Wrench - flinch - ghssshghsssh - woosh

I started with the idea that I would remove the speedometer cable. I rolled under the car with a flat screwdriver. Once I found some purchase under the flange on the cable end, it came out about a 1/4 inch and then I was easily able to pull it by hand from there. I was glad it did not sling oil in my face.

I rolled a little forward to get rid of the shift+clutch interlock. This bracket came off easy enough.

So - feeling confident - I went to delete the master cylinder. And, as we know, pride always cometh before the fall. I mean technically fall was a few day ago - but it certainly came before fall 2022.

I layed under the dash and managed to smash some locking pliers on the square nut inside against the fire wall. That did not work - the nut holding the master cylinder in the engine bay still spun. I went back and retightened it. And still nothing. So again I crawled under the dash. and so on. and so on. Some where in there I kicked off a piece of trim that I will never be able to replace. And "crawl under the dash" is really a process of human origami, sweat, and using my head to test for hardness every thing poking out in every direction under the dash. I probably crawled in and under there 6 or 8 times - crawled out and the nut was still spinning - until I realized I was on the wrong bolt.

So - I sprayed the nut with the torch, gave it some more oil, tapped it with a hammer and WWRREEEENNNCCCHHH it started to turn off. Whoop. I also moved the locking pliers to the correct bolt.

This other bolt was in a terrible spot because the clutch pedal was in the way. After sweating and doing the head bash thing for another 10 minutes, I managed to rip a hunk of firewall insulation and inhale some unspeakable particles. With that out of the way I got the clamping pliers on parallel to the wall.

That was good for about 5 minutes of straining topside with the wrench before some other pieces of liner for the footwell tore in half and the clamp flew off. That trim will simply be almost impossible to replace - so that is nice. Somewhere in there I used the torch on it and managed to start a small fire on the outside of the firewall (I did not have the foresight to take a picture of it. I was busy blowing out the flames and remembering I should have gotten my extinguisher recharged last week).

One fire a day is my limit. So I did what I should have done in the first place - a squirt of oil plus 5 minutes with the hacksaw.

You can see the sealant that caught fire there right below that big hole with the pushrod sticking out. And you can see that blankity blankity blank master cylinder lying dead on my garage floor as well as the cut off nut sitting next to it. I am hoping to get the brake lamp sensor off - but otherwise that thing is going to the garbage.

Patience & penetrating oil. I should get a tattoo.