What did you do to your car today? Vol 2.0
- Thread starter Mad Monkey
- Start date
SDGTP99
New member
Ooh boy I'm so excited! Pops cut the rust out of rear quarter panels, repaired it and painted. Fresh paint looks pretty spiffy!!! All that's left to do it's parking brake shoes, camber and pinstripes.
Fresh paint 2 Fresh paint 2 - Album on Imgur
Fresh oaint Fresh oaint - Album on Imgur
Sorry that I have to use imgur links but it's worth checking, for sure.
Fresh paint 2 Fresh paint 2 - Album on Imgur
Fresh oaint Fresh oaint - Album on Imgur
Sorry that I have to use imgur links but it's worth checking, for sure.
Scottydoggs
Killa Bee
pops does nice work. rust got ya on both sides too, bummer. so i suppose a major polishing job is about to go down to make it all match better. them rear quarters look way fresher then the rest of it
idrivejunk
Active member
Replaced the combo switch on the GTP. Been raining a lot, wiper part went bad. Fortunately, I had one.
Got the car back from the A/C shop. The tech found the compressor to be leaking. She said that's the only point that she found, but of course can't see the evap coil. Went and picked it up and just got done tearing it all down to get the compressor out so I can order a new Delphi unit. Once I get it all back together I'll take it back to her and have her deal with the rest. I'm tired of fvcking with the A/C on this car and am now at the point where I just want to pay to have it finished and working. It's one of only 2 things that don't work on the entire car (the other is the e-brake system).
This time I got the orifice tube out in under an hour... Stupid a** location. Still busted a knuckle on that damn thing. Though I was happy to see that it was 98% clean which means nothing grenaded in the system and I don't have a blockage at that point.
This time I got the orifice tube out in under an hour... Stupid a** location. Still busted a knuckle on that damn thing. Though I was happy to see that it was 98% clean which means nothing grenaded in the system and I don't have a blockage at that point.
idrivejunk
Active member
Ford man I was reading that and felt tempted to share my A/C story. Its so incredibly stupid I would be mad again by the time I wrote it and who needs that. Nobody wants A/C work. Throw car away, buy new.
IF you feel you have to have it. Pick your battles. I am teetering on the fence on that decision. Any aspect of the investment is certainly not worth it for this guy.
A new guy at work said GTPs are rare and pretty fast. Glad he thought it was somebody else's. I find that FWD Grand Prixs carry a value penalty now... like driving one is worse than not having a car at all.
GT still under 190K and running, GTP at 291K and running, Model J just never changes but has had a brake issue for awhile. I can't seem to kill them nor can I bear to scrap them. My car hobby is thoroughly extinguished at this point.
At work, the Model A job is in primer stage, 59 Pontiac interior finally got done, and the F1 is waiting on me. I passed the ten year mark and no vacations yet. Pics of stuff can be found on blog in sig but they all require explanations.
IF you feel you have to have it. Pick your battles. I am teetering on the fence on that decision. Any aspect of the investment is certainly not worth it for this guy.
A new guy at work said GTPs are rare and pretty fast. Glad he thought it was somebody else's. I find that FWD Grand Prixs carry a value penalty now... like driving one is worse than not having a car at all.
GT still under 190K and running, GTP at 291K and running, Model J just never changes but has had a brake issue for awhile. I can't seem to kill them nor can I bear to scrap them. My car hobby is thoroughly extinguished at this point.
At work, the Model A job is in primer stage, 59 Pontiac interior finally got done, and the F1 is waiting on me. I passed the ten year mark and no vacations yet. Pics of stuff can be found on blog in sig but they all require explanations.
idrivejunk
Active member
OK, well now I am excited and hopeful. You old timers know how I yo-yo between the thrill of 455 and the agony of L36/67... and how one WOT glasspacks bang/chirp 1-2 shift can wipe off a week of frown with enough permasmirk left over to write posts with wildly contrasting outlooks. Like now. Found an A/C service port kit in stock local then modified a 9/16" open end wrench to fit the octagonal flats of the high side fitting. And now I might get cold air back in both cars. You guys can imagine how that would turn my frown upside down. 
Yay!
Yay!Lol, yea I've been on the edge of just deleting the whole damn system and calling it a day. Just pisses me off that for some reason it doesn't want to behave. I've repaired several A/C systems over the years and they all still work but this one is just being a b*tch for some reason and I'm tired of dealing with it. Got all the parts on the way for under $300 (new compressor, not reman) so I should have it all back together by the end of the week. Then I'll let the shop handle the rest.
At 466K the GP doesn't owe me anything and it's still one of the nicer looking GP's of this gen around here. I still have my 95 Bonneville that needs to be resprayed and some minor work on my 03 Vic that the shop needs to do. Wish I could paint but I have no experience there and I lost my paint guy last year...
Sounds like you're lined up for the next month or 2 on jobs at work at least. Quality bodywork is an art and I have much respect for people that can do it right.
I'm not overly skilled in that area but I spent the week before father's day installing a new front cover on my friends '14 Camaro after his daughter located a high parking stop and backed up off it effectively ripping/breaking every single mounting point and side brackets minus the ones under the hood. End result was a new GM cover painted at a local family shop, no panel gaps (moved the hood over an 1/8" to line up the top body lines) and then claybared/polished/waxed the rest of the car to bring the existing black paint back so the new cover wouldn't look off. Detailed the entire car inside and out (underhood too). Tried out my Ultima Tire & Trim Guard Plus on all the plastic and seals (a lot on the vert). It's the best job I've ever done on a car and it turned out far better than expected especially being a black car. Got him a Novistrech cover so it can be protected until the paint cures and we can discuss having it wrapped with XPEL to keep the rock chips out of it. Was a pain in the ass to do in my 96* garage but when I got it out in the sunlight it just shined and made it worth it.
At 466K the GP doesn't owe me anything and it's still one of the nicer looking GP's of this gen around here. I still have my 95 Bonneville that needs to be resprayed and some minor work on my 03 Vic that the shop needs to do. Wish I could paint but I have no experience there and I lost my paint guy last year...
Sounds like you're lined up for the next month or 2 on jobs at work at least. Quality bodywork is an art and I have much respect for people that can do it right.
I'm not overly skilled in that area but I spent the week before father's day installing a new front cover on my friends '14 Camaro after his daughter located a high parking stop and backed up off it effectively ripping/breaking every single mounting point and side brackets minus the ones under the hood. End result was a new GM cover painted at a local family shop, no panel gaps (moved the hood over an 1/8" to line up the top body lines) and then claybared/polished/waxed the rest of the car to bring the existing black paint back so the new cover wouldn't look off. Detailed the entire car inside and out (underhood too). Tried out my Ultima Tire & Trim Guard Plus on all the plastic and seals (a lot on the vert). It's the best job I've ever done on a car and it turned out far better than expected especially being a black car. Got him a Novistrech cover so it can be protected until the paint cures and we can discuss having it wrapped with XPEL to keep the rock chips out of it. Was a pain in the ass to do in my 96* garage but when I got it out in the sunlight it just shined and made it worth it.
wowitsfast
New member
I feel the pain of both of you. My gtp's AC has never worked right. I've replaced almost everything and it still never has worked very well for very long. I just said fugetboutit. If it's over 80 degrees I just don't drive it
Something is always wrong with my car lol! Like IDJ said it makes me smirk just enough to keep it around.
I just bought a 66 impala. California car, body is great interior is not. It runs and drives and it mostly all there. PO's of this car hacked the wiring bad. Added a brake assist for trailering. It has a tow package to!
Sent from my SM-G981V using Tapatalk
Something is always wrong with my car lol! Like IDJ said it makes me smirk just enough to keep it around.
I just bought a 66 impala. California car, body is great interior is not. It runs and drives and it mostly all there. PO's of this car hacked the wiring bad. Added a brake assist for trailering. It has a tow package to!
Sent from my SM-G981V using Tapatalk
Scottydoggs
Killa Bee
idrivejunk
Active member
Dadgum, SD thats pretty bad fast! Heap big miles per hour, lots to think about at that speed I bet. The worry part is overwith pretty quick though. 
You don't gotta call it new anymore.
A new guy at the shop has a "new" Camaro, six with auto. Makes sure everybody hears it three gears away. Says he is putting a Duramax in it. Parks in my spot and is yellow with tan wheels and a decal over half the windshield. I marvel how new guys always have the most expensive cars. Rest of us nurse junk. I do remember what its like to have something to prove.
The GTP been wearing a bypass pulley a year or more. AC spoiled me while it worked. Never had AC or efi til '09. It ain't so bad but I am gonna try getting the GT's to work first.
Drove a 67 Imp 4DHT 283/PG through college. Bought it with 64K on it. Ran like it was towing all the time lol.
Don't know which old Ford I'm working on this week but looking forward to four days off. Probably still won't wash my rides, the shade tree has been gone long enough I said fuggitt, paint jobs are all toast anyhow. And I'll hit the double nickel this week so I've nothing left to prove with shiny junk. Off I go, high ho.
You don't gotta call it new anymore.A new guy at the shop has a "new" Camaro, six with auto. Makes sure everybody hears it three gears away. Says he is putting a Duramax in it. Parks in my spot and is yellow with tan wheels and a decal over half the windshield. I marvel how new guys always have the most expensive cars. Rest of us nurse junk. I do remember what its like to have something to prove.
The GTP been wearing a bypass pulley a year or more. AC spoiled me while it worked. Never had AC or efi til '09. It ain't so bad but I am gonna try getting the GT's to work first.
Drove a 67 Imp 4DHT 283/PG through college. Bought it with 64K on it. Ran like it was towing all the time lol.
Don't know which old Ford I'm working on this week but looking forward to four days off. Probably still won't wash my rides, the shade tree has been gone long enough I said fuggitt, paint jobs are all toast anyhow. And I'll hit the double nickel this week so I've nothing left to prove with shiny junk. Off I go, high ho.
Scottydoggs
Killa Bee
Dadgum, SD thats pretty bad fast! Heap big miles per hour, lots to think about at that speed I bet. The worry part is overwith pretty quick though.
ive had it for like 2 years now. and its still like i just got it, being how little i drive it. ive put a whole 3,000 miles on it so far. and its got a boat load of new paint on it from that damn pesky crash i has last year lol
body shop was a nightmare, they sucked bad, took em 3 months to get it to where i was happy. while they had it the hood roof and truck ended up full of swirls, rest is all new paint, being they kept doing crappy work over and over thought they might buff out them parts, but noooooooooo. so i finally started having weekends off and took the hottest day possible to wash polish it lol
during the race, im not thinking much but faster damn it! faster !!! as im watching the speed o. (has a hud) installed a two step, this was its first time using at the track. cars never launched so damn hard in its life. 2 and 3 ****s are out right nasty feeling, in a good way......
idrivejunk
Active member
When I first read your timeslip post, something didn't sound right... then looked at the slip pic and ah, OK. Typo. But now you see where my comment came from. Ha! Good one, 188 mph. I must have missed the paint work episode. It was a good day for sanding but did not pick up a block, all DA sander. Tomorrow, ugh. Thought about each GP today, only used one and did nothing for it, only to it and all it did was whine.
Ha! Good one, 188 mph. I must have missed the paint work episode. It was a good day for sanding but did not pick up a block, all DA sander. Tomorrow, ugh. Thought about each GP today, only used one and did nothing for it, only to it and all it did was whine.
Scottydoggs
Killa Bee
When I first read your timeslip post, something didn't sound right... then looked at the slip pic and ah, OK. Typo. But now you see where my comment came from.
wow thats one hell of a typo lol 118 mph.
paint show. these clowns sucked at painting, or maybe they cant not touch it. suck at gaps, suck at putting bumpers back on as they chipped the paint on the fender putting it on. sucked with clear over spray on my glass mirrors back up cam. dents in the clear coat, fish eyes all over. im like up to 3 ppl knew this was wrong, yet here i am showing you for the first time..... then they put 3 huge chips in the door from opening it into ****. didnt change bent suspension parts that i had to point out to them, 3 months of BS. like i was ready to sue em. and made sure they knew it.
crashed.
finally happy
Attachments
idrivejunk
Active member
Well dang, thats too bad. Never been a body shop customer myself but know how it is because people come and go and a boss man has to keep employees and thats kinda like presidents... choices suck but you're stuck with them. This year's internet is full of complaints about nobody wanting to work.
I have same kind of story about my nearby trans shop. First two jobs were good and good. Third one was a piss poor experience. Reality is a muffhugger. An other forum dude put his Monza drag car into the wall over the weekend. No idea yet what went wrong but looked about like your ride. They yelled at him for just driving off down track without stopping to look.
I've not had to work on a new Camaro but have heard they aren't exactly a dream to work on. Paint work is a very approximate and unforgiving science that people tend to take for granted. But customer expectations must be met and sometimes the shop gets hosed because it doesn't always go perfect. I feel sorry for crash guys now more than ever.
I have same kind of story about my nearby trans shop. First two jobs were good and good. Third one was a piss poor experience. Reality is a muffhugger. An other forum dude put his Monza drag car into the wall over the weekend. No idea yet what went wrong but looked about like your ride. They yelled at him for just driving off down track without stopping to look.
I've not had to work on a new Camaro but have heard they aren't exactly a dream to work on. Paint work is a very approximate and unforgiving science that people tend to take for granted. But customer expectations must be met and sometimes the shop gets hosed because it doesn't always go perfect. I feel sorry for crash guys now more than ever.
Scottydoggs
Killa Bee
crash was getting on the hwy. i hit a guard rail. my paint is pretty much a candy job too. so that dont help. they repainted the front bumper like 3 times, the back bumper two times. my drivers door 3 times. front pass fender they blended it. said they didnt but there was a dent in the clear. aka tucked wet, then just sanded like ahh fuk it. so repainted, then they must have baked it with tape on it still and took off all the paint in the inner lip of the fender, so re painted again. then all the fish eyes on all their work.
he cursed me out told me hes sick of me and my car and to get the fuk off his lot and dont come back, he ran inside and locked the door. so instead of killing him, i took the high road and said fuk me huh? well watch this. i spent the weekend typing up the chain of events with dates and what went down, sent it off to the licensing division of NJ. they got back with me same day, and went over there to have a talk with them. before he went he told me i could sue for 4 times the damage repair cost. so the inspector guy calls me from his shop. im pretty sure he had me on speaker phone, and hes telling me how all the re paint work has been done out of his own pocket. and im like and rightfully so, he ****ed up the paint job over and over. im like i didnt come over there and touch the wet paint. i didnt pull the tape off and rip the paint off the cars 3 times. i didnt align the front end 3 times and do a piss poor job of it. i didnt fail to change suspension parts front and back that i had to find on my own and point out to them.
inspectors like well they are willing to work with ya now. oh im sure they are. im not even sure i want to let them work on it any more. every time they fix something they fuk something else up. i think i might just sue em and take may chances. lol i told him id think about it and get back to them. next day the shops like hey im sorry, drop the car off and we'll get it all finished up for ya. and i got to say there still a few areas im not 100% happy with, but at some point you just need to cut your losses.
then after all that they still had dash leather parts to change cause they cleaned it with god knows what and it left run stains in the leather. so they tell me we ordered the dash parts and gave me a copy of the order. i look up the part number and its the whole dash. and it dont even come with what they fuk dup. so off to the local dealership i go vin in hand. and i tell him on the diagram i need part # 31` and 5. he pulls up the dash parts and i point em out. he finds the right ones for my car, gives me the part #'s and i go back to the shop, heres the parts you need. your trying to buy a whole dash......and i walked out. few weeks later the parts showed up.
fvcking nightmare. sorry for the long as read/rant. im re living it as i type lol