Cars emerge in the spring

[TC Chris]

Tomorrow I will drive the Mustang to work so it can get a front-end alignment three doors from my office. Late last fall, just as snow was starting, I had the shop two doors from the office replace the steering rack. The old one lasted 150,000 miles and had developed a sticky, clicky spot right in the middle. At minimum, a car must do 3 things. Go, stop, and turn. Steering is important so I had that fixed. But after that the front end had to be aligned, and the alignment place couldn't do it then because their overhead door was stuck. OK, I'll wait for spring. And this spring the car gets new tires too. The old ones are so old that most shops would not repair punctures (there are age limits). And they've got about 80,000 miles on them so I got my money's worth. The new tires are ordered up and probably at the tire shop by now but getting the front and aligned is first so I don't grind up the new ones.

So after today's daily hike, my project was starting the Mustang. It hadn't run since October. Of course, I spent the day convinced that it wouldn't start, and then what? It's amazing how you can generate worries. (I'll have to call the alignment shop and then the tire shop; I'll have to figure out what's wrong; its probably that pesky clutch switch; but wait, maybe it's the relay that the switch controls, and "deleted", it's all under the dashboard, etc.) I went out tonight, unhooked the battery maintainer, turned the key, and it started on the first try. Worries dissipated. I'll find new ones, for sure.

Chris Campbell

[walyfd]

Weather in NEPA is still unsettled. Worst Spring in awhile. Rain, cold, more rain... just yuck...

'91 has to go for inspection next week. I still have my original vanity plate on it, not antique tags. Then I'm kinda itching to get the '62 on the road but I'm sure it'll develop a problem... had it running yesterday and I'm getting a whistle from the brake. If I push the pedal about an inch, it stops. Probably the booster... mo money and mo money...

At least the air held its charge!

[Firedome]

With old cars it's always something!
It's sunny and 60s out today here in the Southern Tier of NY, so we're getting the Mustang convert out of the 3rd bay across the back of our 2 + 1 three car garage and it'll go into the front where the green xTerrra Pro4-X has been stored nice and dry for the winter, the older white '05 xTerra is our sacrificial winter beater. If you don't do that in NY whatever car you drive year-round will quickly become a rust-bucket, as is currently happening with the '05, but with a heavy duty full frame the rust not really a problem safety-wise, it's mostly cosmetic outer panel rust, noticeable on a white car. At some point it becomes pointless to try to control it, so eventually it'll become a parts car for the low mile one.

The '69 Cutlass always has a place of honor in the other front bay. It could use new tires just due to age, not mileage. The wife's Mustang has the optional "Bullit" wheels on it and 4 new Pirelli P-Zero Nero with less than 1k on them, always the best for her cars. Pic taken at our former house with only a 1 car garage, you can guess what car went in there!

[electra225]

My wife special-ordered a black 2000 Mustang convertible with the V-6 engine. It was a beautiful little car, and a kick to drive. The thing got horrible fuel mileage. We never did get over 20 mpg with it. The windshield header rusted out after about two years. The car never spent a second out of Arizona after it was built. We took it in to the dealership for service, and they "lost" it. It took them almost two weeks to "find" it. This was the largest Ford dealer in the southwest. Turn out, a wash rack flunky had "borrowed" it and put almost a thousand miles on it. We took it to the Chevy dealer and traded it for the Tahoe we still have.

I want to hit a couple car shows on my vacation, then the Buick gets put up for the summer.

[Motorola minion]

The 69 Pontiac GP has no season. It runs great all year, especially in cold, just not when it rains or snows. I have to have some limits, like keeping it under 100K miles. I love the fact it is not a Barret Jackson or any other kind of classic that brings good money, I have no fear driving it like I did in the 80s back when it was almost the fastest thing on the highway, it is not anymore

Its nice today in South Central PA (SCPA?) but I would really like to run it up to camp in Sullivan County but need a loan for the gas. Those mountains are a heck of a lot more fun in a V8 and the country motorheads up there actually know what it is.

It gets 12 like all old V8 cars with AT, no matter how gently driven so i put my foot in it regularly, makes such a little difference anyway. The M40 trans leaks ATF out the front seal if the car sits more than 3 months, so I get it out often to keep the garage floor from looking like a crime scene. No hope to fix it, tried every "miracle in a can" including Lucas.

It was out a month ago for a funeral of a coworker (who rode in it once), then out this friday while my wife's car gets inspection, due 2 weeks ago. I want to get the AC charged soon, looking forward to chilled interior under cool-ray glass. Perfect on a muggy day, going 47 miles one way to work on a scenic highway. The OEM Delco AM-FM quit again, not the windshield antenna connection this time but the bandswitch, plus its a huge PITA to remove.

[electra225]

I have a two-fold problem with driving the Buick when it's 110 outside. First, the alcohol in the fuel not only yields even more horrible-than-normal fuel mileage, but it tends to promote vapor lock. Plus, I have never charged the air conditioning system, since the added heat out here in the desert tends to discolor engine paint. Driving a triple-black car with no AC when it's 110 is not very comfortable. There are few old car activities in the summer time with the exception of local cruise-ins. We have one less than two miles from home that we go to.

The accumulators on a Dynaflow fill up with fluid after the car sits for a couple months. They are not designed to hold fluid, so the transmission leaks from the unsealed accumulators. If I run the car every couple months during its summer hiatus, I don't get fluid on the garage floor.

[19&41]

Wonder how the engines will fare with E15 fuel?

[electra225]

I don't believe it will hurt the engine, per se, but it will eat up fuel pump and carburetor diaphrams. We have 10% alcohol out here all the time. And, the more alcohol you have, the greater the chance for vapor lock. Even the newer, 12-volt Buicks will vapor lock with high-alcohol fuel and high underhood temps.

[TC Chris]

Weather in NEPA is still unsettled. Worst Spring in awhile. Rain, cold, more rain... just yuck...

You're east of us so you probably get our weather a day later. We've had persistent yuck also. Gray, wet, cold. My patience runs out about now.

Chris Campbell

[TC Chris]

If you don't do that in NY whatever car you drive year-round will quickly become a rust-bucket, as is currently happening with the '05, but with a heavy duty full frame the rust not really a problem safety-wise, it's mostly cosmetic outer panel rust, noticeable on a white car. At some point it becomes pointless to try to control it, so eventually it'll become a parts car for the low mile one.

The wife's Mustang has the optional "Bullit" wheels on it and 4 new Pirelli P-Zero Nero with less than 1k on them, always the best for her cars.

My '05 Ranger has developed a pretty good rust growth in the bed. But that's 17 years in Michigan, and I view it as a sort of miracle that it has lasted so long. The '61 Chevy had perforations in the rocker panels at 4 years.

I ordered up Goodrich tires for the Mustang--about the only thing I could find in P225/60 R15. You can't buy the real Gatorbacks. Yes, they are made again, but wen I brought that up at the tire shop they hooted and hollered as if I had suggested recaps. "Those are made by Coker. They just bought the name and pattern. They aren't the same thing." My idea is that I'm buying for durable performance, not for looks. Now my front end is aligned so I can make an appointment at the tire shop tomorrow.

The Mustang ran happily today. Last fall I filled it up with rec gas--ethanol-free premium. The anti-knock ingredient must be gold or platinum, judging from the price, but it beats have a grumpy car come spring. I'll burn plain old lead-free all summer while it's being used weekly and the stuff doesn't have a chance to turn bad.

Chris Campbell

[Firedome]

I've heard a lot of vintage car people complain about Coker tires: tread separation, blow-outs, you name it. They just buy the rights and tread patterns, and the tires are made by them, not by Goodyear, Firestone &c. We don't go to shows so don't care if tires are "correct", we just want new modern tires that are safe. Some sizes are becoming hard to find in 14" or 15". I have had good luck with Hankook tires in vintage sizes like P225/R70/15 or P215/R70/14. Inexpensive but decent.

We use nothing but No-Ethanol Premium in old cars, boats, mower, trimmer, etc, don't need to put Sta-Bil in them at all.
No Ethanol is readily available around here and in VT due to lots of lakes and boats. Only the daily drivers get E-10. IMO E-15 will cause problems in some vehicles.

[electra225]

A new set of Hankook radials were the best thing that ever happened to my old Buick. IT is incredible the difference they made in ride and handling. We can't buy gasoline here without ethanol. I have to be diligent about using Sta-Bil. So far, knock on wood, no problems.

I had a set of Coker "may pops" on it for several years, in the interest of being correct. I can't say enough bad things about them.

[William]

I have had Hankook's on a couple of cars. I really like them, and they wear real well. In the beginning they were actually in partnership with Michelin tire so I think they learned a lot of Michelin's secrets. They eventually bought Michelin's share in the company and became totally independent.

Bill

[TC Chris]

Thanks for all the thumbs-down on Coker tires. I feel more secure about deciding to go with the BFGs. That;'s what I have on the Ranger and they have been satisfactory. The Mustang has non-Gatorback Goodyears on it now, and they have been satisfactory also. Nobody made Gatorbacks when it come time to replace them. I liked the idea of the V-rated tires but hey, let's face it, I'm never driving 150 MPH anyway. I have an appointment next week to get the BFGs mounted. If you had asked me about making an appointment for a tire change 30 years ago I would have laughed at you.

Chris Campbell

[walyfd]

Mine's not going anywhere for awhile... started it the other day and the brake sounded like a tea kettle... stopped by pushing on it but the idle also changed so the booster finally quit...

I knew I should have had it done when I had it out before but NO..... Think I'd learn by now.