SWC Tim

Might want to look at the valve stem, might not be tightened down on the wheel


Tim

dahogan

Once in 9 years of ownership. I took my then 11 yr old daughter for ride on a very hot August evening and the '66 went completely dead while on the freeway. Luckily there was an exit right there, but it was in a very bad part of Columbus however in front of a church. While waiting for the flat bed, a priest from the church approached us and offered two bottles of water. Now rather dark, a police cruiser stopped and recognized me and stayed until the truck arrived. Once at home my neighbor came over wanting to know what happened. He fixed it in 10 seconds; bulkhead connector. Having found out that same church was having a fund raiser the next day, my daughter and I went and gave the same priest a $100 donation.

BLUE1972

Drove 120 miles out east last summer. Car was running really rough , had a great time at the meet. Car would not stay running - turned the idle up to 1200. Drove home - car wanted to stay between 1800 and 2500 rpm.
Next morning car would not start. Found 1 plug wire burnt and the 6AL2 box dead.

I've been lucky - the car always made it home.

Even having to drive home last year in third gear due to water in the gas and now power.

William Buckley

Reading these made me feel better to know that other people do have some problems at times. Had the '66 for three years and have never not made it home. It has cost me to keep it in running shape, but no more than keeping any ex-wives, either money or emotion wise. In fact the C2 has cost less both emotionally and financially!

1snake

45 years for me as well but only 70K miles in my 60. I limped home after a broken rear end after a 6500 RPM power shift but that was it, never had to be towed.

cor66vette

Our '66 died while my wife and I were out cruising after the car had been sitting unused for a while.
We coasted to the side of the road.
No gas to the carburetor.
A good samaritan stopped to lend a hand. Luckily he had a can of gas.
Primed the carb and we limped home.
Rust flakes caused the clog. Surprised the car started with just being primed.
What followed was blowing out the fuel line, rebuilding the carburetor and fuel pump, and changing the gas tank,
I don't think I stored the car properly.

ghostrider20

Jackfit

i can not remember how many times my car has died, crashed or have wheels come off. Saved 3 times on 48 State trip, twice in Europe.

AAA long distance towing had been great last 20 years...before that....no cell phones.....

Jack

jimh_1962

Okay, I confess:

First time:
I built the engine with the wrong intake gaskets. The engine ran great until then it died about 10 miles into the first shakedown. It happened right before a big car show. I had to to do the tow of shame all the way home 75 miles away. I pulled the engine and bought all of the correct gaskets. Rebuilt the engine once more. Luckily, it did not spun a bearing.

Second time:
I had someone help me get the engine tuned up after I rebuilt the engine. The mechanic accidentally shorted out the power wire leading to the coil to the ignition shielding. It sputtered then poof under the dash smoke. The engine harness was fried. Towed it back to my friend's shop where his mechanic made the mistake.

Third time:
It kept blowing the inline fuse to the engine whenever I turned on the headlights. A police was going to follow me home until she told me it was too dangerous to drive home without headlights. I agreed so I parked it in a parking lot and called AAA.

Lets just say I keep my AAA payment up to date.


Now, onside of the road breakdowns or rushed home:
1. Ran over a beer bottle in a golf club parking lot. I did not see the bottle. The tire went flat right when I got home.
2. Heater hose leaked when I got home.
3. Ran out of gas about a mile from the house. At the time, the gas gauge was not working. Fixed the gauge.
4. Blown plenty of fuses from the tail lights. I got that problem resolved. Drove ghost from Johnny Law) one time with a friend following me.

Forgot about the oil line coming off.

Forgot about the lose battery cutoff switch. Died on me a couple of times.

Died on me while pulling into a car show. One of the spark plug wires came off.

Captain Bud

I've had one breakdown so far. In 2014 the oil filter blew off the car.

corvetteed

1. Driving the '58 locally, it just died, in the middle of a turn. Could not figure out why. Then, noticed the battery cable somehow came off! Was just about to call for a flat bed when I saw it. Reattached, and was on my way.
2. Driving the '64 locally last summer, the car caughed once, then I coasted to the shoulder of the on ramp I was entering. Suspected I'd misdiagnosed how much gas I had in the tank (the gas gauge doesn't read reliably below one half full). Called wife, told her to bring me gas can I had in garage for lawn mower. Poured in a couple of gallons, and was on my way. I've never had this problem before in 14 years of ownership.

The second time I'd ever driven the car after buying it, while rolling up to a stop sign in a strip mall, the break pedal went to the floor. A break hose had burst. Needed a flat bed that time to take me to a shop.

3. Sort of off topic, but just last week, out in my '56 Ford, it died two blocks from home. No warning. No nuthin'. Would not even turn over, or give a clicking sound. Checked all electrical connections; called flat bed. The neutral safety switch was loose. Why that would stop a running car, I don't know, but, tightening the bracket seemed to work. Have had it out a few times this week, and so far, all is good.

Bill Pilon

Twice in 38 years, both times fuel pump pin, last time was abut 15 years ago. No other breakdowns and still using points and bias-ply tires and drive the car about every day locally and on long trips.

Bill

65air_coupe

Twice stranded in over 40 years of ownership. First and probably the scariest was many years ago coming back from Orlando on a long, dark, two lane highway around midnight. Headlights went off when I hit the dimmer switch to go to high beams. Of course I immediately let off the gas to play with the headlight and dimmer switches but nothing happened and by this time I had coasted down to about 30 mph. Put my foot back on the gas pedal only to discover engine was also dead! No response from key switch either. Coasted into a dark parking lot and popped the hood to discover engine harness on fire!. At the time I had one of those JC Penny lifetime batteries and the battery connectors were on super tight but you can imagine the adrenaline rush you get when you visualize your treasure going up in flames. I twisted and yanked and about pulled the post out of the battery but got one of the connections off before the fire spread! Called a friend for a ride home and then went back the next day to tow it home myself. Back then it was just 15 year old used car and theft wasn't much of a concern.

Second time was more recently and more embarrassing too. Was the first car in the left of three lanes at a stoplight when it just quit and wouldn't turn over. Light turns green and there I sit, no flashers, nothing! Got out and waited for a break in traffic and then pushed it across the two lanes to my right and off the road. Called the wife to bring jumper cable, got it home and replaced the 5 year old battery!

I've had other breakdowns where I either limped home or repaired on the side of the road. Of course there's the fuel pump pin working it's way out but that didn't bring me to a complete stop. Another time the water pump pulley bolts loosened up (or I hadn't tightened them) and the serpentine belt came off (March Performance system) but fortunately had the correct Allen wrench and was able to continue own my way. And then had a big backfire while wide open that blew off one muffler. Best I could do there was fasten a sling for the front of the muffler to keep it from dragging on the road using my belt and drive home a bit more noisy then I left.

I couldn't say how many miles I've covered in those forty years but I did drive it work daily for the first 5-8 years and then again for a few years about 10 years ago. Other than then it 's pleasure driver when I don't have it apart for some unneeded reason.

RatDog

65air_coupe

I should add I've had a Pertronix ignition for the last 10 years or so and not a hiccup there!

jim lockwood

It's a well known problem with Airtex pumps.

dplotkin

Have that on my right front - the problem was, I believe mostly limited to the right front.

Dan

dplotkin

My first of two was just this...quit exactly at a point where I could make a right on a residential street and deal with it.

Dan

dplotkin

This was my second, new owner of a 63 Impala and unfamiliar with the arm pit soaking canister style filter. Only I did it twice. The second time I never got out the driveway...

Dan

c6miller

I've had one break-down since I bought the car this past May and that happened Sunday at a red light less than a mile from home. Hagerty'y sent a flatbed and we got it back to my garage. My mechanic came last night by and went through the engine. He inspected the timing, rods and lifters, took the Holley off to rebuild it as it was flooding the engine and the spark plugs were all wet with fuel.. For pease of mind, we're also going with a new coil and fuel pump. Nothing worse than enjoying a nice ride and the car stops dead.