Scottd

Im bummed out today. After doing my alternator swap I took the car out for a test drive and Im scared to go more than 3-4 miles. Ive owned the car 2 years (was deployed for half of that time) and Im still working the bugs out of the car. The problem is, theres NO END in sight for all the 'bugs'. Last week I discovered my rear frame x-member was missing and my gas tank is installed incorrectly. Last night I find out my clutch return spring is gone and Ive gt the clutch adjusted incorrectly. Its never ending. Everything on this car is just slightly bubba'd and its always an hour away from its next break down. I mean everything on this car is f'ed up. Also, still being in this shoulder sling is really prohibiting me from doing any of the real work I need to do. (Replacing the awful gearbox and PS pump for starters, maybe ball joints...etc)

Ive got too much time and money in this car to give up now, but Im wondering if all the bad luck is ever going to end. Please cheer me up with you success stories or similar experiences.....

TimAT

You'll get past it. We all do. The first show-n-shine I did with Ol' Red, left me calling someone to get a jump start. There's always some little things pop up- nature of the collector car hobby. Just keep after it. The little stuff is annoying, but it will go away.
I'd never blink about driving my 69 anywhere- not worried at all about something breaking, just the price of fuel. With the current engine and gears, mileage is almost into the negative numbers.

7dSHARK

I think these cars are like women. They are always the best before you get them and after you lose them. It's easy to believe that everyone else's is trouble free but that's not usually the case. The similarities don't end with the coke bottle shape.

qwank

I have faith that I could drive my car cross country and back right now with no major problems.

BKbroiler

You're not being realistic if you expect to drive a 35 year old car without having repaired or replaced just about every wearing part on the car.

StingrayLust

I've had my '71 about 3 years now and couldn't drive it for about the first year getting all the things straightened out. I've now just done about everything possible to the car except paint, block, and transmission. While I've been driving the car for a good 2 years and 1 solid year after getting everything done, I still feel like I'm in shakedown mode, redoing mostly small things to get them right. I sometimes still worry that my torqued bolts are going to come out.

It does take time and $, at some point you'll get there and feel comfortable that it's not going to let you down. Keep the faith.

13611

Motivation is tough to hold onto all of the time. I'm up and down with my "will it ever happen" thoughts on my 68. I'm two years into my puzzle and have a tough time staying on it. I finally finished the rolling chassis and gathered some motivation to get going on the body. I moved the chassis into storage at a relatives house and now I have this ugly 45 year old body sitting on a rolling frame where the pretty chassis used to sit. It's like ground hogs day... So I know how you feel. BUT... as I sit here in my chair, on revolving ice packs and tons of Advil and Alieve on day 3 of my back being out... I am looking forward to the day that I can walk out into my garage, unassisted, and tinker with my Vette again. I'm only 42 years old and need help getting up and down with this injury and the thought of sneezing without proper support can make me sweat! Perspective is everything. I'm in appreciation mode right now because I'm incapacitated. It takes what it takes for us to find the good in what we have, but, at least you HAVE a Vette to complain about. There's a lot of forum members here that are still dreaming about getting their first Vette. So, it could always be worse... take a step back and then get back at it when you can smile about it. Hang in there and good luck!!!

Jeff_Keryk

Frustrating? These old cars? Ya think? Nah...
TBT, 99.9% of us are so under water with $$ and time that we do not dare add it all up.

bpassmore

At a 100 miles out, just ignore the oil smell, the funny noise that wasn't there on the start, the intermittent buck of the ignition or the extra exhaust noise. Just part of the adventure. Like a faithful ole dog, it has always come home with me.

whitehause

The good thing is you don't need expensive computers or tools to work on them(unless you do the trailing arms). A $200 Craftsman tool set, ball joint separator, a torque wrench, and a multi meter you can do 70% of everything. Add a big drill, angle grinder and a BFH your up to 90%.

The one thing I would say (if you haven't already ) is replace every hose and belt, and remove every electrical and ground connection . Lightly sand or clean all the connections, and make double sure all the grounds have good contact.

Past that, it's a hobby....have fun with it.

Paul L

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'75

Stay with it, you'll get all the bugs out eventually. I could get in mine and take off any direction with no worries for the car, but it wasn't always that way.

And that shoulder thing, I went through that for 9 months last year, it's a slow process. but it gets better, hang in there!

jnealg

Heh, this goes with the thoughts I was having this afternoon.
I was thinking how it takes some bonding time with a new old car to feel like they are trustworthy.
It really is a relationship on many levels.
We went on our first longer than a half hour drive this afternoon. Still noticed minor issues but we did well.

Take her to dinner, wine and dine her, bring her gifts from the parts store, she will come around eventually. They always do.

bpassmore

AGVI

You will catch up with all of the repairs eventually. Time and money are your friends.

Les

Priya

Just keep at it, you'll get caught up eventually and then you'll feel confident you've got it all.

Scottd

MY ENTIRE REAR BUMPER IS MISSING!! The PO just put the bumper cover on with nothing behind it. Dog help me if I get rear ended! Who the FAWK puts a car together and leaves the entire rear section out! Who get under a car and makes sure the entire frame is there? I mean its just one of those assume things!

UGH. Keep telling me its gonna be ok....

kdf1986

Look on the bright side. The more you replace, the better it will be.

I started replacing all the "consumable" parts on my cars when I buy them.
Because I don't know when the previous owner replaced the fan belts, the radiator hoses, the gas filter, the brake fluid, etc....I go through the car and replace all of those items, and keep a log of this. It helps me know what was replaced, and if something breaks, hopefully its none of the items I replaced.

kdf

scottw

I've had my car for 13 years. The last two have been the best. The car still needs a paint job but everything else is how I want it.

Don't worry about a breakdown. Get insurance with a towing plan (My Hagerty's plan includes 50 miles free flatbed and costs around 217 a year) and enjoy the car. Just don't use it when you are in a time crunch if you are worried.

The more you fix, the smaller list you have.

7T1vette

Working on one thing at a time, as you find them, is a very inefficient way to get a troublesome car up-and-running. You first need to do a complete assessment of all significant work to be done. Put items in categories of "safety" related, "operational", and "appearance".

If you need skilled help in making those assessments (ie, suspension/steering), call a GOOD alignment shop, tell the manager you want them to check everything out and give you a detailed list of things that: need replacement, need repair, and need adjustment. Explain that you want to pay them for this effort and that some of the work you will be doing and some will likely come his way...but not right now. You are trying to get a plan together for the car.

Many shops will do what you are asking; some will not charge, in hopes that they get all or most of that work. But, if you offer to pay, you should not feel bad however it goes down.

You can do the same at a repair shop for checking out the engine/drivetrain function and assessing operational needs. And so on....you get the idea.

Then, sit down with pencil/paper and start organizing those items by priority (you need all the 'safety' items repaired and the significant 'operational' problems fixed before you should be driving the car! Also, group items together that are in the same area, so that you don't have to disassemble the same stuff over and over, again.

Once you know what needs to be done....and you organize it in some sensible sequence, you then can start picking them off and making some progress.

Think about it. This process works and you shortly begin feeling like you can "eat the elephant".