The old bird is happy this weekend. It got a lot of overdue attention. I first started out by lighting a few candles and apologizing for ignoring him for a few months due to things like going to Europe, getting married, post-Thanksgiving turkey sleepiness disorder. However, I did a bunch of shit this weekend and now allow myself to sit here with radiator fluid in my hair, raw knuckles and a strategically blended odor of tranny oil, degreaser and B.O. In a few words – best weekend ever.
Now, before I go too far, I need to list the things I’ve done:
1) Disassembled the front end and began refinishing it.
2) Replaced the transmission fluid pan.
3) Fixed the power steering.
4) Saved the cheerleader, saved the world.
5) Cleaned the engine.
Now, I know that doesn’t sound like much, but completely taking apart the bumper, which needed almost all the bolts cut off was a BITCH! However, I avoided lopping off a finger this time, so everything is awesome. I undid the whole cannoli, cleaned all the parts, wire-wheeled the rust off, and began paint on the under bumper frame (which has absolutely no name whatsoever). Because of the cold, I’ll have to paint it a few more times over the next week, but who cares. It’s looking good and I spent nothing on it. Goal achieved. Of course, I have to buy a few parts before I can put it back together (rubber bushings and most of the bumper bolts).
Transmission pan was simple too – just unbolted the old one with a hole in it, put gasket seal on the new one, and bolted it back in. No sweat. The pain in the ass part is that of the 3 jacks I own, the big 2 have shitty seals and I spent a lot of time figuring out that they suck donkey balls. Need rebuilt. Crap. Refilled El Kabong with tranny fluid and it’s as perfect as a burrito fart. While I was at the store, I also bought some new body bolts for the gap fix I need to do on the valance. With all the fluids and parts, I spend $80 this weekend. Could have been worse. (TC – $8980)
Now the steering was a nice surprise. While I was dicking around with the transmission fluid, I was looking for the refill/dipstick tube. What I assumed it was, turned out to be the power steering reservoir. Okay. I have power steering. And by filling it up, it works now. Butt-fucking brilliant! There’s $300 and a weekend I don’t have to spend on it. Can’t be better that that.
So I took it out in the rain just to run the fluids through it, and I’m super happy with the new performance. Bunch of shit still to do, but for the time, I’m a fluffy bunny of happiness.
P.S. I finally took the thing back to Meineke (NEVER AGAIN!) and they got the fucking brakes right this time. Dude. Seriously. Anyway, I can stop again. Of course, the rear end sounds like robots fucking, so I’m starting to think I’m going to need to fix that. Which will be expensive, I’m sure, but once I get the lights back in and the locks on it, I’ll take it to a non-retarded place for a free look at the rear suspension. Fingers crossed. Maybe it only needs new rear brakes.
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Ben\'s 1967 Pontiac Firebird 400 Rod & Restoration 