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Dan they say they have a bunch of cabooses in the south east, now that could mean the town I live in or Florida. I watched a movie once where these two boys had run away, and came across a caboose out in the middle of nowhere. It was dingy and had broken windows. Next thing you see is it's toasty warm inside and they have electricity.
Beautiful out, not supposed to be too warm today, but big temps come this weekend. And me without a convertible to drive.
Think I'll do some work in the back yard today. Tiger can help. I really need to get my hair cut. If I had a surf board I'd look like an old beach bum.
--Good morning all, Getting truck back together put dash cluster back in yesterday. I am the point of needing help to put windshield and rear window back in, and doors. I expected to have friends come and help me but don't want to ask them with this social distancing stuff, well it's really no hurry, I guess...
--I once test drove a 1970 Monte Carlo with 3 spd stick on column, what a oddball but kinda cool. That was in 1976 at a dealership on the "Mile of cars" in Chula Vista, Ca. That was when I was in the Navy, Ended up buying a 69 Dodge Coronet 440 2 door hardtop, wish I still had that.. Brings back lots of memories. Have a good Sunday, guys.
This car is a column shift 3 on the tree... I should go buy these cars
It's been beautiful here the last couple days. Got a few things done outside and mowed this afternoon.
Jamesbo did you write that book?
Been catching up on life. Went to the Awful house for the first time to dine in. They only had a table over here, and a table over there, and two spaces at the counter. People would come in and they'd be told they had to wait outside. It was dumb. Went to get my hair cut. The place was locked up like a bank vault and they'd only let one person in at a time. No apron/bibs for the front of you, it was a trash bag. They said they had to use something disposable. More dumb.
Been looking around for a convertible. Not finding squat. My friend has me convinced I need a Corvette. I can find some in my price range, but most of them are automatic. What's wrong with people? I can't imagine buying a car like that and then wanting an automatic.
Work tomorrow. We'll see how the farming out goes. Hopefully they find the people somewhere else and leave us alone. I'm done with the days of unrealistic goals.
Okay. Hope everyone had a good weekend. See ya's all later.
Jamesbo! There was a song a few years back called Wyona's big brown beaver, on the rock stations, I think that the bands name was Mud....just as bad. Mike, don't you have a pace car vette? with T-tops? there ya go.
hehe Dan I sure do. I hate that car. I have not touched it in years. It needs everything. And there is no substitute for a convertible. What's funny is when I drive that car with the tops on, it feels roomy and comfortable. If I take the tops off, I feel awkward like my head is sticking up out of the roof. I can't explain it.
We lollygagged around this morning and didn't leave until after 10. Beautiful out. Gonna run over to the shop for a minute and then see about getting some lumber.
Welcome Curvewrecker.
Dan the convertible is most likely going to need a motor. Now here's the dilemma. Do I spend the money on a new motor, and other issues that the car has, thus getting it back on the road and enjoying it? Or do I spend the money on a different car that I can enjoy immediately? The different car pushes the readiness of the convertible back to a time unforeseeable. But driving the convertible every day is a bigger chance of wrecking it, and the different car wouldn't have that value to worry about. Ah what to do.
Gotta keep moving. Didn't sleep worth diddly last night, and if I sit down I'll fall asleep then the whole thing is repeated. Hope everyone has a good day.
Welcome Curvewrecker, I think that you are right on Primus. My name is mud, might be another of their songs. I'm a little older, so rock of the late 60's-70's is more my style. Mike, well ya did buy it, if you can swing it, and it is the original motor, why not rebuild it? A four speed 'vert would be a nice cruise.
I've been putting off a few little things with my Toronado, but the weather will not be denied, so I guess I'd better get my maintenance done. That way there is no excuses to not go for a ride.
Its positively gorgeous lately. Have a great Oldsmobile day.
--Welcome Curvewrecker, I am sorta new to the thread also and find I really enjoy it. I go on computer in morning before wifey gets up, and look at whats going on with my Olds friends around the country. Sometimes it's nice to have someone to vent to who isn't too close...
-- Mike, I saw the other thread, Is the 70 Vert engine seized up? If you can get it free before it gets absolutely jambed up that would be best. Even if you decide to sell it. I remember I bought a few cars that were seized and got free and resold, but this was when the cars were only 10 yrs old or so. I used to buy and sell cars back when I was 16-18. I once bought a 65 F85 flat top wagon that had a 225 v6 and column stick. It was seized and had a completely flat battery. A buddy and I towed it home and tried to free it . We took plugs out of it and pulled it. All it would do is skid one of the rear tires when let out clutch. Finally we tried stopping, put the car in reverse, pulled car about walking speed forward and let out clutch. It worked! Then pulled forward and let out clutch in third gear and let it spin, while being towed. Then put plugs in and drove 5 miles or so home! Funny memories!! Anyway the longer you let it sit the worse it will get. I also got one of the Y blocks that came with my 56 truck unseized by using a large pry bar prying against the starter teeth on the flywheel/side of bellhousing. I got it to move just barely and went back and forth until I got it to go all the way around. Ended up bending a bunch of pushrods but it really didn't matter the engine was junk. I would try the prybar ( it actually is a huge screwdriver) on the teeth before you give up on it.
11 Have a good one guys!!
A little quicker at work this morning, out before 10. Really there aren't any hard and fast rules about when we should finish, and since we're supposed to be there until 230, it doesn't matter. Beautiful out. Brings to mind Willie Nelson.
Dan the engine in the convertible is not original. I have no idea what happened to the original one, as the good doctor I got the car from bought it from a "classic car" dealer. I even called that dealer and asked if they had any information and they didn't even remember the car. This was 4 years after they had sold it. The engine, on a normal day, runs okay, not terrific, and it is stuck now from sitting, not seized. I had always thought I'd get another engine to rebuild and then swap in. Now I might as well just pull this one and rebuild it. It's a 70 Olds 350 but I don't know out of what.
Curvewrecker what part of Wisconsin?
Gonna go run a couple errands then see what else. Have a good afternoon everyone.
Slantfant, I'm in the Chippewa Valley. I know of another 66 Toronado owner that lives in Osseo, I think. I've also run into a couple in Eau Claire that has a sweet 70 442.
It going to be another great day here, lets see how many things I can cross off of my to do list.
Done at work around 9, pretty nice. Hopefully we can repeat that tomorrow. We must have found some already done wheels hiding somewhere because no one was in a hurry.
Curvewrecker you're way up there. Love, love the first gen Toronado's. I've always heard that Toronado was Spanish for wind. Now I hear it's made up.
Beautiful here but windy. Got the rear brake lines off the blue van, what a pain. It's going back up on jack stands when I get the new ones. I have a couple errands to run and I don't know if I want to get into a bathroom project. The valve in the toilet won't shut off, and the shutoff valve in the wall won't shut off, either. So the toilet is constantly running. Up to now it hasn't cost me anything because it isn't a lot of water, but this last bill I see that I've graduated into the next bracket. So I gotta do something. The bowl and the tank are glued together so I'm thinking new assembly, and a lever valve in the wall, not one of those dumb chrome twist 80 times with the plastic threads valve.
And off I go. Hope everyone has a good afternoon.
Addendum: According to google translate, Toronado means nothing. But Toro Nado means swimming bull. Didn't know Spain had such a creature.
Last edited by slantflat; May 6th, 2020 at 10:03 AM.
Reason: Additional fascinating information
Got the 'vert out of winter storage the other day, no problems. Drove about 60 miles down to Mt Pleasant and back. Found some broken up acorns on top of the engine! Damn Chipmonks!! They are so cute but can be very damaging. No mouse evidence though... Car drove great but was too cold to put down top.
Productive day today. installed the new heater control valve on the Toronado and replaced a turn signal bulb. Replaced the worn out brake pads on my wife's SUV. I taught my boys how to change oil yesterday on my pickup, and walked them through the brake job today on the SUV. They are pretty young, but exposure to automotive work at a young age is a good thing. I have to remember that they still are learning the difference between a wrench and a screwdriver though!
I also taught them to never ever trust a jack. True Story: One time my aunt Sharon lifted a pickup off of my uncle Stan when a jack failed. Adrenaline is a powerful thing! Uncle Stan got new jack stands for Christmas that year.
Beautiful day here, but a bit chilly. Sun's been out so that helps. Wouldn't you know it, the day I have my gas cut off is when it gets unseasonably cool. Eh, we're tough. We also have lots of firewood.
Picked up my new trailer today. After all the years I said I was going to get one, I finally got one. What a hoss. 22' deckover that tilts. Payload is 9000+ . It's a Big Tex. I had reservations about getting a Big Tex, but this one seems to be solidly built. When I went to look at it the other day I thought it was curious it only had two D rings, on the front. The brochure says 6. So I told the guy I thought he needed to put the other 4 on. He said no problem. Well, apparently the brochure is wrong and it is only supposed to have two D rings. Then he said they'd cost me 19.95 each. I said look, I'm not in the habit of trying to cheat someone out of what I didn't pay for, but if it says 6 D rings I want 6 D rings. So he started calling and finally got the okay. Actually I think he just had it done and will worry about it later. Ah, no more ramps. No more overloading. Brakes. I guy could get spoiled with a nice trailer.
CW good on you for teaching the boys at an early age. You should also teach them not to use cinder blocks as jack stands. That never ends well. I don't know where I got my interest in mechanical stuff. My Dad was not the mechanical type. We never had old cars. And never did airplanes ever enter our lives in any way.
Greg as long as it's over 40* you can have the top down. That's why there's a heater.
Gonna read up on the new trailer tonight. Tomorrow it's supposed to be nice, got a host of things to do, as usual. Have a good evening everyone.
Ok Guys, Anybody know anything about roofing? I got a quote from American Metal Roofing for a aluminum roof system with all the bells and whistles, excellent/ great system blah blah,,, For $68,500!! This house is big and the roof is very high and it has issues but a roof should cost as much as a nice loaded 4x4 truck??? I had pretty much decided I didn't want shingles because of all the trees/ pine needles,etc. I have another company who is getting me a quote for a standing seam steel roof, waiting to see what they come back with. I have always been a guy to do stuff on my own but now am older and need to get a crew to do this- a crew I can trust. The guy from AMR came back with a estimate of $84,134 at first, then without me even saying anything he started to chip away at it-. Are you a Veteran? Oh that is 2% off, a senior? 2%, If you sign before 5/30 another 3% off, etc etc. That is bull***** I think. Anyway I may be able to make a offer and get it for less but I had $30,000 figure in mind we are so far off!! I may reconsider a shingle roof as after all we are older now and maybe the cost of a lifetime roof isn't warranted. I do have at least one leak and it has to be done this summer. What you think?? Thanks, Greg. Dont know why I bought such a big monet pit!!
Getting to be warm, it was chilly last night. Overcast today, they're going to sneak in some rain this afternoon.
Greg that's a mansion! And for two people. Pretty much what I would do. Basic 25 year tab shingles should do you plenty. In 25 years you guys will have retired to the beach.
More activity next door. I knew they had a lot of stuff but sheesh. Haven't heard a word from her in weeks. I was never as close with her as I was with him. It's all very sad.
Yowza, that roofing estimate took MY breath away, and its not even my house! It is a beautiful home, though.
I need to tear apart the front right wheel on my Olds. I found a puddle of brake fluid when I moved the car yesterday. On a single res master cylinder car I think thats a big deal, and enough to make me quit driving it until I investigate. Fooking brakes on fooking Toros! The Achilles heel for sure on this year/model.
Dang Greg, that's a bit much for a roof. I had mine done 2018, but it isn't a standing seam, which is much nicer. My house is much smaller and I had it done by the Amish out of Newago. $7350.00
My dad wasn't the mechanical type either, one time when I was replacing the fuel pump on his Chevy van, he said "righty tighty, lefty loosey". I dropped him off at the Moose, and picked back up when I was done.
Greg, there exists five important pieces to this equation: (1) sq. ft. of roof, (2) pitch of roof, (3) total number, width & length of valleys, (4) total number, width & length of flashing & (5) materials. Obviously you already know the materials e.g. aluminum (exposed fastening system). If you go enclosed fastening system add more money. You cannot gauge the sq. footage of roofing based solely upon sq. footage of your home. You need to measure the sq. footage of your roof. You have a significant pitch (on at least two sides of your roof which appear to be >18:12 or possibly 20:12) - that is a very significant pitch which seriously increases the labor.
(1) As a roughed-in estimate. If you have an estimate for 45 year/architectural asphalt shingles, you can get a very close rough estimate by doubling the cost from asphalt shingles to arrive at the cost of an aluminum roofing system. Again, just double the amount.
(2) A typical 1800 sq. foot 45 year/architectural asphalt shingle roof generally runs ~$12,000 (normal 4:12 or 9:12 pitch w/ no valleys & no flashing). Note again, this is the sq. footage of the roof, not the home living (flooring) area. I can't tell by the looks of your home what the total sq. footage of your roof is, but I would take a SWAG and suggest it approximates ~3,000 sq. ft. Therefore, a typical straight-run shingle roof would approximate $25K-$30K. An aluminum roof ~$50K-$60K.
The pieces of the equation which add significant cost to your roof are: (1) extreme pitch, (2) multiple valleys & (3) numerous runs of flashing. HTH
EDIT: I should point out valleys and flashings are much more costly than ridge (runs) caps. Ridge (runs) caps are easy, valleys & flashings are both labor intensive.
Last edited by Vintage Chief; May 8th, 2020 at 10:56 AM.
--Mike, that is a good point about the 25 yr shingles.
--Dan, roof looks good I remember when you had that done. I wonder if that crew comes all the way to Harrison? I may call them if you recommend them- probably too far...
--Norm, thanks for the info. Yeah I know it's a nightmare of a roof. I have buyers remorse big time about this monstrosity! Bought it in Nov. 2018. I didn't take care of myself and now I'm paying the price. That's what I get for being out of touch with prices! I didn't know a roof would be so much. Well I got 2 more places giving me a estimate, we'll see what they come back with.
--Well on to other things, My 06 F250 I bought cheap has a serious problem. The radius arm bracket is almost completely rusted out. I looked over the frame and somehow completely missed it but since found it. I found the replacement part at Ford is $366.00! I found a used one at a salvage yard for $45.00 - more like it. So I'm going to replace this soon. I am much more "in my wheelhouse" with auto repair than huge roofs!!
Beautiful out, sunshine and no wind. But it's chilly. No big thing. I'll start up the stove later on.
Greg I haven't seen rust like that in a long time.
Dan that sidewalk is sending a message. Sure, come on up, IF you can access the sidewalk!
So I went out to mess with the Vista Cruiser yesterday. The problem I have is I can't get it out of park. I was successful at getting the steering wheel off and getting the lock cylinder out, but the thing the cylinder engages doesn't come out nor will it move with a plyers, and a screwdriver can't get in there to turn anything. I've been asking Joe P for advice but I'm not going to bug him anymore. I have the Service Manual but it doesn't show what I'm seeing. At some point I'm going to have to take half the car apart to get to the plug for the turn signals so I can remove that ring and get the collar off the column. This whole business is way more complicated than it needs to be.
You know I'm not so enamored with that car as I once was, and should really sell it. What I can't get past is even though it's relatively low mileage and in pretty good shape, I don't think it's good enough for many people to want to save it, and I'd hate to see it parted(or discarded) once someone liberated its posi rear end for a poorly done W30 clone. Or someone cobbles in a different steering column and it ends up with a scooped hood and half the wood grain ripped off. Oh I can't bear it. So it sits.
Hi Norm.
Went to OReilley's to get brake line. Had the old ones with me, the guy was not interested in helping me. Points to where the brake line is in the back and says go look. Needless to say I had no intention on finding what I wanted. I'll go to NAPA on Monday.
So now I have to find something else to do. I've already been out and back once, so I don't want to go out again to get anything. That's my dog psychiatry kicking in, I wouldn't want Tiger to be unhappy about me leaving so much. I suppose he could come with. Eh, we'll see.
Dan - You ever notice on some really old buildings in various towns there may be one or several doors on the side of the building located on the second or third floor which leads to absolutely nowhere? I've seen a couple like this, the last one on the side of a very old historic building in old downtown Atlanta, GA several years ago. Sorta the same as your sidewalk, maybe? I don't know.
Mike - I don't envy you one single bit. I would say the one thing I hate working on the most on any vehicle I've owned is the steering wheel, horn &/or mechanical shifting mechanism(s) - what a nightmare.
May 1st, 2020, 07:48 AM
