mkdesign

So I'm out for a nice evening drive and my car shifts into second on it's own on a straight stretch of road and then nothing. Did I grenade the transmission? Nope. I've had this happen on my Riv before and I'm absolutely sure I know what the culprit is. A blown transmission cooler line!
Both the Riv and the Vette came out of long term storage and had the same issue.
I can only blame myself. I replaced all the hoses and gaskets on both cars except the rubber transmission line connection. Just because a rubber hose looks okay doesn't mean it IS okay.
So... Here comes my wife to the rescue (in my Dodge Magnum) with tools, floor jack, hose, and a jug of transmission fluid. The pic is when we are ready to get back on the road.
Umm.. is it funny, fitting, or ironic that it happened just outside our landfill? Doesn't matter. I still love this crusty old Vette!

mortgageguy

We take our help any way we can get it. And there is nothing crusty about that car. It is beautiful.

mkdesign

Thanks for the compliment, it is very much appreciated but trust me, the picture hides a lot. The paint is really weathered and the front and rear bumper covers are painted using color matched spray cans because my old compressor will not keep up with a gun. Heck, the paint was brought back to life with a few hours of soapy Scotch-Brite pads and wax. The interior panels are cracked and the seats are worn but with a LOT of scrubbing to get rid of the mold and a little interior dye (along with my home made carpet set), it is acceptable, clean and dry. And it stays dry with a cheapo top.
Now, with all the talk of being upside down on a Vette, or what we can get back on our investments, it may be easy to forget that these cars are supposed to be fun. That said I am very careful not to overspend on cosmetics, but money will be spent on drivetrain and suspension upgrades. Fast is fun!
So I really don't mind if it is,(yes, trust me)a beater, and isn't an investment grade big block chrome bumper car. It is a convertible and as long as I can look at my car (stance nailed with a nice wheel and tire package)and it fits my needs and is reasonably reliable, especially considering it's long hibernation, it doesn't have to be perfect and I am super happy to enjoy the car as is. Let's get out and drive 'em...warts and all!

resdoggie

Your wife is a keeper if I may say so. I broke down once and had my wife leave her work early, drive to our house and pick up some booster cables and a few simple tools and then came to rescue me. Nice to have a better half who knows the difference between booster cables and an extension cord. Nice ride btw.

LeeS

Dodges and old Corvettes go well together. I have an NCRS 1969 427 car but I also have a Viper ACR and a 300C SRT8. All black. And that is a great looking Magnum!! My bucket list includes an old Corvette like yours, can be daily driven, don't worry about minor appearance issues, drive it like you owned it back in the day. Well done and you married well!

mkdesign

Yup, she is awesome. She fully supports this car sickness. She also knows that I won't spend crazy money on my toys and take money away from family necessities, especially maintenance and improvements to our house and property.
Oh yeah, she was the one who said to hurry up and buy the rear bumper conversion and is now saying to hurry up and order the front bumper conversion from Don. Don't ya just love it when the wife is always right!

mkdesign

Thanks Lee. The Hemi Magnum wagon really is a great everyday vehicle for me, although I wish it was an SRT8 like your 300C. It is essentially stock but lowered, with 22" wheels. I also painted the edges of the headlights bodycolor to get rid of the, umm, goofiness of the stock design.
And I LOVE your Vette on your avatar. Since I blended the bumpers on my car I have wanted to tape off the front end and apply a ZL1 style stripe and your car sealed the deal. The good thing about the paint on my car is that I'm absolutely not hurting anything by applying the stripe. There is a lot of freedom that comes from leaving the patina finish on the car as is for a while. Now to get my 1/4" masking tape out!

resdoggie

Oh yeah, my wife also has the fever! Here she is helping me out:

bradleyb66

Hmmmm, if I called MY wife to have her bring tools, her response would probably be 'don't we have AAA?' (but I'll keep her anyway! )

brit vet

Member since 2001 and only 20 odd posts and some serious cars. I think you need to post more and include some pics too

The13Bats

i hope this doesnt this mean you have to add the dodge hash marks to your chevies front fenders?