Professur

Original plan is to run out Thursday with a Uhaul pickup and trailer as that's the only day the license bureau is open late to effect the transfer. I would usually just ask them to fill in a proxy form, but a large part of this is me trusting that they've kept it plated so it doesn't need a mechanical inspection, and that the evaluation they used last year when buying it is still valid. The gov't here want's to make sure they're not missing out on taxes so they want a professional evaluation of the vehicle's worth once it's over 25 year old and out of the KBB. Since calling an evaluator out to look it over, then write up a report is $125 and takes the better part of a week ... I'd rather avoid that. This way, they're on hand and if there's any trouble in the transfer to me ... it's their problem. And since they're over an hour away .. I'd be pretty skittish of taking a just bought car that far on the highway. Did some reading. The downshift problem is definitely synchros. Fortunately, rebuild kits for that trans are easily had. I do believe this is actually shorter than the Fiero. Smallest Pontiac ever?

Whall the missus said I can have it if I don't think it'll cost too much to fix.

I should think so.

That's the question, isn't it? The missus still hasn't decided. I'll be booking a pickup and trailer to bring it home Thursday if she doesn't say no before then.

There was a company or two that tried this with cars not too long age. You might notice they're not doing it anymore ... because it's stupid.

Well maybe convertible firebirds are as common as dirt in the US, but here they're hard to find in any condition anyone would want. So, today I made the 2 hour run out to see the $800 Firefly. Rough. Rougher than I'd thought from the calls I'd had with them. Rockers are mush. But they're repopped by Key. One of the two control arm mounts has rust, but isn't totally gone (my big worry). Engine started nicely from cold, all fluids look good. Roof is toast and the rear window opaque(but I already knew that). Exhaust is knackered, but who cares. Took it for a ride ... shifts up well, but won't go from 3 to 2 until you're almost at a dead stop. Well, they're selling it with a spare engine and trans .... might be a shift fork, but I suspect the synchro.

Moving this story to it's own thread

It's no news to anyone here that Kijiji is my Kryptonite. I really need to block that site. Anyhow, to bring everyone up to speed ... The Parisienne has taken a bad turn after an attack of the metal moths. The Olds CC wagon has yet to receive it's transmission transplant. The missus has a new Sonic .. and I'm using her old terminally diagnosed Malibu until it breathes it's last. I still have not found any trace of a Yugo for sale anywhere in Canuckistan. M'kay. When last we checked in with our hero, he'd found a 1990 3cyl 1L convertible Firefly and a 1995 Firebird t-top and was doing his best impression of an Eggo betwixt the two. Well, someone else bought the Firebird, and the Firefly owner went incommunicado. And the Malibu started making the sort of noises that make you wonder when Mom and Dad are going to quit talking and head home so you can test the flushing capacity of that new porcelain throne. With things rushing to a head, Our hero found a 2009 Uplander for sale at a local cheap used car lot for under $2k. Well, with a price like that, expectations weren't high and much would pass unquestioned. And now .... Ok, looks like unless something drastic happens, the Uplander won't be. Unmentioned in the ad was the accident damage to the passenger side. Minor stuff .. headlight's been replaced and the fender fouls the door. Easy enough to fix. BUT. Arrive at the lot .. the van's battery is dead. That's one way to high computer codes, isn't it? Meh. One of the top engine mount's bolts are loose. Meh, you have to take them off to do just about any work on this car. Guy starts the car with a jump pack. Starts nice and easy. That's good. Engine has a small shudder .. probably just hasn't been run in a while. Water in the gas from alcohol most likely. No lifter tick. Lotta noise tho. The fans are running full bore, the engine's cold. That's no good. Looks like bunches of the wiring harness are held in place with zipties. Meh, those factory clips are a pain in the ass. Top terminal battery in a GM? That's a new one. Try the AC, compressor doesn't activate. Check the oil, engine running ... oil half way up the dipstick. WTF!! Check it again .. same. Guy says you're not supposed to check the engine oil while it's running. Um, yeah .. because it would read low. It might splash some up the stick ... but not half way up. Unless someone wants to tell me otherwise. The engine's warming up so I decide to check the trans fluid. Foot on the brake ... right to the floor! OK, yeah ... maybe they haven't done their 'service' on it yet ... but someone drove it into this location. You knew it had no brakes. And that's where this story ends. Damn shame. It felt like putting on an old sweater. I'd had a 1997 Transport and drove a 2000 Venture for work for years. This felt exactly the same. When you lift the hood ... there's a taller plastic grill ... but the old lower nose metal (core support) is still there. You could pull the hood and fenders off an old Montana, and they'd fit perfectly. I really really wanted to drop money and take this one home. I could overlook just about everything .. but way too much oil and no brakes ... can't shrug that off.

No .. they're just trying to keep NotAll from posting pics of himself again.

The Firebird sold, and the Firefly's owner didn't return my last email. The Malibu's making noises that aren't making me comfortable going any distance ... and to be honest ... I'm saddled with hauling a bunch of seniors back and forth to church every sunday and on top of that ... I'm looking at needing a vehicle that can haul construction materials in the near future. This thing appeared at less than $2k so I have to give it some consideration. Spent most of yesterday looking for some terminal flaw in the 3.9lV6 that would settle the issue, but the damn thing looks to be pretty much bullet proof, 'cept for it's thirst. The rest of the van literally hasn't changed (apart from a punched nose) since my '97 Transport. Still has a dipstick for the trans, still has a fluid power steering and even the damn seats are the same. Indeed, the biggest bug bear I can find is that there's only one door with a key. And the steering wheel is ugly as sin. And it's an automatic. And it's got a really stupid name.

So ... after much humming and hawing, I'm going to look at a car tonight. a 2009 bowtie Uplander.

Bah .. it's protein ... it's good for ya. Puts hair on your ... face.

Yep .. nothing worse for a car than to have to issue a recall for a serious issue when you don't have the fix ready to go. My Malibu had a similar recall for the electric power steering ... don't bother heading to the dealership to get it fixed. There's no parts yet. So what am I supposed to do with this $40k turd in my driveway that's not safe to drive? And you expect me to continue making payments on it? Big ol' middle finger at ya.

Gad, that could have ended so badly.

OF THE CAR!!! Damnit Frosty .. you know better than to leave a post open to interpretation like that.

I'll say this flat out .. liability. 99% of bodyshops will refuse to touch this type of work simply because of the liability issue. If cost is an issue, you need to stop right now. Safety is the first and only issue. If your frame is rusted through forward of the rear wheel, it's neither operational nor serviceable. As Black Top said .. if it's rusted through in that location, you've lost a lot of strength to rust in other places too. You don't measure metal strength with an eyeball. And if you're caught with a frame patch and don't have a welder's certification to prove it was done right, you're looking at a world of trouble. Depending on your location, possibly even jail time. Not kidding on that ... I have that first hand from investigating the legality of frame repair on a Jeep YJ I had. I could weld on it all I like ... for off road use. Any frame repair (anywhere) would need to pass a DOT inspection for road worthiness. They won't even perform the inspection without proof of certification on the welder's part. There's a reason replacement frames cost so much ... the liability insurance and certification requirements. And a word of advise from someone who'd been there. If your frame is rusted that badly ... your hard brake lines aren't far behind.

Who, exactly, do you hate enough to force them to handle a naked GE?

What weight T-shirt? Unlike you oven-livers ... I like a heavy shirt that won't instantly rip when I have to slide under the car to fix something.

The only thing you're interested on putting on the floor is the gas pedal. Can we tie him crucifix style to that giant wing? Does anyone else see the irony that his car is a Dodge ... but it's the one thing he seems incapable of doing with it?

I think the top one .. with a pin up girl wrapped around the arrowhead.

And you have no pics to share. I say we disown GE.

Actually, you'd spell it Caitlyn

They may not have a torrent ... but I'd wager that's not a torrent specific part. Probably the same thing is used in the Montana and possibly many other cars.

Have you thought about just calling the local scrap yard? Bring them the old one and they'll find you it's match in short order.

Now U see ... if U'd spelled 'colour' with a U as U're supposed to .... U'd know where it is, because U would be right there.