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Re: Working on cars
Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2025 3:26 am
by Japhy
Keeeerist!!
Working on cars these days!
Went out to leave for a Dr appointment this morning
Hit the start button on the Honda the electronic displays went berzerk! Didnt start, and I couldnt shut it off completely
Cause of all this was a typical AZ battery failure which is when one or 2 cells suddenly, instantly, and permanently fail out of the blue no warning signs. Got the VOM measured 7.8V which mean 2 cells are out and the computers lost their brains but were up and partly running and the computer on off switch was stuck in the on position
So I begged the better half into giving me a ride, then picking me up after then a stop at the auto parts store fir a new battery OMG!! $250 for a battery!!!! Get home get it installed and since i removed the partially powered battery all the stuff that the dealer configures is now toast and back to default settings which means about 27 menus to find it all and i probably missed aome stuff due to a failed battery!
Oh where can i find a 1969 Camero? one I can fix anything that breaks! Including a full engine and transmission overhaul
And of course something like a same year Ford Bronco for the woods?
Re: Working on cars
Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2025 3:47 am
by PFD45
Japhy wrote: ↑Tue Apr 01, 2025 3:26 am
Oh where can i find a 1969 Camero? one I can fix anything that breaks! Including a full engine and transmission overhaul
And of course something like a same year Ford Bronco for the woods?
1969.

Re: Working on cars
Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2025 11:50 am
by Chiro1989
Barrett-Jackson, bring your big checkbook
Re: Working on cars
Posted: Wed Apr 02, 2025 3:06 am
by Japhy
Chiro1989 wrote: ↑Tue Apr 01, 2025 11:50 am
Barrett-Jackson, bring your big checkbook
I attend about every year but i go to look only.
Told the wife wow! Had I bought a 1969 Z28 with all options new I could have made $86000!
Can no longer buy Honda though they have been generally reliable the Accord will only be available in hybrid or electric and worst of all continuously connected to the “cloud”
Honda says “to enhance the driving experience” which really means selling personal information in real time to the highest bidder to enhance Honda’s bottom line.
I dream about a barn find turning into a workable vehicle. Although repairable the performance does lag. To think a late model Toyota Camry V6 runs the same quarter mile time as a 1969 Z28 and thats with emission controls, a tiny exhaust system, no 800cfm carburetor, and does so on unleaded regular gas. The world hasnt been right for a while
Re: Working on cars
Posted: Wed Apr 02, 2025 4:03 am
by Chiro1989
Pisses me off every time a K5 Blazer or pre-78 Bronco is rolling up to the auction block they go to a commercial
Re: Working on cars
Posted: Wed Apr 02, 2025 3:16 pm
by Wambli Ska
Went to one of the big Mecum Auctions here in Vegas with my SL, Daughter and Wife. Just walking around the area where they park all the cars so you can check them out was a thrill. Funny to see all the new cars of my youth now being sold as classics. They did have a 1969 Oldsmobile 442 in mint condition that the wife made sure I was not around when they started bidding on it...
Re: Working on cars
Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2025 4:39 pm
by Admin
Wambli Ska wrote: ↑Wed Apr 02, 2025 3:16 pm
Funny to see all the new cars of my youth now being sold as classics.
When I mention some of the absolute beater poo-box cars I had when I was first driving, my kiddo thinks those are cool, then shows me how much they are going for now.
It is amazing that someone would purposefully seek out a 1978 Toyota Corolla and restore it..... and then someone else would pay over $10k for it!
Re: Working on cars
Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2025 5:22 pm
by Wambli Ska
Admin wrote: ↑Thu Apr 03, 2025 4:39 pm
Wambli Ska wrote: ↑Wed Apr 02, 2025 3:16 pm
Funny to see all the new cars of my youth now being sold as classics.
When I mention some of the absolute beater poo-box cars I had when I was first driving, my kiddo thinks those are cool, then shows me how much they are going for now.
It is amazing that someone would purposefully seek out a 1978 Toyota Corolla and restore it..... and then someone else would pay over $10k for it!
That is a hot!!! But those little cars were attention getters when they first came into the USA for sure. I remember my dad buying a Corolla Station Wagon for my mom brand new for $1200! At the time we owned a Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser and an Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme and mom was always complaining about drink the "big boat" Vista Cruiser. When dad brought the new car home the little Toyota was dwarfed by those two beasts. The whole neighborhood came over to take a look at the new "compact" car on our driveway and soon there were a whole lot of them around us. My mom loved hers! I also remember the automatic transmission had a whole two gears, low and drive

Re: Working on cars
Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2025 12:10 am
by Zorba
Japhy wrote: ↑Wed Apr 02, 2025 3:06 am
Can no longer buy Honda though they have been generally reliable the Accord will only be available in hybrid or electric and worst of all continuously connected to the “cloud”
Honda says “to enhance the driving experience” which really means selling personal information in real time to the highest bidder to enhance Honda’s bottom line.
That's every car on the friggin' planet. I'll just keep my old junk running, thank you. Yet another victim of society's bending over backwards to accommodate the (smart)PHOOOOOONNE!!
Re: Working on cars
Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2025 6:21 am
by Jay
This ‘76 truck will eventually sound wicked and be quick. And intentionally look like a junker, just as it is. Stance, suspension, wheels and tires and all will change.
These “square bodies” have got expensive. Especially short beds. This one was in my price range. I drove a ‘76 4x4 in high school. So this one is a throwback to my younger days. If it wasn’t for having to put a motor in my ‘14 Dodge, this one would be moving along.

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Re: Working on cars
Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2025 1:08 pm
by Rugerfan
Patina!! I’m not a Chevy fan but I like it
Re: Working on cars
Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2025 5:18 pm
by Chiro1989
What motor is in it Jay? Carb or fuel injected?
Re: Working on cars
Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2025 7:34 pm
by Bigslug
Wambli Ska wrote: ↑Thu Apr 03, 2025 5:22 pm
Admin wrote: ↑Thu Apr 03, 2025 4:39 pm
Wambli Ska wrote: ↑Wed Apr 02, 2025 3:16 pm
Funny to see all the new cars of my youth now being sold as classics.
When I mention some of the absolute beater poo-box cars I had when I was first driving, my kiddo thinks those are cool, then shows me how much they are going for now.
It is amazing that someone would purposefully seek out a 1978 Toyota Corolla and restore it..... and then someone else would pay over $10k for it!
That is a hot!!! But those little cars were attention getters when they first came into the USA for sure. I remember my dad buying a Corolla Station Wagon for my mom brand new for $1200! . . .
Hee! I learned how to drive in the '78 Corolla wagon my folks bought as their first new car, and I put a fair bit of work into it myself. I think it was around 2001 when I sold it for a thousand bucks limping along with 277,000 miles on it to a fanatic of the brand and model that was willing to put in the time and energy it needed. Dad still says he should have bought two more to put in mothballs - we'd be driving them still.
That said, a co-worker of mine was given a 1955 F-250 and he brought the brake master cylinder into the office so we could go look for parts to re-hab it on our lunch break. Compared to the pair of plastic tubs I was used to seeing on the corresponding part from the Corolla, the eight pounds of cast iron from the old Ford did my heart good.
Re: Working on cars
Posted: Sun Apr 06, 2025 4:01 pm
by Jay
Chiro1989 wrote: ↑Sat Apr 05, 2025 5:18 pm
What motor is in it Jay? Carb or fuel injected?
It’s a factory quadrajet 350 right now. More than likely not the original engine. Haven’t been able to check the VIN or casting numbers on it yet due to all the oil and grime and accessories being in the way. It’s blue. GM started transitioning from orange to blue in 77, then only blue in 78.
It runs, but not very well. Eventually I’ll do a compression and leak down test on it, get an idea of what kind of shape the bores and rings are in and go from there. If it’s decent enough, which I doubt, I might put a little cam, intake and carb on this engine for now. Get it going cheap. Then nickel and dime a new engine on a stand in the shop until it’s ready to swap into the truck. I’d love to do a 406 or 415 smallblock for it. Probably fuel injected. Possibly 6-71 supercharger.
But all that is on hold until I replace the Hemi in my ‘14. That ones my daily driver. Needs to be fixed.
Re: Working on cars
Posted: Sun Apr 06, 2025 4:36 pm
by CPJ 2.0
Jay wrote: ↑Sun Apr 06, 2025 4:01 pm
Chiro1989 wrote: ↑Sat Apr 05, 2025 5:18 pm
What motor is in it Jay? Carb or fuel injected?
It’s a factory quadrajet 350 right now. More than likely not the original engine. Haven’t been able to check the VIN or casting numbers on it yet due to all the oil and grime and accessories being in the way. It’s blue. GM started transitioning from orange to blue in 77, then only blue in 78.
It runs, but not very well. Eventually I’ll do a compression and leak down test on it, get an idea of what kind of shape the bores and rings are in and go from there. If it’s decent enough, which I doubt, I might put a little cam, intake and carb on this engine for now. Get it going cheap. Then nickel and dime a new engine on a stand in the shop until it’s ready to swap into the truck. I’d love to do a 406 or 415 smallblock for it. Probably fuel injected. Possibly 6-71 supercharger.
But all that is on hold until I replace the Hemi in my ‘14. That ones my daily driver. Needs to be fixed.
I’ve got nice little Nissan I’ll trade ya for.

Re: Working on cars
Posted: Sun Apr 06, 2025 7:39 pm
by FJB

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86 K5 Blazer Silverado. Stored in my barn for 20+ years.
Not sure I’ll ever get around to restoration any more.
Re: Working on cars
Posted: Sun Apr 06, 2025 8:31 pm
by bullsi1911
That is an awesome k5!
Re: Working on cars
Posted: Sun Apr 06, 2025 8:50 pm
by jbp-ohio
FJB wrote: ↑Sun Apr 06, 2025 7:39 pm
IMG_0381.jpeg86 K5 Blazer Silverado. Stored in my barn for 20+ years.
Not sure I’ll ever get around to restoration any more.
Yep. As I get older just maintaining the house and yard and the honey do list is about all I can keep up with.
I had a '77 w/ 400ci back when. I always wish I had kept it but realistically....... No.

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Re: Working on cars
Posted: Sun Apr 06, 2025 9:17 pm
by FJB
Same here jbp, dammit anyway.
Re: Working on cars
Posted: Sun Apr 06, 2025 10:17 pm
by sakodude
FJB wrote: ↑Sun Apr 06, 2025 7:39 pm
IMG_0381.jpeg86 K5 Blazer Silverado. Stored in my barn for 20+ years.
Not sure I’ll ever get around to restoration any more.
Dang, That would be a nice project! hope you get to it one day.
I had an 83 GMC shortbox with the 350 and a 4 speed manual. hands down the best mountain climber I've ever owned. Low range and first gear it would crawl over just about anything. Sold it after the second child and needed more room. Wish I had a barn to have parked it in back then.
Curious, what part of Pritzkerville do you reside?
Re: Working on cars
Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2025 12:42 am
by Wambli Ska
I’m a Ford guy and one of my “bucket list” things to do is recreate Longmire’s ‘93 Bronco!

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Re: Working on cars
Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2025 4:20 am
by Japhy
C’mon guys this stuff is going to push me over the edge
Have to find an AZ 80s vintage truck and pining for an unconnected 4X4 along with a ache to homebrew an engine overhaul.
Between this thread and the additional info I found out yesterday about imbedded cell phone modems in cars over the past 6 years, and the vast number of stealth data brokers selling every tidbit in real time meaning not only is private data being collected and sold its being collected and sold 100’s of times every day and cars are the new number 1 source!
Re: Working on cars
Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2025 7:25 am
by Wambli Ska
This has been going on since 1985 when GM invented OnStar. It find it funny you guys are just finding out
Someday when I have time I have to tell you about a conversation I had with some very high level folks in “The Kingdom” when they found out the tech specs of their Escalade’s data transmission capabilities. It was a very funny moment

Re: Working on cars
Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2025 10:26 am
by FJB
sakodude wrote: ↑Sun Apr 06, 2025 10:17 pm
FJB wrote: ↑Sun Apr 06, 2025 7:39 pm
IMG_0381.jpeg86 K5 Blazer Silverado. Stored in my barn for 20+ years.
Not sure I’ll ever get around to restoration any more.
Dang, That would be a nice project! hope you get to it one day.
I had an 83 GMC shortbox with the 350 and a 4 speed manual. hands down the best mountain climber I've ever owned. Low range and first gear it would crawl over just about anything. Sold it after the second child and needed more room. Wish I had a barn to have parked it in back then.
Curious, what part of Pritzkerville do you reside?
About 40 miles east of St Louis.
Re: Working on cars
Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2025 1:08 pm
by breamfisher
OnStar was formed in 1996, and the first cars it was available in were 1997 year model Cadillacs.