... Watching all gauges, tach good, fuel pressure good, temp climbing but good, alls good. Man, we may do this thing! Watching the clock, how much time has went by? THREE MINUTES - ARE YOU SERIOUS?
? Time dragging on but she's running like a champ! All going great except my face feeling like I'm staring down the devil himself. Several more minutes go by, my sister says "TEN MINUTES!" Everything still good, except my face. Just then - AN EXPLOSION!!!!!! BOOOOOM POP SSSSSSSS - Wade yelling at me to shut her down. I flip the key. We realize the radiator cap was just venting steam! WE JUST ABOUT **** OUR PANTS! I texted Andy (734406pk)! He reassures us, helps us and we wait for things to cool down. We fill our radiator back up and let everyone know it's time to put their earplugs back in! We fire her up again, and again she roars to life and we start the countdown again, and luckily, I spent the cool down period making modifications to the throttle so I tie her off and let her roar. Everything going great. Time ticking down. Just then - ANOTHER EXPLOSION!!!!!! BOOOOOOM POP HISSSSSSS!!!! I kill the motor. Yeah it was the radiator cap again. DAMN IT! No negative comments here - c'mon this was our first time and we were terrified! After talking with Andy some more and making some modifications (garden hose to the radiator), we fired her up for the third and final time and officially hit the 30 minute mark!!!!! She was broke in! Her legs were stretched, she was not only walking on her own but running! The garage erupted in applause! We did it! It wasn't perfect, we learned a lot but we did it! Together, my hubby and I took a bare block, purchased the parts, assembled it, installed it and it ran like the beast we knew she could be! So thank you to all those who cared, all those who helped! This would not have been possible without any of you! We will upload videos ASAP! Right now? We are going to go have a drink! Cheers!!!!!
