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I am ashamed!!!

Yoda

Well-known member
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Joined
Oct 12, 2000
Messages
4,884
Location
Amarillo, TX
Corvette
1981 UL5
RARE's lic is due in November.

Yesterday I got the renewal sticker. So today I went out to my shop and fired up RARE and backed her out of her private storage. She awoke from her slumber with the mellow grrr of those magnificent "flow master 40's".

I could hardly see out the windows :eek the dust was amazingly THICK!!! Once on the driveway I hosed the old girl off, wipped her down. Ah what a beautiful C3 :D

Down to get RARE her annual check up (State Safety Inspection). Passed with flying colors. The young guys at the shop ALWAYS argue over who drives her into the bay, and then out and around the building back to the front :chuckle It ALWAYS put a :) on me and RARE, ALWAYS!!

When the young man came with the keys, he said "Mr. Dougherty, do you know how many miles you have on your Corvette, since last years inspection??" Uh, not many ;shrug "Mr. Dougherty you have 1.4 miles since last years inspection... :duh... Guess that accounts for the 1/4" of dust :ugh

The guilt set in as I fired RARE up to head home. I headed over to the gas station added 2oz of Stabil and 10 gallons of gas. Called Ma and told here I was headed out to Vintage Auto Haus. Told them to Detail the ole girl and make appreciated again.

Called Ma and she came an picked me up. RARE is getting the works.

A complete DETAIL, inside, exterior, undercarriage and engine... When Ma goes to the Hair Salon (barber shop for us guys ;) ) I always say another Hair, Face and Nails appointment, so when Ma asked what RARE was doing at Vintage Auto Haus... I told here RARE is getting a Hair, Face and Nails treatment :D

They told me it could be done by Saturday. I said no rush, she is going home put in the GARAGE from now on with a NEW FLEECE LINED COVER.... probably until next November :eek

This is the least miles I have put on RARE since the first year I brought her home. That year she spent most of that first year up on jack stands getting a complete make over.. once that was done we made 2 trips from Modesto, California to Bowling Green,Ky, 1 trip from Modesto to Auburn, IN then from Amarillo, TX to Colorado Springs, Co and 1 trip from Amarillo to Nebraska to Bowling Green with a same route return trip..

All I can say... hearing that OLD Carb 350 fire up, and those Flow Master Mufflers rumble and then engaging the clutch and going thru the 4-Speed and listen to the Quadra Jet open along with the rumble of the exhaust... Life don't get any better!!!

We sold our 2003 Anniversary Convertible. ABBY is the FIRST Corvette I have sold and not felt any pangs of regret. ABBY was a very nice car, but nothing beats an old Quadra Jet flexing it throat and THAT 4-SPEED...

I think RARE is happy now to be the lone Corvette and retrieving her place in the GARAGE once again :D :dance

Bud
 
Bud, A good ol' steed like rare deserves a nice run ;) Then roll her back into the garage :m
 
The solution seems kind of self-evident to me, Yoda... Make your coffee runs in Rare. I'm sure she would appreciate the attention.

Mac
 
Hoping I dont make you feel to bad by adding a touch more salt to the wound. As the rains have finally hit here in Wa state, my 81 has been idle in the garage for 3 weeks. Just could'nt take it any longer. Had to go for a ride last Sunday. Light mist, roads wet, leaves and pine bowes littered the asphault. I went for a short 15 mile cruise and sure enjoyed it. Spent the rest of the afternoon cleaning the crud off the car. 3 weeks is forever and not getting out in a vette. I know your car is so much nicer than mine but please drive it more so the oil don't rot and the tires fall off. :thumb
 
Bud,don't feel bad ...the only time my'81 was out this year was to go to Carlisle....
Oh well....;)
 
Pics after the detail or it didn't happen :L:L:L

And ya made the right choice for which 'vette to sell. No-brainer.



-Tatortot
 
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Pics after the detail or it didn't happen :L:L:L

And ya made the right choice for which 'vette to sell. No-brainer.



-Tatortot
Ah my young friend, you are wise beyond your years :thumb & I will take a few pictures of RARE fresh out of her HFN (Hair. Face & Nails :D ) appointment :thumb

Bud
 
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I thought I would post the "Spa" where RARE is spending the weekend ;)

Take a few minutes and browse around and take it all in... I am sure RARE is savoring her time at "Club" Vintage Autohaus & Imports

I will get pictures come Monday when Her Long "SPA Weekend" is over :D ;) :dance

Bud
 
Bud, when I read the title "I am ashamed" to your post, I had no idea what was coming after that! Yes, you should be ashamed! 1.4 miles in one year!!! Just imagine how sad Rare has been. I am SO very glad to hear that she is having the all-over treatment, and I am sure she will be out and about much more often from now on!!!!!!

Loved the story...love the ending!

Elaine
 
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Vintage Autohaus called yesterday to let me know that RARE was ready for pickup :happyanim:.

This morning after a VA appointment we went over to Vintage Autohaus to get the ole girl.
I wasn't too happy with Detail :mad there were smudges and left over wax around some parts... Guess what they call a DETAIL differs from what I consider PAYING for a COMPLETE DETAIL!!!

After pointing out all the area's I was not pleased about, I went to open the hood to inspect the engine compartment... :cry the cable was non functional :mad They had NO IDEA how to get the hood open, so I asked for a screw driver and in about 10-15 minutes I had it open :eyerole

The engine compartment was so so...

Bottom line Vintage Autohaus still has RARE.. Hopefully they have enough talent to replace the cables... :mad AND take another look at the DETAIL job...

They said it would take a couple of days to get the new cables, then install it. I offered my talent if needed to remove the old cables and install the new ones...... we shall see what happens.....

No pictures, NO Corvette in the garage...

Later

Bud
(Having judged for NCCC wash & show and Concours helped out ALOT.. maybe Autohaus got the message!! I would hope this type of detail is NOT their norm!!!)
 
They're lucky you weren't carrying the lightsabre...

Mac
 
I'm sorry...but not terribly surprised...that the detailing wasn't up to your standards. I've seen so much of that. I've always done my own detailing and I have udged at many Corvette show and shines, where detailing is critical for a good score. I've been asked to give talks on how to detail a car so I'm very fussy how my own Corvettes look. And to think your shop has the audacity to call themselves a detail shop! Shame on them! Glad you didn't accept the car as it was. Let us know how the second go-round with them goes!

Elaine
 
Chris drove her '81 to work several times this year after I got done with the valve cover gaskets, plug wires and tune up. I drove it for about 40 miles or so a couple of weeks ago. Filled it up, added Stabil and parked it in it's spot in the shop. I guess that's good for us. There have been several years when it didn't turn a wheel. I'll go along with Elaine on the detail stuff. I'd rather it was dusty than trust anyone else with it

Tom.
 

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