Went & did some tire kicking

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Had Jr. perform his 1st factory "improvement" tonight, installed the rad support brace bars. I had them out & kinda in the way so I decided to have him get something done with them. Showed him how they are on mine then walked hin thru it. Took longer explaining the how to than to install. Then it had to move again so I added some Lucas to the fuel & the idle is better. If we ever get a dry weekend I'll show him how to do a basic tune up.

 

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Picked up a new pair of calipers for the old girl today at O'reilly since I was there for pads for my Silverado. When we got back I order wheel cylinders off Amazon. Now we got them taken care of, have some hard lines for the rear & got a set of Russel braided brake hoses so he'll be ready for a brake lesson for next weekend. The pads will not be replaced (still has near new thickness) but Jr. will see how to replace them

 

[DRIVEN]

Glad you're making this a rolling shop class.

 

[pagrunt]

Glad you're making this a rolling shop class.

I keep telling him if he can't work on it he don't need it. He does get excited about getting the chance to work on it.

 

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Well, trying to be a smart shopper & showing Jr. how to budget the money we spend on his car didn't work out on a weekend purchase that was on sale topped with a 10% military/first responder discount. Shopping around for the plastic hump cover for the 4 speed conversion I found Eckler's had one listed in stock with a unbeatable price from what we've seen. Place the order, they took my money. Then after checking my email after a super fun day with AAA trying to get a tow from an outfit that wasn't near the Ohio state line, I see three from them, All about the order being canceled & my money refunded(?). Checked into it to find the cover was discontinued by the manufacturer. OK. Asked why it was & still listed on the site in stock, was told it doesn't update in real time (Friday night to now with it not be in stock before that night) & could be there for awhile. Then they were offering to help me find something else simular I could order that will work. Yea, there's lots of parts out there that can be used as a substitute for the hump cover. Transfer me to a sales department rep to hear the same thing. I'm guessing the other & new lesson for him will be when there is no other choice you have to spend more than you budget for.

Ecklers Plastic Shift Cover,MT Wo/Console,78-87

This El Camino reproduction manual floor shift plastic cover has been manufactured to original factory specifications using today's modern manufacturing techn

www.ecklers.com

 

[ck80]

Well found out another headache tonight, really going to have to find better doors. The very poor & neglected out door storage of the extra doors were not good for them. Bottoms are about the same as the originals but with out the sideswipe damage. If those inner lower patches were still available it would take some bite out of this. Of all things that should of been aluminum on these cars. At this point the doors are the only exterior bolt on panels that'll be an issue for replacement.

Offer still stands to help transport a set to probably within an hour or two of you along the I-95 to I-26 to I-77 to i-81 corridor. Actually you could extend that to I-84 and southern new england as well if we hauled them on a return trip southbound, but, I'd expect nicer stuff to exist down south....but between coastal GA and New England, wouldn't mind helping out as long as were still making the trips anyways.

 

[pagrunt]

Offer still stands to help transport a set to probably within an hour or two of you along the I-95 to I-26 to I-77 to i-81 corridor. Actually you could extend that to I-84 and southern new england as well if we hauled them on a return trip southbound, but, I'd expect nicer stuff to exist down south....but between coastal GA and New England, wouldn't mind helping out as long as were still making the trips anyways.

I'm really going to have to think this over since the only set I found is up around State College/Penn State main campus & they yard list as "fair". Again thanks for offering this.

 

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Finally remembered my chip binder & hit the paint store to get a pint to do the license plate pocket/center filler for Jr.'s car. At first I had sticker shock when they said they could only mix it in PPG's DBC at $300 for the pint!

They called the color library & was able to get a Shop Line base coat formula & was $48. All good but they were informed PPG is discontinuing certain tints so a cheaper option may not be there down the road. Then add another issue, I had them look up the tan interior codes & got nothing. Not sure if PPG is not keeping older formulas on the direct access or they are actually doing away with colors. When I was mixing paint I was able to do colors back to the 1910's. I might have to (with disgust) go to the former employer to see if they can bring up the interior codes.

 

[Sweet_Johnny]

Finally remembered my chip binder & hit the paint store to get a pint to do the license plate pocket/center filler for Jr.'s car. At first I had sticker shock when they said they could only mix it in PPG's DBC at $300 for the pint!

They called the color library & was able to get a Shop Line base coat formula & was $48. All good but they were informed PPG is discontinuing certain tints so a cheaper option may not be there down the road. Then add another issue, I had them look up the tan interior codes & got nothing. Not sure if PPG is not keeping older formulas on the direct access or they are actually doing away with colors. When I was mixing paint I was able to do colors back to the 1910's. I might have to (with disgust) go to the former employer to see if they can bring up the interior codes.

Just one more way they're trying to erase us and our hobby/ passion- everything is getting more and more difficult to locate or even get accurate descriptions for.

 

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Did a simple task today with out Jr., put on the needed ring terminal on the jumper harness to use a third brake light. Then added it to the tail light harness & now looks close to being a factory add on. Would of had him involed & did more but had to get his mom out to pick up her car. Cause we do have to show her some love every so often so we can ignore things & mess with our cars.