95ttoplt1

Hey I don't post here much, mostly a lurker. But I recently bought my first C5 sight unseen(I know) and had to wait about a month before I even got to drive it as I was in Iraq(still am) but it was waiting when I got home on R&R.

So it needed some work which I was expecting. My wife picked my up at the airport in it and was so excited to show me she could drive a stick, that I wasn't allowed to drive away from the airport. But right away I could notice it needed some work that was obvious but must have slipped the seller mind... The rear control arm bushings sounded like a jackhammer in the wheel well So I had to baby my new vette home and park it till the parts arrived.

So all my brothers came over and helped me and we did a clutch, rear knuckle, replaced two bad tie rods, master, slave, throwout brearing, pilot, flywheel and thermostat. It was really fun to do this with all 3 of my brothers and my dad helping me. Needless to say it took all of us to get the stupid torque tube back in :LOL: and it came down to the old man getting the input shaft started into the clutch and then unbolting the clutch and wiggling until it went into the pilot and then bolting it back up. What a pain. And we took 3 seperate stabs at it, and the alignment tool would slide in like it was buttered every time we pulled back and checked.

But anyway we got all that in and about 4 am went to crank it up. I was so excited as now I could drive my vette like I wanted and have some fun and not be worried about something breaking. But it took a while to start. Nothing unusual I thought as we replaced the fuel filter while we had it up. But then it didn't want to stay running. And I remember taking a ground off in the drivers side rear wheel well. So I asked my brother if he put it back on. He was sure. And we could here a vaccum leak so we found that, and 3 others But it still didn't want to run. So I grabbed a fuel pressure guage and checked. Crapola for fuel pressure. So I gave up as I still had to drive home. But we were all baffled at how the pump would just crap at the same time. But we had about 30 psi so we figured all the wiring was good.

So the next day they were supposed to come over and help around the house. But they were super late and I was starting to get concerned. I kept calling and no one would answer. And then about 2pm they rolled up IN MY VETTE!! When I left at 4am they stayed up and were determined to find out what happened and sure enough that ground wasn't hooked up. They said about 2 hours after I left the jacked it up to check to see if we pinched a line and saw the wire hanging down

So I finally got to take it out and have some fun. And I have to say 3rd gear is my favorite for canyon carving

But about 2 days later my wife and I were going to a concert and before we left town we decied to go through a Superwash(brushless) to get the grime off. And wouldn't you know it, the stupid thing craps out in the car wash, acts just like before. I was so pissed, and there is only about 5 cars behind me in line, and I can't get out of the car wash.

So I finally limped it out and wiggled the ground with no luck. Checked under the hood and the CAI seemed to be connected. So I conceeded defeat, and called my mom who gave us a ride home and we jumped in my Camaro(95 LT1 GM 847/3k stall/4.30/True Duals dumed under the seats, very loud) and started out on the 3 hour drive . My wife was pissed.

So when I got back from the weekend of Valet parking my drag car I called the tow truck so I could atleast get my vette back home(I left it at the wash I was so pissed). And while I was waiting for the truck to show up I figured I would check the fuel pressure to see if it was the same problem, and when I popped the hood the CAI and MAF were laying in the nose..........


Please point and laugh

Pictures to follow.

peter pan

Wow what a story and seems it all is ending up nicely and thanks for serving our country

c3_enthusiast

First off, I agree with Peterpan: Thank you for your service.

Second, it all will work out in the end like it did.

PS. Im chasing a minor ground issue with a fog lamp. Once you become a pro, wanna fix mine?

95ttoplt1

Thanks guys, I really enjoy my job, and I can't believe you pay me to do it

Heres some pictures

JCSZ51

Sounds like some good R&R

Looks like you got at toy with some fight in her!!

MagRedConv

Good stuff

dobewillie

thank you for your service I hope everything works out well for you you certainly deserve it

vertstr

Love to here how family's stick it out Thanks four your service

Plasticfan

Thank you for your service to our country.

Sounds like you have a great family to help with your Vette.

I hope you guys didn't make that little girl do all the work.

95ttoplt1

She was my helper. She liked putting the red sauce on the bolts and taking the tires off, then she ran off talking about ponies and princesses. Good help is hard to find

BOTYNV1

Way cool, she is a doll Glad the family kicked in, and Thank You for your service

itzza427

Props and thanks from a fellow vet(Nam) Life is good,you now have a cool car,and great family.Ya gotta love Brothers and a dad that are not just willing to jump in and help,but willing to grind it out to the bitter end to see the job through to the end.

Nyt_Muves

Thank you for your service!!

I have found that the time I have spent with my 5 year old working on the cars and waxing the cars etc... is some of the most memorable time we have spent for both of us.

It gives him a sense of ownership too. My last car, a Mustang BULLITT, wasn't my car anymore when he talked about it, it was OUR BULLITT and he took real pride in the fact that he helped dad work on it and detail it. Looks like you are making some of those memories with your little one too. Congratulations on that!!!

C5R USA

Here's to you vet,from another vet Nice looking 'Vette

vettelover84

Sounds like some crazy times!!! Thats a very nice looking coupe!!

Take it easy and be safe!!!

95ttoplt1

Thanks for the compliments guys.

She's alwasy hanging out in the garage with me. She likes the camaro better because its faster and louder

Tigershark3

Story....

Vetteman Jack

Thanks for your service and glad you got the problem solved.