All Better Now

About 4 days and $265 later, I got the Diablita out of the shop. She was good to go and did she ever. Over the weekend, we tripped to Whittier, Covina, Bell, Beverly Hills, Pasadena, and to the O.C. to John Wayne Airport. Boy can she cruise! I really have to get a new sound system in her and the weather stripping on the driver side window has to be put back in place. I also found out that the horn works. This was Saturday when a second screw came loose from the steering wheel hub and when I hit bumps it caused the horn to acctivate. I had to replace the screw by hand, while driving on the I-5 fwy. I got it replaced, but now I have to make sure I tighten it.

The drawbacks of Classic Car Ownership

Well, day two without my Corvair has come and gone. My mechanic was able to get in touch with one of the two or three Corvair mechanics I have listed in my battery of mechanics, and was able to get the bushings. Now the estimate is yet to come. I am hoping that it will be reasonable, which I mean less than $400 total. I figure the parts will not be more than $30 to $40 and with the labor at about $80/hour, I'm probably looking at $110 or $120, $200 max. I am also hoping that this will be the last major fix for her for a while. I still have to get the heat shrouds for the engine, as well as a tune up. I also want to install a fan in the engine compartment. In the area of cosmetics, I still want to get a new stereo, satellite receiver and speakers installed. Speaking of fans, I also want to place a small dash-mounted fan, preferably attached at the top of the windshield, near the rearview mirror. Minor fixes include latches for the vent windows on both the driver side and passenger side windows, heavy duty floor mats, which feature an, "8-Ball," design, replacement cigarette light/ac adaptor, and possible tinting. I am hoping to get the Lil' Red Devil entered in next month's car show in South Pasadena. It would be the first for her, so I want to at least get the tune up and shrouds installed prior.

To style. . .

Who Would Have Thunk it?

Well, I have been so sick to my stomach for the last week, that I could not bring myself to enter a follow up to my last entry. However, now that the shock has worn off, I guess I can divulge it. I went back to the Lil Red Devil the day after my last entry and to my shock and horror found that the transmission had taken a CRAP! Shifted into reverse and heard a clicking noise, so I stopped and shifted into first. Again, louder clicking/pseudo-grinding. I could not believe it! I was so pissed, that I just parked her back in the drive way, locked the door and I have not driven her since. I made the call to my mobile Corvair mechanic and he should be over to look at her this week sometime. I had a sneaking suspicion that this was developing, but was hoping against hope that I was wrong. Oh, well, I need to try to put a positive spin on all of this; I will have a new, reliable transmission now, at least. I will see if I can still afford the other minor fixes, i.e. tune-up and cooling shrouds.

UPDATE, 08/04/2010, 1530:
What a DUMB-ASS I am! I went out to take a look at the Lil' Red Devil and while figuring out what was wrong, my friend took a look under her belly and found that the rear sway bar had come loose. It wasn't the transmission at all, but the sound of the sway bar scrapping the ground. Well, yes I am a moron, but at least it is not the transmission.

To Style. . .