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Classic Cars Restoration Advice
220 messages, Last post on May 31, 2009 at 5:49 PM
You are in the Classic Cars Forum. Your Host is mr_shiftright
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Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Aug 27, 2006 6:48 pm) In general, with a vehicle like this that hasn't been driven daily (or probably even weekly) for several years, what should I do prior to jumping in it and driving it home (a distance of approximately 60 miles)? I went down this weekend and put a new set of tires on it, and filled it with fresh gasoline. The oil level looked fine (but dirty), so that'll probably be one of the first things I do when I get it home. The coolant looked to be mostly water, so I thought I might take some antifreeze and siphon out some of the current coolant and add in some antifreeze to try to ward off any overheating problems as best I can. Driving it yesterday to get the tires put about 25 miles on the truck, and it seemed okay; of course it has no gauges other than speedo/fuel, so I won't know if it's overheating until the idiot light comes on. I've mapped a route that follows secondary roads, so I can keep speeds well below those of the Interstate. I'm planning to go get it early one morning next weekend before things heat up too much (and my wife will be following me, just in case). What else am I forgetting?
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How about a car like my fintail...which realistically needs everything to be perfect, but does pretty well as-is. The brakes and tires both on it are now maybe 7-8 years old...those'll need to be done sometime. I had the coolant flushed this year and the transmission serviced a few years ago. It's got some kind of small oil leak, but it's so minor I won't bother spending what will surely be a grand to fix it. When it gets hot it smokes some, but not enough to notice on the dipstick, so I just ignore it...I suppose she'll need a valve job sometime. There is barely any rust and the body is a good 10-20-footer, so I am not too concerned there. The interior is also pretty sound. |
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Replying to: nosirrahg (Aug 27, 2006 6:29 pm) But for the trip, carry some water at least in case you bust a hose. You can drive home on battery power if you break an alternator belt but you'll need water if you have a leak. |
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does your El Camino have? IIRC, that year you could get the 229 V-6, 267 V-8, or 305 V-8, all of 'em Chevy units. I know you could get the 350 in '78-79, but I dunno if it was still offered in 1980, as GM really started cutting back their larger displacement engines around that time. And I'm guessing it's not an Olds Diesel, because, well, it probably wouldn't still be running if it was.  The Chevy smallblock is a pretty good engine, fairly durable. I'm not suggesting you test this out, but they'll survive overheating much better than most modern engines will!
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Replying to: andre1969 (Aug 30, 2006 11:00 am) |
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Replying to: andre1969 (Aug 30, 2006 11:00 am) From a little more research I've done on the Web, it sounds like my bigger concern will be if the truck rusts in half before I get it home! 
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Got the El Camino home in one piece; the only major problem I've noticed thus far is a coolant leak (probably the water pump from what I can tell). Once I get the coolant problem fixed, it looks like I'll have plenty of other things to keep me busy: shocks, water leaks around all the glass (I discovered at the car wash on the way home), valve cover gasket leak, etc. But overall the truck is in pretty good shape. The AC cools just a little, but is clearly low on freon; I'd love to get that fixed first so it would be more comfortable to drive, but I figure I'm better off getting it in good running condition before I burden the engine with the AC running.
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with the 229 V-6. Its water pump went out in the summer of 1989. My Granddad replaced it for me. I don't think it was really that major of a job. The 229 sits back pretty far from the radiator, so there was plenty of room for him to work as I recall.
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Replying to: nosirrahg (Sep 02, 2006 5:51 pm) Water pump is easy, valve cover is easy (don't use sealant, just buy a new gasket and spread some white grease on the gasket, then apply it...and don't tighten the valve covers very tightly or you'll bend them (maybe someone has already) and it'll never seal. Shocks are easy and cheap and the AC should be dealt with by a shop specializing in AC. They'll test for leaks as there is no sense putting expensive R12 in a system that's going to vent it in two weeks. You're only $500 bucks away from a great ride sounds like.
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Replying to: andre1969 (Sep 03, 2006 8:01 am) |
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