Spring,,, weather getting nice, go for a ride.. blew the motor up in my 60 Vette. 350, Brodix track one heads, Doug Herbert solid roller cam, anyway crank broke, bent #7&8 rods, #7 piston pin moved and put a hole in the block, rear main cap broke and oil pump.... No money, so pulled a 283 that was in my 55 Cameo, that hasn't run in 20+ years. It came out of a 66 Impala that was being junked. Pulled the valve covers and intake full of sludge, pulled oil pan looked good. Took out rockers and push rods, cleaned everything in kerosene. Did not remember if it smoked in the truck, too many years ago... Put new intake { Weiand Stealth } a 750 Holley, put new valve seals and umbrella's... Put her in the Vette, the collar on the trans that the throwout bearing rides on, broke, now pull the trans, not easy... It's a TKO-600 and a pain in the azz, heavy, no room, working on jack stands. Get new part, put trans back in.... Adjust the clutch not right, pull her back in the garage jack one side up { block the wheels } adjust somemore. Let her down, get in ,,,, wait a minute forgot the blocks, open the door, move one block then the next, car starts rolling out the garage, can't stop her.... Slow motion, to quick, phuck door is open, that stopped her from rolling out, bent the door, A pillar, door panel, trim on the fender. She was in the bodyshop about a month just got her back. Went from 400 hp to maybe 190 hp, but she's back on the road. Now she does smoke, so I call her OLD SMOKEY for now.... Need that Lottery to hit....... Here are some pic's......
That's not a bad spring/summer. That's called old car ownership. The flood posts, the folks passing on posts, those fall under the bad category. A blown motor and lower horsepower is a blessing. That means you're still in the game doing it.
Let's see... My daughter was in a horrible car accident, leaving her a total care quadriplegic I had a heart attack two weeks later, followed six weeks after that by a brain bleed, followed six weeks after that by another heart attack. You had a great spring and summer and got to get good ol' Chevy grease under your fingernails. Count your blessings and enjoy every day you have. Beautiful 'Vette, by the way. Looks perfect!
this is great picture dude! standing on the front end of a 60' vette! hahaha! need to post that one on the corvette forum and listen to their guts grind!
Really standing on the radiator support, but yes I did post and you could hear their guts... I bought her to drive until I die and I drive her like I stole her..
I wasn't so lucky last summer... crushed my ribcage... extremely minimal lasting damage, but still wasn't my favorite experience of all times... it wasn't my fault, but life happens. I'm super blessed. Hang in there everyone!
I wish I had a 60 Vette with a fried motor, or no motor at all for that matter. That'd still be more Vette than I've ever owned.
I was thinking the exact same thing. I wish I had problems like these! Perspective is a powerful concept.
Well you work your whole life, make money not tons and no money in the bank, wife spends it like water, gives it to the kids and one day you say WTF, then you get laid off and have no money, these golden years suck at times................ But it could always be worse....
My tranny crapped out a week ago. Just as the weathers getting nice. But, it comes with the territory. Shit, if these things didn't break car ownership would be boring. Oh, I had a hyrnia operation this morning. No heavy lifting for a while. Gotta pick yourself up and move on.
Reminds me of the summer I blew up the Merc Flatty in the Peter Beater.....sheesh! All I can say is the grass is greener on the other side.... Or maybe the blacktop is smoother.
I look at all the sh*t that happens to people and to myself every day. A lot of it not the most pleasant of happenings. Then I sit here and think, HEY? I woke up this morning on this side of the grass and I'm really happy about that. I consider the rest of the day a bonus no matter what happens.
Arkie, the best to you and your daughter. I've got no where near the problems you do but I'll tell you one thing, my retirement hasn't turned out the way I had envisioned it. My wife and I have had health issues that fortunately have cleared up. Then our daughter went through the "divorce from Hell". I'm sure I have over 30K tied up in that. Now having to support two families and being a Dad to an eight year old. The golden years haven't been too golden for us. I wish all I had to worry about were car problems, that would be easy. I worry about my 8 year old Grandson 24 hours a day seven days a week. We have to make sure he is provided for once we are no longer here. Then our Son just got wiped out in the Vermont flooding. If you can't give to your kids, who can you give to?
Jack60, at least you will get better fuel mileage. My retirement is not what i envisioned, but at least I have some money(Civil Service) & my health(sort of).I regret geting rid of my '59 Vette & my '56 Belaire 2drht- Oh the follies of youth.