3 steps ahead 5 back... why!!!
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,634
Likes: 1
From: aurora
3 steps ahead 5 back... why!!!
does it ever feel like with every bolt you remove to fix just one thing you end up having to remove 5 more that leads to something that needs to be replaced witch is 5 more bolts then you have to stop because you have to order something then you wait , it shows up and just when you are ready to install the unit that you didn't want to have to buy but you broke it with the first bolt that you removed in the first place
ITS THE WRONG ONE!!!!
aaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh............
does this happen to just me..... had it
sigh...... ok that feels better
ITS THE WRONG ONE!!!!
aaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh............
does this happen to just me..... had it
sigh...... ok that feels better
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,634
Likes: 1
From: aurora
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 2,084
Likes: 14
From: Airdrie Alberta
10k noooooooooooooo at that rate i think would turn it into a hottub
I figure 10k was pretty good for a full blown chassis restoration considering what a restoration shop would have charged me at $75.hr
you up by Lake Simcoe?, use to live there many moons ago
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,634
Likes: 1
From: aurora
we are just down the road from crates 3 min walk been here 6 years and loven it
Todd
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,113
From: Crossville TN
Yeesss.... but it's a 35year old car... and stuff is old. Everything you take apart will look like it needs to be re-done. But, it ran before you took it apart, didn't it. Make a plan and keep to it....unless you find broken things!
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 4,812
Likes: 1
From: New Albany IN
St. Jude Donor '03-'04-'06-'08-'09
On another thread, a discussion about the radiator shrouds, I advised that mine broke in about three pieces trying to get it out. I just priced them today for my '76. If I have the late '76 shroud it costs about $200......if I have the early '76 it is $560!!!!
Guess what I am pretty sure I have?? Yeah the expensive one. It is a never ending saga......
Guess what I am pretty sure I have?? Yeah the expensive one. It is a never ending saga......
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2005
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Likes: 3
From: Syracuse NY
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 5,447
Likes: 3
From: Syracuse NY
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 3,775
Likes: 4
things just went this way on my sunbird i had to replace the headgasket on. took over a month to do, and its still not completely finished.
after we replaced the head gasket, bolted everything back up, got the timing belt on right (a REAL pita when you cant figure out how to relieve tension on the tensioner, and the book describes non existent bolts to turn) and fired it up. found antifreeze spraying all over.
1 bolt was left out.
that bolt was back behind the timing belt and was held the water pump neck down.
another tear down and a week and a half later, its almost done.
oh, and a had to pull the cam cover off (over head cam engine) and found a nice little chunk of my cam now missing. turned a blind eye to it and resealed the cover.
after we replaced the head gasket, bolted everything back up, got the timing belt on right (a REAL pita when you cant figure out how to relieve tension on the tensioner, and the book describes non existent bolts to turn) and fired it up. found antifreeze spraying all over.
1 bolt was left out.
that bolt was back behind the timing belt and was held the water pump neck down.
another tear down and a week and a half later, its almost done.
oh, and a had to pull the cam cover off (over head cam engine) and found a nice little chunk of my cam now missing. turned a blind eye to it and resealed the cover.
Last edited by another-user; Mar 24, 2008 at 08:16 PM.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,634
Likes: 1
From: aurora
things just went this way on my sunbird i had to replace the headgasket on. took over a month to do, and its still not completely finished.
after we replaced the head gasket, bolted everything back up, got the timing belt on right (a REAL pita when you cant figure out how to relieve tension on the tensioner, and the book describes non existent bolts to turn) and fired it up. found antifreeze spraying all over.
1 bolt was left out.
that bolt was back behind the timing belt and was held the water pump neck down.
another tear down and a week and a half later, its almost done.
oh, and a had to pull the cam cover off (over head cam engine) and found a nice little chunk of my cam now missing. turned a blind eye to it and resealed the cover.
after we replaced the head gasket, bolted everything back up, got the timing belt on right (a REAL pita when you cant figure out how to relieve tension on the tensioner, and the book describes non existent bolts to turn) and fired it up. found antifreeze spraying all over.
1 bolt was left out.
that bolt was back behind the timing belt and was held the water pump neck down.
another tear down and a week and a half later, its almost done.
oh, and a had to pull the cam cover off (over head cam engine) and found a nice little chunk of my cam now missing. turned a blind eye to it and resealed the cover.
This is therapy for me
thanks
Todd
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 1,173
Likes: 1
From: Liberty Missouri
I almost posted this same thread about three days ago. I pulled my motor and transmission last week. While I had it out I thought it would be a good time to get the wiring straightened out in the engine compartment. As the layers of dry rotted electrical tape were pulled back my worst fears were realized “BUBBA” or worse a bubba in training. Got all of that fixed started to look at the vacuum lines yep you guessed it all of those need replacing also. Looked down at my lower A arms what do you think I saw yep you guessed it the bushings need to be replaced. The list goes on and on, but we love these cars right.
They NEED us! 
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 4,883
Likes: 11
From: North Easton Mass
When I reassembled the rear suspension on the 72 I think I did each job at least twice. Put the Smart Struts in - found out later I needed the eccentrics instead of the plates. Discovered the sway bar was upside down. Didn't like the way the u-joint retaining rings seated in the half-shafts so I Dremeled the ring grooves. Had the trans crossmember in and out several times while working on the trans mount. Part of the problem is that when you buy a nice new part you start saying "well I can't bolt this nice shiney part onto that greasy rusty part" so you either start removing and restoring parts or buying more new ones.
My advice is to get used to it.
Rick B.
My advice is to get used to it.
Rick B.
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 229
Likes: 0
From: Crestview Fl
Getting ready to replace my grilles and bumper guards so I decide to drop the bumper and glass in a few cracks,started putting the bumper back on to start aligning things back up and now my bumper doesn't fit right,the right side looks coorect and the left side isn't even close
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 779
Likes: 0
From: San Bruno California
It's funny ( not really ) that we all have some problem of some sort when working on our vette. As mentioned, if you touch one thing it leads to another and another. The guy I bought the vette from dropped over 10K in the vette restoring it. Have over an inch thick binder full of reciepts. I just dropped over 10K with in this past 8 months. Maxing out the charge card. I owe my soul to the company store. When I get the vette running, there's still other things that needs to be done. WoW, no light at the end of the tunnel for me, at lease not yet. I'm the one with the radiator/shroud problem. Have to go downstairs and give it hell, again!
Tony
Tony
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 1999
Posts: 2,460
Likes: 352
From: Madison Alabama
About five years ago I had the same problem with a high mileage '82. Seems everything I repaired caused something to break downstream. I got tired of throwing $$$ at the car only to have something else break. Decided to sell and update to a C5 BUT while searching for a C5 I kept looking at C3s and stumbled across an exact duplicate of my first '82 only this one had 22K miles vs. 150+.
First weekend I had her home I had to torque 20 bolts...rotated the tires
I've gotta admit, I love NOT having to work on the car. Sure, I run down a rattle here and there and fix a vacuum leak but for the most part the car is a joy to drive and own AND I think I came out ahead on the money end
BTW, I ended up picking up the C5 two years later - glad I waited
TheCorvetteBen
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 4,987
Likes: 144
From: Van Alstyne, TX
This happened to me last week.
The pedal was getting soft, so i found leaky calipers. Spent money on new ones after had rebuilt all of them a year previously. Not bad but i just hate doing work i have already done.
Right after that i drove it around the block feeling the brakes and they falt good. problem solved right?
wrong
parked in the drive way and looked under the car for leaks from the brakes, and found one, but it was coming from the radiator. So i pulled that and replaced with a new aluminum one. problems solved right?
wrong
Pulled the car out running and looked for leaks again...and saw fuel comuing out of my fuel pump. fixed the gaskets and put a new brass fitting on it.
since then nothing yet, but you never know.
Good thing i like working on my car
The pedal was getting soft, so i found leaky calipers. Spent money on new ones after had rebuilt all of them a year previously. Not bad but i just hate doing work i have already done.
Right after that i drove it around the block feeling the brakes and they falt good. problem solved right?
wrong
parked in the drive way and looked under the car for leaks from the brakes, and found one, but it was coming from the radiator. So i pulled that and replaced with a new aluminum one. problems solved right?
wrong
Pulled the car out running and looked for leaks again...and saw fuel comuing out of my fuel pump.
fixed the gaskets and put a new brass fitting on it.since then nothing yet, but you never know.
Good thing i like working on my car