BUILD THREAD Project Olds Cool (Recognition!!)

[Rktpwrd]

Anybody remember this car?

Went over to the neighbor’s garage this morning and pulled the cover off it. Removed all the strategically placed dryer sheets to keep the rodents out, then drug my air hose across the alley and filled up the flat left front tire. Jumped in, pumped the pedal four times, then cautiously hit the key. It caught on the 4th revolution and sprang to life!

After letting it warm up sufficiently, I pulled it out and checked and adjusted the pressures in the other 3 tires. Had to dust it off a little bit even though it was covered, but that ain’t too bad for sitting in cold storage for 8 months.

I’ll take it.

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After emptying out the trunk and giving it a thorough visual inspection, I took it over to the local auto parts place and grabbed 6 qts of Lucas Hot Rod 10W 40 oil and an extra capacity Wix filter. Damn I forgot how nice it drives.

The remainder of the afternoon was spent doing the oil change, tweaking the carb a bit, and generally fussing around with it. Not much to do though, as it seems to be running extremely well.

Tomorrow I have a set of the thick fender support braces that I want to swap out, then I was thinking about getting the rear tires changed as well as I have a relatively long distance drive to a show I want to go to on Saturday. Don’t particularly need a flat out in the middle of the boonies.

Which brings me to a question for y’all, and a bit of a dilemma:

Being off work because of my knee this week, my company has taken my work truck in for a few repairs. I have a spare set of mint matching rear BFG tires identical to the ones that are already on the car, and normally I would pull the wheels off and just throw them and the replacement tires in the truck to take down to the tire shop.
But now having no truck, if I want the tires swapped it means that I’d have to bring the car and the tires down and trust some greasy tire monkey with the car to pull the rear wheels off and change them out.

What do you guys think? Should I trust them with this simple mundane task after all the hard work and effort I’ve put into restoring the car? I’m just nervous about anyone doing anything on the car because I know they won’t have the same respect for it as we all would. I’m just picturing impact guns on my chrome lug nuts and scarred up wheels with hammered on weights.
😖😖😖

Whadda y’all think??

D.

 

[Supercharged111]

Sounds like you just need a shop you can trust, but don't have that at the moment.

 

[Rktpwrd]

I have a shop that we send all our work trucks through, and they haven’t been too bad, but there’s a big difference between fleet work trucks and the personal hobby cars.

I have no qualms about giving them the wheels and tires already removed from the car to do the tire swap, it’s the removal and reinstallation on the car itself that I’m more concerned about.
I’d do it myself, but I think it would probably be bad form to bring the floor jack and R&R the wheels for them out in the parking lot.😅

 

[old80cs]

How about the leading ladie’s car, does it have a hatchback or good sized trunk? Obviously taking care not to mess up her car if she agreed to let you use it.

If it came down to it, with no better option, I’d pull the tires myself in their lot. If they know you and you bring in work with your company trucks I doubt they’d care anyhow.

 

[melloelky]

I don't know the circumstances of you being out of work but I wouldn't do anything as that tire shop is the same one that your work uses,word gets back you're doing something other than resting and climbing the walls.you know how it is people stirring it up.that said I'm hard pressed to let someone r&i wheels off that ride.

 

[Tony1968]

I agree with melloelky...

 

[olds307 and 403]

I don't blame you feeling that way, you spent a ton of time on it. But as said, being off makes it difficult. Hopefully they can do this one simple task without incident Once those BFG are burned off or get too old, are you going that route again? I know you got a killer deal on your two going on. I think Cooper Cobra's will get the nod for my 70S for any future tire replacement over the BFG's. Cheaper, look better especially black side out and a more modern tread pattern.

 

[Streetbu]

IMO, no I wouldn't trust most anyone. As far as bolting them on and off the car, they are usually pretty lazy with the socket and often hit the wheel, even if it's just lightly, with the the end of it. Then of course changing the tires it's not uncommon for the edge of the wheel to be scuffed. Ugh, makes me cringe even thinking about someone else touching that car.

 

[Rktpwrd]

How about the leading ladie’s car, does it have a hatchback or good sized trunk? Obviously taking care not to mess up her car if she agreed to let you use it.

If it came down to it, with no better option, I’d pull the tires myself in their lot. If they know you and you bring in work with your company trucks I doubt they’d care anyhow.

Yeah, I could probably persuade her to let me use her car for the task, but melloelky below has a very valid point. The timing of this might not be the best.

And as for bringing them work with our trucks, not likely. More like the other way ‘round, it costs them money when we pull into their parking lot because we’re usually there to fix or service their compressor!
😁

I don't know the circumstances of you being out of work but I wouldn't do anything as that tire shop is the same one that your work uses,word gets back you're doing something other than resting and climbing the walls.you know how it is people stirring it up.that said I'm hard pressed to let someone r&i wheels off that ride.

I’m picking up what you’re laying down Chris. Very valid point. I should probably hold off on this until I’m back to work and things have normalized.

I don't blame you feeling that way, you spent a ton of time on it. But as said, being off makes it difficult. Hopefully they can do this one simple task without incident Once those BFG are burned off or get too old, are you going that route again? I know you got a killer deal on your two going on. I think Cooper Cobra's will get the nod for my 70S for any future tire replacement over the BFG's. Cheaper, look better especially black side out and a more modern tread pattern.

I’m not totally sure just yet Christian. To me the classic look has always been RWL out on BFG Radial T/A’s. For whatever reason any other brand of RWL on a classic car just doesn’t look quite right. That being said, I’ve slowly been warming up to the Cooper Cobra’s over the years. I hope the Cobra’s have better tread life and longevity than the Cooper tires that are on my work truck, they haven’t worn well at all. In fact last year we had to replace the rear two due to broken belts inside, with less than 2 years on them.

 

[Rktpwrd]

IMO, no I wouldn't trust most anyone. As fast as bolting them on and off the car, they are usually pretty lazy with the socket and often hit the wheel, even if it's just lightly, with the the end of it. Then of course changing the tires it's not uncommon for the edge of the wheel to be scuffed. Ugh, makes me cringe even thinking about someone else touching that car.

Yep, you get it too Shawn. You described exactly what I’m afraid of. I’ve watched many tire guys, and they usually treat the stuff with zero ****s given. I’d really rather not run the risk of going that route, so I guess I’ll hold off for now.