05 November 2017

Build the Back to the Future DeLorean - Issues 007-010

Building the Back to The Future DeLorean, Issues 007-010
New shipment came in and it was a bigger and heavier box than usual.  Parts from 007-009 came in large poly bags, while 010 was packed in its own box.

Issue 007 contents
Issue 007 - Steering Rack and Top Plate

A simple build.  Six part, only five are used in this issue, and two screws.  You will save the front plate for later.  Good thing I am getting four issues at once.

Issue 008 contents
Issue 008 - Anti Roll Bar and Bottom Plate

Another simple build as you are just screwing in the two anti roll bar bases into the bottom plate.  Save the anti roll bar itself for later.

Issue 009 contents
Issue 009 - Front Wheel

This is the same build as Issue 003.

Finished assembly of issues 007-009 should look like this.

Steering Rack, Top Plate, Anti Roll Bar, Bottom Plate, Front Wheel
After three issues of kinda easy and boring builds, now it gets interesting.  Get ready for the the next issue...

Issue 010 contents
Issue 010 - Frame

This is exciting!   The frame is one hefty piece of metal.  There is really nothing to assemble with this issue as there is only one piece, the frame, included with this issue.  But, you do get another screwdriver for your collection...and introducing two new screw sizes.

In addition to the parts from this shipments (007-009), you will need to the assembled builds from 003 (Front Wheel), 005-006 (Front Left and Right Suspension).  Finally, all (well, most) of those parts you have been gathering and assembling have something to attach to.  Most of the assembly of this issue goes pretty smooth.  There are areas where one should pay extra attention to.

As I mentioned previous posts, it is a good idea to pre-tap some of the screw bosses before final assembly.

When you get to attaching the wheels to the front suspension assembly, you will notice there is quite a lot of wiggle room.  There is a small shoulder for the wheel to rest in and a relatively small diameter shaft for the wheel to sit in.

Disc plate sketches and ideas
One way to fix the wobbling wheels is to give the wheel a larger shoulder to sit on.  A simple plate or disc will work.  It does not have to be perfect, just a plastic disc with about 1.150" diameter with a 0.420" hole.  Disc should be about 0.100" thick.

Finished discs
Since there is a screw holding the caliper in place, adding little 'feet' will uniformly raise the plate to line up with existing shoulder.  Feet are 0.040" tall.  You can see the discs in the photo above, along with styrene feet about be glued to the discs, as well as the finished discs.  I made a extra in anticipation of the rear wheels...and another set, just in case.

With these installed, there is still a little wobble, but far less than without.

Pro tip:  When screwing the wheels in, make sure to over tighten as this will prevent spinning.  Also, leave the wheel caps off for now.  Once you pop in those wheel caps, it is very difficult to remove them (as me how I know).  You may want to adjust that screw or make additional modifications to the mounting area in the future.  Save your wheel caps until the later.

The completed frame, up to Issue 010, should look like this:

Frame with suspension, anti roll bar, and wheels installed
The rear bumper, front left fender, and reactor pieces are still and will be waiting for additional issues before they can be mounted on.  Folks in other markets that have started months ahead are still no where close to mounting these parts from the first few issues.  Hopefully, you have kept those parts in a safe somewhere.

Extra screw count after ten issues:  14-AP, 5-BP, 2-CP, 3-AM, 4-BM, 2-EM, 2-CM, 4-DM, 2-DP, 1-FM, 1-GM.

to be continued...

01 November 2017

FUCK YOU, STOP CALLING ME - November 2017

Winding down to the end of the year.  Halloween decorations are coming down to make room for Christmas ones.

1 November 2017
  262-203-9060  Lake Geneva, WI - There is a Lake Geneva in fucking Wisconsin?  The first I have hear of Lake Geneve outside of the lyrics in the song West End Girls by the Pet Shop Boys:

You got a heart of glass or a heart of stone
Just you wait till I get you home
We've got no future
We've got no past
Here today built to last
In every city and every nation
From Lake Geneva to the Finland station
(How far have you been)
In a West end town a dead end world
The East end boys and West end girls
In a West end town in a dead end world
The East end boys and West end girls
West end girls
Well, this is strange.  This call went straight to voicemail.  No ringing to entice me to receive the call.  The system left a robo voicemail, the funny part is, I have a pretty long intro to my mail box. So, it cut off most of the intended message.  Of course, I was wishing for something relating to Pet Shop Boy...sadly and obviously, it was not.  Fuck you!

2 November 2017
  714-707-6170  Silverado, CA - Silverado...like the truck?

Telemarketer truck
Fuck you!

4 November 2017
  410-39 - Yep, you guessed it.  Another on of those numbers that do not make sense...and a text message.
410-39
 Yeah, a customer survey from "Amazon" yet the link they provide is Magnumseven.com.  These are for condoms, right?  Take that condom, put it over a shoe, and shove it up your ass.  Fuck you!

10 November 2017
  510-947-0283 Walnut Creek, CA - This came in as a text.  I did a search with this number, as I do with many unrecognized numbers.  So, really quick, this seems like a legitimate number.  One would think that this is spoofing...but, that is not why I looked up the number.  Here, look at the text:

  510-947-0283 
 Fucking Lori and and fucking Door Dash.  I blocked the previous number from Door Dash.  I was hoping that Lori would starve, since she is too lazy to go pick up her own god damn food.  They found another number to text me...but fucking Lori did not update her number.  Lori is a fucking cunt!

The best part is, the driver called me to let me know that Lori's food is here.  Uh 'here' is about 400 miles away.  I kindly let the delivery person know that - Lori has been using my number for two years, I have been trying to contact Door Dash to have my number removed, I am not in Northern California, I have talked to another driver about removing my number and telling Lori to update hers...I asked this driver to do the same.

Fuck you, Lori
Later, after the food was delivered to Lori, I got another text to rate.  I gave them a 0.  Since the only options are 1-5, and the system is automated, I gave them a 1.

Fuck you, Door Dash
Oh good, a place where I can "provide more feedback".  Not really.  There was no place to really express my thoughts.

Lame options
I have nothing against the restaurant.  I only beef is with Lori and Door Dash.  Why is there no way to contact Door Dash? Not on their site, not replying to these text updates, not in the feedback.  This is not a good business plan.  This lack of customer service can only lead to their doom.  Fuck you!

29 November 2017
  937-249-8140 Aberdeen, OH - You might be thinking, "gee whiz, it sure has been a long time since the last call".  Well, no.  I  was on holiday the last two weeks and my phone was turned off.  So, there is no way to tell if I had any awesome telemarketers calling.  Thanks for calling, fuck you!