Eric,

Hum, After a little thought I think it may be

Estimate + M.A.W. X 3.5 = subtotal. Ya need to add sum more M.A.W. at the end
Just in case you're still solvent.

 

its actually

Paint shop estimate = half what you hoped it would be

real price = 3.5 times what you were afraid it would be + 5 times MAWs

 

What does MAW mean? I am sure something that I should know.

 

I've owned a '66 El Camino that looked like it needed a paint job when I bought it 12 years ago. I've since put a lot of money into the vehicle and enjoy driving it whenever I can...... BUT still no new paint job...

jpmelco12.jpg

My 66's project slideshow

http://s1234.photobucket.com/user/jp...mino%20Project

I think your 67 Cutlass is so cool... ENJOY IT

 

MAW's = Might As Wells.

Might as well replace the seat covers. Well now the door panels don't look good, might as well replace those. Crud now the headliner looks old, might as well replace that. Adds up real fast!!!!

 

Thanks...nice ride yourself.

 

The ones that really get me are the ones that go like this (and this is a real MAW that I'm currently facing):

Well, the engine's out of the donor car, so I MIGHTASWELL replace all the gaskets and rear main seal while it's out.

Well, the oil pan has to come off to do that, so I MIGHTASWELL put in a new oil pump.

Well, with the oil pan off, I should check the bearings, and if I'm taking the caps off anyway, I MIGHTASWELL just put new bearings back in.

Well, while the valve covers are off, I MIGHTASWELL put in new valve seals, though with the engine out of the car I really MIGHTASWELL just have the heads done.

Well, if the heads are coming off anyway, and the bearing caps are off, I MIGHTASWELL just throw some rings in it.

Well, since everything's out of the block except the cam, I MIGHTASWELL just have the block hot tanked, and I MIGHTASWELL put a new cam back in.

You catch the drift...

 

Wait, since I have to do all this to the engine, I remember that <fill in name here> has a 455 he wanted to sell and it would cost the same as going through this engine, so I might as well.

Hmmm I have the trans out and it's only an ST300, I might as well put in the T400.

And since I went to a BBO and can now put headers on, MAW... Oh and a 2.5 inch exhaust...MAW, Electric cutouts...MAW..OMG

See where we are going... It never ends!

 

I am just jealous that you guys can do all this yourself and I only get to read about it. I will be happy if I can pull out the radio and speakers myself; that is my goal for the weekend, I got to keep take baby steps.

 

Working on cars is not that hard, and information and parts availability are just a few keystrokes away. Anyone with a bit of ambition can do it.

 

I can't pretend that I have the skill and insight but I do have desire to do well by her. I finally took the time to digest the paperwork and pics of her tonight (I just needed time to collect myself with her) and all the info is amazing. I have the original bill of sale, manuals up the wazoo, pics of the folks that got her from the barn when they found her - strange feeling came over me seeing those almost like envy or jealousy that it is not me finding her (how odd). I think time for me to re-cork the wine bottle; that would be a first...lol !

 

Here she is in 2009; the folks selling her were very nice and kept great records of her...with pride. Gotta love the tinted FL windows. So that crazy door strip (?) was there back then...wtf. I gotta figure that out as it looks really bad. One of you guys said it on here and now it is all I see...lol.

DSC02216.jpg

 

I don't know how old you are or your skill level. Most of us grew up during the Muscle car era. We started working on our cars out of neccessity, we lived out of what the junk yards would feed us, ate and breathed cars 24/7. Cars were and probably still are our road to personal freedom and sanity. I and probably most others think of their cars as an extension of ones personality. Expressions of our inner soul and with every turn of the ignition key we feel the lifting of the weight of the world off our shoulders.

The talant and skill come from the inner desire to overcome the emptiness of our wallets. Most know personally that if one is going to do an open wallet restoration it will lead to very bad things and personal misery. There are exceptions to this rule. Please note, most cars are not built for profit, they are built out of love.

My advise is to start slow, read and study about every project, plan and budget accordingly, and ask questions when your stuck. There is such a thing as stupid questions, usually they are the ones not asked. You are not a pioneer, most of what you will do to your car, others have done before you.

Now prioritise your expectations and decided what you want out of your little piece of your personality to parade in front of the world.

 

Don't be envious.

Do like you did in Junior High School: Find a girl who's "cooler" than you, but not too much cooler, and imitate her, until you're as "cool" as she is.
Repeat as necessary until you are very cool indeed.

Find a job that needs to be done that is just a bit more than you think you can handle. Get some advice here. Do that job (even if you screw it up).
Repeat as necessary.


My personal advice: Do not pull the radio or speakers.
The speakers are not the size of common replacements and are in bad locations for good stereo sound.
There is no modern radio that will really fit right in the space of the old radio.

Leave the original radio in place and working, and install a new stereo elsewhere, discretely.
With current technology, you don't need to have the stereo where you can see it. You can mount it under the seat, with your iPod wire coming out of it, plug it in, and listen to your tunes, Pandora, iHeartRadio, NPR, podcasts, or whatever you like.


Bite your tongue.


[...or lived off of what the junk yards paid us for our labor ]

Very very well said Old Cutlass. The whole thing, not just what I quoted. Thank you.

- Eric

 

You guys are great, thanks men. I am 42 so I was an 80's girl -big hair, Irocs and Trans Am's were all the rave. My first car was an AMC concord where I learned about the word humble, then at age seventeen a 1980 Trans Am entered my life; had a 301 engine (not good) and that car taught me carbarators! I get feelings about cars, can see one from a far and read it like a book. Maybe blind faith and admiration but I am always looking at muscle cars.

MDchanic great advice and that saves me alot of heartache! I will check out the glove box or under the seat for a place to stash it. I must have my music!

The wine bottle is now in the recycle bin... That is my other vice...red wine!

 

Well now that you've mastered the Bible 1 Timothy 5:23 You can get a Service Manual

 

That is right and I have a lot of reading ahead of me. I have in front of me the following literature and I think the 1967 manual will be the most helpful as it is complete with pictures. So if you recall (if you guys are still reading this thread) there was a non-mechinical sound coming from my car that I really had narrowed down to something loose in the front passenger side. Turned out to be a dust cap wheel bearing that had come loose. While we had her up on the lift I said might as well get the transmission O ring gasket leak fixed, so while the engine is out might as well do the piston ring compression test to see why/where she is burning oil. It all made sense at the time but I sure I am not saying it all correctly... So next week I won't have my car.

DSC02217.jpg

 

And so it begins...

 

I don't see a Chassis Service Manual or a FIsher Body Manual in that pile.

They can be found on eBay, and you can download copies for free from WildAboutCars.

- Eric