[wretched ratchet]

Decided to put new whitewalls and steelies on the 55 two years ago and I wanted to go a little larger than what was on there so I measured and ordered them from Coker.

They came mounted and balanced and when I went to put the rear tires on - - - I couldn't raise the body high enuff to get the tire on - - - - soooooooo I disconnected the bottom of the shock and stuck them suckers on and then reconnected the shock - - - they look and ride great.

I know you are probably asking yourself - - "What if he has a flat on the rear?" - - - - funny cause I've said the same thing !

[carsavvycook]

OK, You can tell when you have been doing this toooooo long.

On a 1995 Mercury Villager Van, same as a Nissan Quest. It came in for 'groaning' rear brakes.

So I think this will be Easy.

I check the rear brake adjustment, and level sensor, OK.

Front caliper pressures, would not release completely.
So I loosen the 'nuts' holding the master cylinder to the power brake unit.
Pressures dropped. I adjust the push rod, and I'm thinking "job done", NOT Still the "groan".

So I check the brake pedal height. I find it 1" lower than the 'Factory' spec's, and make the adjustment. Job Done Yet? (Chip says no).

The test drive was OK for the first block. It felt like the engine was loosing power. I turn around, and started going back to my shop.

Let me tell you, it was way down on power by the time I got back to the shop. (Chip's saying 'it is going to be a long day you screw-up') (I would much rather have talked to his brother 'LOGin' at this point ) It barely made it back. 2 blocks total?

OK they fought as brothers will do. Chip LOGin , and LOGin knocked some sense into Chip, or me.

I readjusted the master cylinder push rod, and they and their cousin 'groan' left.

I deduce it is most likely Chip yanking the 'crate' out from under my feet.



OK that was just the 2 cold ones that were left(12oz). LOL

[techinspector1]

Posted this in another thread, but will repeat it here....

Swapped a 302 Ford/C4 into a Mitsubishi pickup. Assembled trans to motor and installed as a unit. Got all hooked up and ready to fire the motor when I looked over at my toolbox shelf and eyeballed the splined driveshaft that goes between the torque converter and the trans pump. DUH!!! No room to pull trans alone, couldn't get to bellhousing bolts. Had to pull the whole shebang from the front.

Last fall, drove my old beater Ford pickup to the dragstrip to tech inspect on Friday night. Quit at 11 PM and turned the key to go home. Slight noise from starter, then...Nothing. Engaged starter switch several more times, Nothing. Checked headlights, yep, so cables and battery are ok. Had my co-workers push start it (5-spd). All it would do is skid the rear tires. Motor locked up. The bearings had been clattering for at least 2 years, so I figured one of them wadded up on the crank. Towed it home and began the tear-down. Got everything off the motor and ready to pull. Went to pull the starter. Didn't want to move. Got out "Dirty Harry", a 3-ft. screwdriver I keep for just such occasions. Pried it out. What had been holding it in was a thrust washer off the starter bendix that had broken in half and lodged itself between the pinion and the ring gear. All I would have to have done is to jiggle the truck BACKWARDS in gear and the washer would have fallen out, freeing up the motor and fixing it with a $20 starter. But NOOOOOOOOO. Not me. I'm not that smart. Awww, what the hey, it needed bearings anyway.
Runs like a top now, a thousand dollars later.

[oldguy829]

This is my first total paint job, so I'm trying to make every screw up possible. Allowing too much flash time between coats of epoxy, and the tip clogs up and starts spitting everwhere. Not getting the gun reassembled tightly after the last cleaning, so in the middle of spraying the roof an adjuster comes loose and drips paint on the roof. So, finally, spraying clearcoat yesterday, I run cleaner through the gun to keep the nozzle clean for the final coat of clear. Of course the cleaner was not compatible with the clear. What looked like a perfect coat going on, had a thousand little solvent pop pits a half hour later.
This week I get to strip it and start over.

[powerrodsmike]

This is a good zombie thread... (some threads can be brought back from the dead and fit right back in with the living)

Techinspector1 and oldguy829...

OUCH! those hurt.

Not nearly as good as those, but one that I just remembered..

One time I couldn't get the glove box door open in my 78 Monte Carlo..(yes I owned a monte once )

So I took the majority of the dashboard apart to get to what I thought was a broken latch....it needed oil.

DOH.

I'll try to remember some more.

One time at Poli-Form I built one of the coupe bodies with hidden hinges instead of the stock ones that the customer ordered.

No big deal , I found it on the day he was supposed to pick up the body. when doing the delivery checklist... .

(hidden or stock hinges take about the same amount of time to install, but they are installed in the body at the 40 hour point in a 130 hour total build time....That was one screwup that did not get undone that day.. )

Later, mikey