Automotive Confession
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In my late teens, I would sneak my dad's 1964 Corvette out for joyrides when they went on vacations. I did it so often that I got bold enough to do it once when they were just out for dinner one night.
Back then, it was cool to cruise the main avenue in town and that's where I headed. Just my luck, they went out to dinner at one of the restaurants on the avenue and saw me drive by.
If it wasn't for the fact that there was no collision or comp insurance on the car at the time, my dad wouldn't have cared.
Back then, it was cool to cruise the main avenue in town and that's where I headed. Just my luck, they went out to dinner at one of the restaurants on the avenue and saw me drive by.
If it wasn't for the fact that there was no collision or comp insurance on the car at the time, my dad wouldn't have cared.
Originally Posted By: threeputtpar
In my late teens, I would sneak my dad's 1964 Corvette out for joyrides when they went on vacations. I did it so often that I got bold enough to do it once when they were just out for dinner one night.
Back then, it was cool to cruise the main avenue in town and that's where I headed. Just my luck, they went out to dinner at one of the restaurants on the avenue and saw me drive by.
If it wasn't for the fact that there was no collision or comp insurance on the car at the time, my dad wouldn't have cared.
My dad had a 1972 gmc super custom 1500 with a 383 stroker built from a target master engine. It had headers to a pair of cheap thrush mufflers.
It has 4.10 gears and a turbo 400 tranny.
I'd sneak that truck out when we were still living in collingwood and burn up the tires in wasaga beach.
I got caught because he put brand new rear rubber on and I vapourizer them in 3 weeks. He went back to complain about the tires and that's when the layers of melted rubber were discovered in the wheel wells.
He knocked me clean out for that one. I was 15. He gave me a right hook right to the chin. Knocked me out cold. I has it coming though.
I loved that truck.
In my late teens, I would sneak my dad's 1964 Corvette out for joyrides when they went on vacations. I did it so often that I got bold enough to do it once when they were just out for dinner one night.
Back then, it was cool to cruise the main avenue in town and that's where I headed. Just my luck, they went out to dinner at one of the restaurants on the avenue and saw me drive by.
If it wasn't for the fact that there was no collision or comp insurance on the car at the time, my dad wouldn't have cared.
My dad had a 1972 gmc super custom 1500 with a 383 stroker built from a target master engine. It had headers to a pair of cheap thrush mufflers.
It has 4.10 gears and a turbo 400 tranny.
I'd sneak that truck out when we were still living in collingwood and burn up the tires in wasaga beach.
I got caught because he put brand new rear rubber on and I vapourizer them in 3 weeks. He went back to complain about the tires and that's when the layers of melted rubber were discovered in the wheel wells.
He knocked me clean out for that one. I was 15. He gave me a right hook right to the chin. Knocked me out cold. I has it coming though.
I loved that truck.
My mom was given a brand new 65 Triumph TR-4 one year by my Dad. When I was nine I learned how to start it with a bobby pin.
By 11 I was taking it to the convenience store a couple of miles away. I got caught because the clerk ratted me out to my Dad who was the manager at the local JC Penney store where the clerk shopped!
I actually 'loved' a British car!
(I feel so much lighter now)...
By 11 I was taking it to the convenience store a couple of miles away. I got caught because the clerk ratted me out to my Dad who was the manager at the local JC Penney store where the clerk shopped!
I actually 'loved' a British car!
(I feel so much lighter now)...
When I was sixteen we had an NFL player move in next door. He and his family were going on vacation and he asked me to watch the house, feed the fish, mow lawn etc. He had a Nissan 300Z from the Nissan dealer for doing appearances and signing autographs. He said I could drive if I wanted but only in the evening. So they were getting ready to leave around 11am or so and as soon as they left I took it for a spin around the block. When I return they forgot something and came back home. But he just asked me how I liked it and said next time he will ask for an MT version and teach me to drive it. His wife was kind of irked at him for giving me permission though.
1. I once pumped diesel into a gasoline tank all while wondering why the diesel nozzle would not fit into my gas tank receptacle. I pumped about a tenth of a gallon until I realized I was pumping diesel. About three weeks later the fuel pump [censored] out and I felt that it was my fault for putting diesel into it, even though I've pumped gas into it multiple times since that time. Looking back, I realized that it was just a [censored] pump, not necessarily the diesel.
2. Complained about the car exhibiting very slow acceleration. Behaved like this for about a month. Was told that maybe the air filter is dirty. I was surprised it needed one. Was shown where it is located. Took out the filter and it was worse than some of the filters you see here on Bitog.
3. At one point I was mystified why smoke would sometimes billow out of the engine compartment when I come to a stop. Many months later when getting oil change, I was told that I needed a new valve cover gasket, which explained the smoke.
4. When I got this car I was told to keep an eye on the coolant level in the overflow tank and to keep it within the line. I poured coolant into what I thought was coolant overflow tank and would check it. Over time, this level stayed the same, so I stopped checking it. Turned out it was the waster fluid tank that I poured it into, which also didn't work because the pump in it was busted, which leads me to my next point.
5. Attempted to fix the washer fluid pump. So I went to the part store and asked for a water pump for my car. Was told it was $20, which I thought was cheap and bought it. I went home and realized it was more work than I thought it would be, so I didn't try to fix it. Months later I was told that the water pump I bought was for the coolant that bolts onto the engine, not the washer fluid pump.
6. Lastly, when I got my first car, for the first few days I thought having the brake light on the dashboard on, meant that the brakes were on and working.... explained why about a year later I had a brake fluid leak in the rear drums requiring full rebuild.
All of this was when I owned my first car for about 2 years. Obviously I wasn't taught how to properly maintain or know what to maintain in a car. Odometer was broken, so I couldn't tell how many miles passed until I had to change the oil, so I went by the amount of time, every three months.
So, what I know now about cars is mostly through trial and error ;-) lol.
Oh and the car was a 1991 Saturn. Traded it in for $250, which is what I paid for tires for that car, because I thought the transmission was starting to go bad, which looking back now, after knowing what I know now, it was probably low on fluid because I was told a year prior to this that my car was leaking transmission fluid.
2. Complained about the car exhibiting very slow acceleration. Behaved like this for about a month. Was told that maybe the air filter is dirty. I was surprised it needed one. Was shown where it is located. Took out the filter and it was worse than some of the filters you see here on Bitog.
3. At one point I was mystified why smoke would sometimes billow out of the engine compartment when I come to a stop. Many months later when getting oil change, I was told that I needed a new valve cover gasket, which explained the smoke.
4. When I got this car I was told to keep an eye on the coolant level in the overflow tank and to keep it within the line. I poured coolant into what I thought was coolant overflow tank and would check it. Over time, this level stayed the same, so I stopped checking it. Turned out it was the waster fluid tank that I poured it into, which also didn't work because the pump in it was busted, which leads me to my next point.
5. Attempted to fix the washer fluid pump. So I went to the part store and asked for a water pump for my car. Was told it was $20, which I thought was cheap and bought it. I went home and realized it was more work than I thought it would be, so I didn't try to fix it. Months later I was told that the water pump I bought was for the coolant that bolts onto the engine, not the washer fluid pump.
6. Lastly, when I got my first car, for the first few days I thought having the brake light on the dashboard on, meant that the brakes were on and working.... explained why about a year later I had a brake fluid leak in the rear drums requiring full rebuild.
All of this was when I owned my first car for about 2 years. Obviously I wasn't taught how to properly maintain or know what to maintain in a car. Odometer was broken, so I couldn't tell how many miles passed until I had to change the oil, so I went by the amount of time, every three months.
So, what I know now about cars is mostly through trial and error ;-) lol.
Oh and the car was a 1991 Saturn. Traded it in for $250, which is what I paid for tires for that car, because I thought the transmission was starting to go bad, which looking back now, after knowing what I know now, it was probably low on fluid because I was told a year prior to this that my car was leaking transmission fluid.
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I often think of getting a 1980s turbo car, and leaving the car 100% stock, except the turbo gets replaced with a much more modern turbo.
I sometimes think of wanting to build experimental diesel engines. What I would do is take certain gasoline engines, build custom pistons, and use a Benz pre-chamber where the spark plug would have went. I got this idea when reading about the 12V VR6 engine. Other times, I think of what would happen if I had one of Sonny's mountain motors fitted with a billet aluminum diesel cylinder head.
I sometimes think of wanting to build experimental diesel engines. What I would do is take certain gasoline engines, build custom pistons, and use a Benz pre-chamber where the spark plug would have went. I got this idea when reading about the 12V VR6 engine. Other times, I think of what would happen if I had one of Sonny's mountain motors fitted with a billet aluminum diesel cylinder head.
I use "Mobil 2" or "Ultra 2" and the like in the beater.
Originally Posted By: Vikas
The story about water pump vs washer pump:- It is very amusing but I think you are putting us on.
True story! I'm surprised the car lasted as long as it did given what I put it through, which was for a span of 3 years. Knowing what I know now, I wish I still had that car.
That story about the water pump could have been avoided if I was asked for some extra information. I was simply told by a friend to buy a water pump, so I asked for a water pump. Now I know the distinction and what to ask for now ;-).
The story about water pump vs washer pump:- It is very amusing but I think you are putting us on.
True story! I'm surprised the car lasted as long as it did given what I put it through, which was for a span of 3 years. Knowing what I know now, I wish I still had that car.
That story about the water pump could have been avoided if I was asked for some extra information. I was simply told by a friend to buy a water pump, so I asked for a water pump. Now I know the distinction and what to ask for now ;-).
OK, so tell us what made you realize that this was not the part for the washer pump? Was it when you realized there was no electrical connection to it? Or was it when you took the old washer pump off and tried to match the new one? Were you really even *thinking about changing the actual water pump? Where did you find the directions on how to do that? What made you even think that you might consider doing that job given what you knew at that time?
Mind you, we would have great fun swapping stories for a beer or two. I have gotten way over my head but usually only when I had a buddy around!
Mind you, we would have great fun swapping stories for a beer or two. I have gotten way over my head but usually only when I had a buddy around!
Back when I was an idiot, I tried to do a driveway tranny fluid exchange on the Corolla. Saw a big cooler on the front of the car, took off a cooler line, put it in a bucket, and started the car, while adding fresh fluid in through the dipstick. Black fluid came out of that cooler line, and I mean BLACK. I thought to myself "wow, that's some dirty tranny fluid, can't wait till I see some fresh pink fluid coming out!" But I was in for a wait. The black fluid never did turn pink, but I thought it looked a little lighter and it had been awhile so I stopped. Drove the car around and smoke started coming up from under the hood (valve cover gasket). I quickly stopped, popped the hood, and thought for a bit.
Turns out the cooler I'd tapped into for this tranny fluid exchange was a factory OIL COOLER.
So I was essentially draining motor oil, not refilling it, and overfilling the tranny fluid, all before taking it for a spin!
This would be hilarious if I were not putting a new motor into it now (unrelated, but still...)
Turns out the cooler I'd tapped into for this tranny fluid exchange was a factory OIL COOLER.
So I was essentially draining motor oil, not refilling it, and overfilling the tranny fluid, all before taking it for a spin!
This would be hilarious if I were not putting a new motor into it now (unrelated, but still...)
Originally Posted By: artificialist
Other times, I think of what would happen if I had one of Sonny's mountain motors fitted with a billet aluminum diesel cylinder head.
Crankshaft failure in about 3 minutes. His mountain motors require crankshaft replacement every 40 runs. Running at diesel cylinder pressures would assure faster failure.
Other times, I think of what would happen if I had one of Sonny's mountain motors fitted with a billet aluminum diesel cylinder head.
Crankshaft failure in about 3 minutes. His mountain motors require crankshaft replacement every 40 runs. Running at diesel cylinder pressures would assure faster failure.
I want a 2014 VW Bug with flowers on the dashboard.
I have always wanted the split pea soup green station wagon with wood grain siding
http://www.clarkgriswoldcollection.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/truckster-side.jpg
http://www.clarkgriswoldcollection.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/truckster-side.jpg
I want a Tesla Model S Performance, but I work in the oilfield.
I try to rationalize that at least my electricity is generated with natural gas...
I try to rationalize that at least my electricity is generated with natural gas...
I want an AMC Pacer.
You guys are sick, sick, sick!! I'm looking for a 1975-78 2 door Ford LTD.
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