August 09, 2002 - Eh, Let's Do Something
Well... I finally got the car inspected. Invested $500 for exhaust and catalytic converter (whoda thunk them thar things rot like dat?), $200 for new windshield (because seeing where one is going is useful), $130 for AC recharge, and $200 for transmission, coolant, and oil change. So I have barely $1000 in the car. And it even runs too! Check the updated picture below.
Dig that dent in the back of the tailgate. I punched that out from the other side so now the window goes up and down easily (well, it goes down with no problems but needs help getting back up). I found out that the gate is missing the mechanism that opens the bottom latch, so it doesn't swing outward. <Insert heavy sighs> But wait! It folds down like a pickup truck tailgate does (thank you 1990 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser Factory Service manual!). Learn something new every day. Catch is the window has to be all the way down, so it is a minor nuisance.
The car had no tailpipe when I got it (that nasty knocking noise by the right rear was the muffler banging the floorboard). So I had one put on. Little did I know they would put on TRUCK PIPE FROM HELL. You know, those popular big tips that guys with little manliness put on their jacked up trucks to compensate for lack of said manliness. Of course the pipe hangs down about 6 inches off the ground and with the car being as big as it is and with no right rear shock (yeah, it is gone) the car scrapes said tailpipe on the ground every time I go over a bump, drive through the 'hood, or sneeze loudly. It will probably be eroded off in 6 months.
As you can see, I am not lying about the tailgate. Maybe I should remove it and put netting on the back... think it might improve my fuel mileage?
Want to see something classy? Check it out:
Yeah. Theft deterrent! Doesn't matter if the door is unlocked, you can't get in anyway! I do wonder why said handle happened to break off though. I mean you have to be really trying...
Had enough class? Too bad, there's more!
Check that out. Melted plugs indicate only one thing, fried electronics! The seat controls fried at one point in time, I hooked the switch up long enough to push the seat back into the position that I wanted. 30 seconds was too much for the controls and they promptly smoked again. At least my seat is in the correct position.
What does a guy like me use to kick out the jams? A CD player! With blown factory speakers, this system is kickin'! Check it out:
What's that you ask? Why is the thing just sitting there? Well let me tell you a story about aftermarket deck mounting kits... THEY REQUIRE THE ORIGINAL FACTORY MOUNTS! STUPID IDEA! Well, it wouldn't have been so stupid if the parts weren't discontinued like these were. Run to salvage yard right? Well these brackets only came on cars 87 and up. That's three years. Out of 14 they made the car. There aren't many in the yards that even are the correct vintage much less still have the radio brackets attached. So here the CD player sits inviting thieves.
Ah the gauges. The least aesthetically pleasing part of an Oldsmobile station wagon. They should have a tachometer and full gauges in a car like this. Oh well. I love that power mirror control. I play with it all the time. Some of the best pleasures in life are free.
Well since the Lemans has decided to overheat like a little punk, this has become the daily driver. When the transmission shifts properly, it works great. When it doesn't shift properly, at least it does 35 MPH. I miss my Pontiacs.
Last updated on August 9th, 10:52PM