Its been one of those days all week long now and its not even over yet Other day I got a Holley street avenger for the car, I got it put on pretty easy and got it running but then ran into a snag, it would idle at 2500 rpms and would not come down. Finally got that lined out yesterday after work and car ran great. Today I took it to an exhaust shop and had duals put on it, well app was at 9a.m., now I've had plenty of exhaust systems put on my old truck and Nova, granted the vette had a few more twists and turns, but I sat and waited for it thinking ok hour or two no biggie, 7 hours later it was fianlly done! Yes I said 7 hours! Wasn't very happy till I got to see how nice of a job they did. Car sounds absolutely awesome . Not too loud but it definately sounds like it means business, love it. Then since I was running late I decided to take the interstate home, well about halfway home the car started smoking... I made it to the next exit and pulled it into a gas station right as it started rolling out from under the hood. It was steam. I raised the hood just to get sprayed with antifreeze, the heater hose on the intake had split wide open. I bought a knife and some antifreeze, cut the split end off and clamped it back on, filled radiator and over flow, cleaned up under the hood best I could and hit the road. Took about 15 minutes. hosed it off real good when I got home and so far so good. Now tomorrow I'm going to get the windows tinted so we'll see how much trouble that will turn out to be. So like I said Wow! What a week.

 

Sounds like the beginning of a mini series!! Keep us posted.

Luckly it wasn't anything serious.

Jim

 

I know that feeling. Seven hours is a long time to wait for the exhaust system to be done. I waited almost 5 hours for a 4 wheel alignment. It just seems to take ....so......long.

And when your car started smoking was your first guess something that the muffler shop did??? I know i usually jump to that conclusion. Glad to hear that it was not related, but sorry to hear about a new problem.

kdf

 

Well the weird thing was I started seeing smoke coming from inside the steering column. Then I could smell the antifreeze. The gauge read just over 200 so I knew something was up since it never even reaches 200 on a hot day.

 

AHHHHHHH, the joys (and wallet squeezing) of owning Americas true sportscar!!!

 

I almost forgot. Last night I was taking my 4 year old back to her moms when it started to get dark, flipped head lights on and they refused to come up. Usually they come up when I start the car and refuse to go down. But oh no not this time.

 

Just be aware of how dark you tint the windows. Cops love to pull people over with tinted windows! Maybe it will just add a bit more drama to your Vette's history. At least the radiator hose was a minor set back.
Glenn

 

Well that's another funny twist to this story. Around here they don't say much because most people do 5% even the cops, I've had 5% on my old blue truck for 12 years now with no problem... BUT... the out of the 3 places in town that tint windows, the cheapest one, that I'm going to also sells all the cop equipment so there's usually a cop car sitting out front! So hard tellin what's gonna happen. I'm preparing for the worst so I won't be suprised.

 

Glad that most of your efforts are working out for you and the car. And as Glenn said...don't go too dark with the tint. Thats an easy pull over and ticket here in MD.

Regards your wait time....here is my little ditty, with tires & wheels.

I have a guy I use....1 mile from my home...I always take the tires and wheels separate in the truck....in and out in 30 min's....cost was $50 today its $60. Never a problem.

Then I bought new wheels and they had to be shipped to an authorized dealer....10 miles from my home....Cost to mount and balance $130 (hey the wheels are there take the car down how bad can it be?).....7 hours later....I repeat SEVEN (7) HOURS later, they say the car is ready. Go out.... 2 wheels have the tread put on backwards (they were marked) and all 4 wheels are the wrong size (clearly marked on the box). Four hours later (yes, we are at 11 hours now) they have remounted my originals and returning the wrong size wheels for the right ones......They now want $260........I won't bore you with the rest...cops came....I was almost arrested.....blah, blah, blah!!!!!!

But, wait it get's better.....the wrong wheels were returned and the new wheels came in 8 weeks later. I go back (just to pick up the wheels, no mounting or bal.) After waiting 3 hours I was permitted to see the boxes the wheels were delivered in....guess what....wrong size again!!!!!!!!! Now, the store manager is saying its all my fault. Please understand I have a reciept in my hand with the wheel size's listed on it in black bold lettering. He now say's I will also have to pay for the return shipping, since he ate it the first time.

No cop's this time.........I simply walked out!!!!!!!! Went home and made a few phone calls.

What I ended up working out with the mfgr was....They shipped the correct size wheels to my guy.....1 mile from my home....and refunded me all costs to date. I was in and out in 30 min's. Total cost for the wheels plus mounting / balancing = $50.

That' a true story folk's!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Stay in tune....

 

I love stories like this. And I love it when a vendor threatens to call the cops. I always use my standard response: "Go ahead, call the cops. I'd LOVE to speak to a cop about this!" Most of the time, they get the idea when I say that.

 

I know how ya feel.
Went to fire up my '78 this week after storing it for the winter.

Dead battery, no biggie.
brakes worked .....whoohoooo
checked to make sure wheels were tight.....SNAP.....broke off a rear stud..grrrrrrr... just what i need, another project
radio's dead.....(no power)
seatbelt buzzer wont shut off.
exhaust manifold leak now......geeeze.......will it ever end???


ahhhh the joys.......

dodosmike

 

How about when a garage threatens to call the cops and your buddy flips open his wallet and say's "would you like my home, office or cell phone number. Garage manager just shook his head and decided not to charge me for the piece (tie rod end) they never replaced. Wasn't even interested in how I knew they didn't replace it at that point. I had replaced the left side the weekend before. They replaced the right side and did an alignment on it. They tried to charge me for both rod ends. My wife dropped the truck off and I guess they thought she'd be the one picking it up. Now that was fun just waiting for the punch line to happen.

 

Wow! Window tint guy called and cancelled, BUT... took a HUGE left turn... HUGE! Went to help my buddy get an old 66 GMC home. It ran like crap, I had to rebuild carb a few weeks ago so I put it on got it tuned bleed brakes and a new fuel pump. Coughed back fired and sputtered all the way down the road and kept dying. Finally jumped out on side of the road and adjusted timing and carb a bit more. BAM! Ran great! For about 4 miles. Died! No spark nothin. Changed coil, nothin. While sitting under the hood on the side of the road a monsoon hits so I'm stuck under the hood in pouring down rain and lightening. Which brings me to where I am now, waiting on friend to show up with his trailer, in the rain, in a 66 GMC duelly with a big block 305 V6. What a week. I need a beer!

 

Here ya go bud. On me!

 

Well this is what I drove in to and got stuck working in, and when I say "stuck working in" I mean stuck sitting inside the engine compartment pulling the coil off and the points out of the distributor when it cut loose with a down pour as I used the hood as an umbrella.

And this is Big Red. The 66 GMC that was the big finish for my week of activities. 305 big block V6 flat bed dually. Finally making it home to my buddys house.