Busted Knuckle Rant
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 6,247
Likes: 471
From: Glen Allen, VA
well, I didnt' find the charcoal canister or washer jug to be too hard after my Homer Simpson "DOH" moment. A buddy told me to remove the splash sheild under them and life was a lot easier. Also the outer door handles were not a big deal either once I learned here to remove the 3 screws that hold the door latch in place, which lets it drop down to give you more room to get to the back nut on teh outer door handle.
Pro
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 721
Likes: 105
From: hernando fl
vettes are a pain to wrench on,i'll give you that,but try changing an evaporaor core on a lincoln navigator or mark viii. then try a torque converter on a front wheel drive continental,if you get through that with your sanity go for a front sway bar on the retro t-bird,i'll take an older vette every time. I'm not saying vettes are easy, but some of the new stuff is worse,MUCH worse
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 5,485
Likes: 7
From: Peekskill NY
Here's the deal, I've wrenched on all things mechanical, old and new, but whoever laid out my 77 wan't thining about serviceability. Stripping for paint and a fresh motor over the winter. Here's the list of stupidly-difficult parts to remove.
1. Bumper covers. What's up with the million studs with inaccessible nuts? I just sawzall'd the covers off.
2. Why the hell are the bumpers so beefy? What are they, 25mph? There's about a million pieces bolted together there also.
3. That dumb vacuum tank. I hired a crane operator to lift it out of my garage. Now I have to pay a flatbed to bring it to the scrapyard.
4. The charcoal canister. Holy cow is that thing buried. To remove it, I first had to remove the...
5. ...Cruise control and actuator. They're rivited to the inner fenders. Out came the grinder. Luckily ther're getting trashed.
6. Even the washer bottle wasn't that easy.
Am I complaining too much? Some of this stuff is just awful. I can't wait to remove my A/C evaporator and change my leaking heater core. Then there are the sideview mirrors that I've heard nothing but fun things about.
Post the most awful tasks performed on your C3.
1. Bumper covers. What's up with the million studs with inaccessible nuts? I just sawzall'd the covers off.
2. Why the hell are the bumpers so beefy? What are they, 25mph? There's about a million pieces bolted together there also.
3. That dumb vacuum tank. I hired a crane operator to lift it out of my garage. Now I have to pay a flatbed to bring it to the scrapyard.
4. The charcoal canister. Holy cow is that thing buried. To remove it, I first had to remove the...
5. ...Cruise control and actuator. They're rivited to the inner fenders. Out came the grinder. Luckily ther're getting trashed.
6. Even the washer bottle wasn't that easy.
Am I complaining too much? Some of this stuff is just awful. I can't wait to remove my A/C evaporator and change my leaking heater core. Then there are the sideview mirrors that I've heard nothing but fun things about.
Post the most awful tasks performed on your C3.
I agree about a lot of the other stuff, very tight quarters!
Good luck with your project.
Glenn
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 1,173
Likes: 1
From: Liberty Missouri
Just wait until you remove the radiator support…..Getting it out isn’t the hard part, but putting it back in you will swear it didn’t come from there.
I need to second the break booster; wrenches were flying at the speed of light across my garage before I got that done.
Oh yeah and try to get the clevis pin out of the break pedal on a manual break car.
I need to second the break booster; wrenches were flying at the speed of light across my garage before I got that done.
Oh yeah and try to get the clevis pin out of the break pedal on a manual break car.
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Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 21,457
Likes: 463
From: Massillon,Ohio USA
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Cruise-In VI Veteran
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12
...I forget which is the hardest...
...installing a "pre-bent" one piece fuel line and return line on a C3 without taking the body off of the frame...
OR
...changing an automatic car over to a 4 speed car, replacing the engine, and making it a true A/C delete car in a few months...
...installing a "pre-bent" one piece fuel line and return line on a C3 without taking the body off of the frame...
OR
...changing an automatic car over to a 4 speed car, replacing the engine, and making it a true A/C delete car in a few months...
Racer
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 364
Likes: 0
From: Anaheim California
My worst jobs thankfully long ago.
1.1970's Fiat X1-9 replacing window lift cable.
2.1955 Chevy Luv pickup replacing water pump. Every 500 miles. had to make a special tool to get to one bolt and remove the timing chain to get pump off.
These were all metric before metrics got mainstream on autos.
1.1970's Fiat X1-9 replacing window lift cable.
2.1955 Chevy Luv pickup replacing water pump. Every 500 miles. had to make a special tool to get to one bolt and remove the timing chain to get pump off.
These were all metric before metrics got mainstream on autos.
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 893
Likes: 7
From: Hazerswoude-Rijndijk Zuid Holland
Another one for the break booster 
. And a broken hood opening mechanism, 1 1/2 hours of minute turns through a small opening. Remembering that sends cold shivers down my spine, 
. And a broken hood opening mechanism, 1 1/2 hours of minute turns through a small opening. Remembering that sends cold shivers down my spine,
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 3,246
Likes: 4
From: Bay Area CA
Brakes.
I had to put two feet on the front of the frame, and pry with the biggest huge Klein screw driver I've got, just to barley break the rotors free, after drilling out the rivets. The screw driver flexed. Even after that, it took nearly a year of investigation and trying different things to get the brakes right. 4 gallons of brake fluid in my hallways says the brakes.
I had to put two feet on the front of the frame, and pry with the biggest huge Klein screw driver I've got, just to barley break the rotors free, after drilling out the rivets. The screw driver flexed. Even after that, it took nearly a year of investigation and trying different things to get the brakes right. 4 gallons of brake fluid in my hallways says the brakes.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 3,363
Likes: 303
From: Lansdale 19446 PA
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Unmodified
St. Jude Donor '10-'11, '15, '19
I have a good one - try the brake light swith under the left dash pad on my 69. You have to be a contortionist to get the 2 ears uncliped to remove the switch. Then try to adjust the new one
I pulled the drivers seat out to make it A LITTLE more accessible! I am glad I'm not 6'6" tall! My feet would be thru the roof and reating on the gas tank lid!
I pulled the drivers seat out to make it A LITTLE more accessible! I am glad I'm not 6'6" tall! My feet would be thru the roof and reating on the gas tank lid!
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 876
Likes: 0
From: Canastota Ny
did anyone notice he said "heater core" *gringe* you think the parts you removed already were hard? HA!!! sell the car now while you can!
"Just walk away. Just walk away and I'll spare your lives. Just walk away."
"Just walk away. Just walk away and I'll spare your lives. Just walk away."