Update on BABY

[BarryK]

Well, my mechanic called last night and BABY is ready to be picked up. I'm going to get her this morning.
Afther replacing the bearings on both rear wheels he took her out for a test spin and said everything felt great and nice and tight in the rear. I'll confirm for myself when I drive her but i'm hoping that solved my problem I was having.
Also, I had him replace my intake manifold gasket because it had been leaking oil out of it since day one and rebuild the carb since I wanted to have the power valve replaced suspecting it may have been blownfrom all the backfires caused from the previous attempted work on her. During the carb rebuild he found the power valve was fine (replaced it anyway since we already had the part) but he he found that a piece of gasket from the prior rebuild from another mechanic was floating around in the carb and was blocking one of the jets. I suppose this may have been what was causing my intermittent idle problems?
Geez, I HATE poor workmanship!
He also checked and readjusted the valves and found they were at the wrong tightness even though the last mechanic had just adjusted them a few weeks ago so he set them properly (well, i HOPE they are correct now)

After I pick her up this morning I'll see for myself how well she is driving to know if all this work was money well spent or it was yet again another trip to a mechanic that wastes my money and still doesn't solve my problems.....
and speaking of the money, i know replacing the rear bearings was time consuming and as soon as i heard that was the problem I knew I wasn't going to like the final bill but D**M, this repair is taking a big hit on the budget considering I haven't worked since the end of April.
As long as my wife doesn't find out what this lastest trip to the shop is costing I may just be able to stay married a little bit longer.

After all the expenses we have had to spend on BABY the last few months she is now starting to question me about my goal to try to find and pick up a nice set of the repro bolt-on KO's when we go to Carlisle. She mentioned yesterday that maybe we should hold off on the wheels for a while......I really want those wheels too! I think the look is awesome on the midyears especially with the sidepipes on the car. Oh well, I have another 5 or 6 weeks to worry about Carlisle yet.

 

[IH2LOSE]

After all the expenses we have had to spend on BABY the last few months she is now starting to question me about my goal to try to find and pick up a nice set of the repro bolt-on KO's when we go to Carlisle. She mentioned yesterday that maybe we should hold off on the wheels for a while


I hate to be a party pooper but I agree with her.Get the car 100% safe,Secure,and reliable with no more suprizes.Get another 500 to 800 miles on it with NO PROBLEMS.Then go for the set of knock offs

Good Luck

 

[bossvette]

I agree with IH2LOSE get her correct first, she has been 39 years without knock-offs another year won't hurt

 

[warren s]

I knew I wasn't going to like the final bill but D**M, this repair is taking a big hit on the budget considering I haven't worked since the end of April.


I AM SO IN THE WRONG LINE OF WORK!

 

[BarryK]

Yeah, i know, i know, she is probably right. I should hold off on the wheels a bit.......but i REALLY wanted them.
Oh well, gives me something to look forward to i guess.
HEY! may i can give hints that it's what i want for a xmas present!
LOL

 

[BarryK]

I knew I wasn't going to like the final bill but D**M, this repair is taking a big hit on the budget considering I haven't worked since the end of April.


I AM SO IN THE WRONG LINE OF WORK!

LOL
at least you HAVE work!

I had gotten so burned out from my last job that after i was laid off I decided to take a little time before looking for another job. Next thing i know it's now been almost 3 months. time really flies!
i'm going to have to start looking around real soon for a job if i plan on being able to keep the roof over our head, food on the table, and BABY running.
:L

 

[67HEAVEN]

......but i REALLY wanted them.

There's an easy cure for the REALLY-WANTED-THEM's. Buy them and after a few days you'll REALLY want something else.

 

[Sams '66]

After all the expenses we have had to spend on BABY the last few months she is now starting to question me about my goal to try to find and pick up a nice set of the repro bolt-on KO's when we go to Carlisle. She mentioned yesterday that maybe we should hold off on the wheels for a while


I hate to be a party pooper but I agree with her.Get the car 100% safe,Secure,and reliable with no more suprizes.Get another 500 to 800 miles on it with NO PROBLEMS.Then go for the set of knock offs

Good Luck

I agree..just wait...........Orrrrrr go ahead and buy the wheels.......and see what happens (easier to ask for forgiveness than permission?) Then she gets ****ed and divorces you for being a selfish irresponsible bone head.......which forces you to sell the Baby......(the car).

Bottom line is ........you NEED her support with this car thing........it REALLY makes life easier.

 

[Sting Ray]

I agree with Sam, and by the way I believe he has a nice set of used Repro's for sale

Tom

 

[BarryK]

There's an easy cure for the REALLY-WANTED-THEM's. Buy them and after a few days you'll REALLY want something else.

Yeah, i know all about that....there is always something else you decide you really want to get
LOL

 

[Sams '66]

I agree with Sam, and by the way I believe he has a nice set of used Repro's for sale

Tom

Nope......sold 'em

 

[BarryK]

IBottom line is ........you NEED her support with this car thing........it REALLY makes life easier.

yes, i agree with that 100%. She has been VERY supportive all along since the beginning. even when I was the one hesitating to spend the money on purchasing the car since it was over TWICE the amount we originally decided to budget on a Vette she is the one who kept saying to get it because she knew how important it was to me.
It's not worth making her upset over a set of wheels. although I imagine if the wheels included a nice new diamond bracelet for her she wouldn't complain too much.....
LOL

yeah, that's an idea, use jewelery to distract her from new items for the car!

 

[1KULC7]

I know everybody tastes are different, but I'm seeing more knockoffs are being used today, way to many today then what originally came with the cars, or used back then. OK OK .... I old enough to remember when..... the cars were new, most people paid so much to buy the cars, the wheelcovers were about the last thing that was purchased, and knockoffs were not desirable, it was the Crager SS Mag wheel that was the rage.

I happen to like the Corvette wheel covers much better then the knockoffs, that is one big reason I am selling my 63-64 knockoffs which are fairly new. I happen to like the 63 wheel cover much better and beside in 63 no knockoff were used.

Now for the second reason, after spending a little over a year going through a restoration on the 63, and thousands of dollars later, my wonderful wife has stuck through my obsession, (still she let me know she was getting sick of the money being spent but understood why), on getting this car done, however both of us are working and that is the key. I certainly don't know what you have saved and your finances, but I know your name is not DuPont, so you are not rich. Most likely resources are limited.

Please consider you wife's feelings, she is letting you know....you wife plays an important role in the partnership of both your life and your car. I have found if you give a little now, you will get more in the end. The expense you have on getting the car running is more important then an extra set of wheels.

My advise, take you wife out for a real nice dinner, thank her for putting up with you and Baby during the repairs, tell her you will start looking in earnest for a job before you purchase, and the wheels will go on the backburner. Go to Carlisle, see whats there, if you find some put a deposit down, and arrange payments....

Be aware of your wife's feelings, she dropping you a message.....read between the lines.

 

[ctjackster]

I know everybody tastes are different, but I'm seeing more knockoffs are being used today, way to many today then what originally came with the cars, or used back then. . . .

yeah and ditto with the color red, but folks like the way red looks, always wanted a red vette, so they change it to suit their tastes. So there are three times as many red C1s and C2s out there than were originally produced.

The same with KOs, side pipes, big blocks, what ever it is that makes your Vette just like the one you always wanted. Unless you plan on entering into some sort of originality competion a la NCRS (nothing wrong with that, I am a 10 year member) I say it's your car, do what makes you happiest. It could be that making the car perfectly correct makes you happiest, that's a valid desire too, although you cannot apply your desire to what another owner fancies.

Me, I love the look of the KOs on a C2 and the ears spinning when you see one so equipped cruising down Main Street - if my car did not come to me with them, I surely would have put them on it, although if it was a 63, I might have considered the glaring "incorrect" but I would have gotten over it I guess, just for me. But would keep the original correct wheel set up too, for a future owner who may care or should my intended use of the car change.

 

[BarryK]

1.Most likely resources are limited.

2 Be aware of your wife's feelings, she dropping you a message.....read between the lines.

resources are definately limited at this point, especially after spending what I have on repairs over the last few months

as for my wifes message, I don't need to read between the lines. when she doesn't want to be subtle she isn't! LOL

yeah, chances are unless these change radically between now and Carlisle, the wheels will propably be on hold until a later date. Unless we see such a great deal that even she says we should pass it up.

i didn't buy the car with discussing it with her first and have never bought anything for the car with talking to her about it first either including relatively inexpensive items like the car cover, etc. The wheels will be the same way because it's both of our money. If she doesn't agree with the spending of it than i don't buy it and she is the same way.

 

[BarryK]

yeah and ditto with the color red, but folks like the way red looks, always wanted a red vette, so they change it to suit their tastes. So there are three times as many red C1s and C2s out there than were originally produced.

The same with KOs, side pipes, big blocks, what ever it is that makes your Vette just like the one you always wanted. Unless you plan on entering into some sort of originality competion a la NCRS (nothing wrong with that, I am a 10 year member) I say it's your car, do what makes you happiest. It could be that making the car perfectly correct makes you happiest, that's a valid desire too, although you cannot apply your desire to what another owner fancies.

Me, I love the look of the KOs on a C2 and the ears spinning when you see one so equipped cruising down Main Street - if my car did not come to me with them, I surely would have put them on it, although if it was a 63, I might have considered the glaring "incorrect" but I would have gotten over it I guess, just for me. But would keep the original correct wheel set up too, for a future owner who may care or should my intended use of the car change.

the car is all orginal (except the sidepipes) and is in great shape but it was not restored to NCRS level - just a very nice driver level.

i'm with you in that what somebody does with their own car is only up for them to decide since it is their name on the title.
Purist may not like that sidepipes were added to my car by the previous owner and that i want to add the KO's but I really love both and was looking for a car with both. I figured if the car i found didn't have either one I'd eventually add it myself. i'll also be adding Vintage Air next year simply because it gets too hot in the car without AC and it takes away from the enjoyment when I'm suffering in the heat when i should be enjoying the drive.
I will be keeping the orginal wheels and covers though in case i do ever sell the car and a future owner wants them.

 

[1KULC7]

You'r a good man Barry K....

 

[bossvette]

Personally I like the look of Cragars or Americans on the midyears, but that is what it is all about, choices. Maybe let you wife pick out the wheels she likes best

 

[BarryK]

Personally I like the look of Cragars or Americans on the midyears, but that is what it is all about, choices. Maybe let you wife pick out the wheels she likes best

she likes the looks of the KO's also. her only concern is the amount of money we have spent on the car lately on repairs and feels that the wheels can wait a while before we get them. I really can't disagree with that as much as i would love to have the wheels on the car right now it's best for us to wait a little while on that purchase.

sigh......

you know, it really would have been great to be born with the last name of DuPont, Kennedy, Rockafeller, or Hearst!
LOL

 

[studiog]

Hey Barry,
Lots of good advice here. The main thing is you have your Vette. Maybe you could do some detail work or something else on her that requires more time than money... till you get back in the work force. It sounds like you finally found a good mechanic. Good luck.