- 02/03/2017
- 1 Min Read
- By: Gareth Foley
Rebuilding the 325is - Will it Survive a Hydrolocked Engine?
The sun is gleaming outside, birds are chirping, and the sky could not be more blue. I collapse down onto the rolling stool that was positioned in the center of the old cold damp barn converted into a 2 car garage. Overcome with physical and mental exhaustion from the lack of sleep, crazy hours of labor, and over consumption of beer from the last 3 weeks that was my life. I rest my dirt, grease, and oil covered arms on my knees letting out a sigh of relief. Gaining just enough strength to lift my head for a split second to fill my eyes with the excitement that lies ahead.
Not yet, I have to run through the checklist one last time. Brakes, check, driveshaft, check, diff, check, suspension, check, oil, check, coolant, check, gas, check, wheels torqued, check, temp plate, check. Feeling satisfied with my evaluation I grab the almost empty industrial degreaser bottle used to clean every part of the car to get it up to this moment. I spray liberally on my hands and arms letting it soak for a second. Then furiously agitating the cleaner trying to scrape the embedded dirt from my skin, I reach down and grab the least soiled rag I can find and wipe away the day’s hard work. Good enough I think as I enter the car and sit in the black micro suede Corbeaus for the first time in over 2 years. A familiar sense comes over me as I take one huge breath and turn the key. A fantastic roar from the transplanted S50 heart, rattles the old barn boards. The gases flowing through the UUC exhaust once again waking up the whole neighborhood. With the windows and sunroof open I put the car in reverse and let the sun’s light touch my face and the alpine white paint. In sheer disbelief that I would be sitting here about to drive my baby again, I pull onto the road and like a sprinter coming out of their starting block, explode down the street.
As I am driving back towards the garage my excitement grows even more as I see the reason I put my whole world on hold for 2 years standing there recording the event. She must have been triggered by the sound of the new 3.0L heart pumping and sprinted out of the house to capture the momentous event. I pull the car next to her, close enough to see her engagement and wedding rings gleaming as bright as her smile. She hops in and we take off, knowing that this is one of the greatest moments in my life thus far. My wife, my car, I feel whole again!
