Project-Zero: Update and Shakedown

It's been a minute since I've updated here. I have no interest in writing detailed accounting of the last six months on the project. The TLDR is the car's registered and plated, I've been doing shakedown drives.

Update Summary

• Wired up the seat heaters and windscreen, including custom carbon fibre button panel that looks pretty damn good. This took a longer than I'd have liked.
• Carbon fibre sill trims installed.
• Seats remounted with 1/4 shim stacks under the rails.
• Shift and parking brake boots installed with custom 3D printed trim rings.
• Designed, printed and installed a custom steering cowl cover.
• Added a proof of concept high mounted third brake light with custom 3D printed mount.

The Shakedown...So Far

Since being registered, I've put about 60 miles on the car.  This is the list of things I've found that need to be addressed so far.  I'll make posts/videos about these as I tackle them.

• AIM MXS digital dash
• Very difficult to impossible to see in direct sunlight.
• Plan - Replace it with transflective style digital dashboard.

• PCV and Breather system
• After ~60 miles or driving there was ~.6oz of fluid in the catch can which seems like a lot more than there should be.
• Hypothesis - Excessive vapor/oil is being drawn out of the valve cover by the vacuum generated by the post throttle body PCV routing.
• Test - Adding a second catch can expressly for the valve cover breather.

• Throttle Pedal Feel
• The throttle pedal moves a bit too much side to side and doesn't have a good return feel.
• Plan - Add light duty spring to the throttle pedal to pull the throttle pedal to the rest position.
• Plan - Mount throttle pedal with PTFE/Washer and jam nuts instead of nylock nut.

• Throttle Return Spring
• Occasionally the car will idle at ~2K+ RMPs. This could be a couple of things.
• Hypothesis - The throttle isn't fully returning to closed/idle.
• Test - I've added a medium spring to the throttle roller on the throttle bodies to help pull the butterflies closed
• Hypothesis - There's a slight vacuum leak from the valve cover breather plumbing in the PCV system.
• Test - Adding a second catch can expressly for the valve cover breather.

• Brake Reservoir
• I've noticed that there seems to be some seepage around the brake reservoir and the mounting bracket holding it to the car. (Causing some paint peeling.)
• Plan - Cleaned up the reservoir and bracket, reservoir cap and washer, and made sure the cap is very tight/snug. Will keep an eye on it to see if there's more seepage around the reservoir over the next 100 miles to see anything else needs to be done.

• Steering Wheel Position and Effort
• At neutral, the steering wheel is canted toward the left more than it should be.
• Plan - Re-clock the steering column to rack universal joint.
• Steering requires a little more effort and attention than I'd expect.
• Plan - Swap back to the larger MOMO wheel provided with the kit for more leverage. 

• Suspension Setup
• The car is drivable, generally tracks straight.  No real feel that it the backend wants to step out in surprising ways. The front end feels a bit lighter and more darty than I'd like.  The car has negative rake, which it shouldn't have.  I also performed the first string alignment with way too much pressure in the tires. (24psi, normal running pressure should be around 18psi)
• Plan - Measure alignment on the car and compare to specs, adjust as necessary. (String Alignment)
• Plan - Verify that coilovers are all in the correct locations, that preload is adjusted, and the ride height is correct.
• Tow points
• Need to figure out a couple of good places to install some tow points.  This would have made loading the damn thing onto a trailer much easier.

• Intercom setup
• I just one hearing protection and good coms to my passenger.