crappy day with the 68

[ss1970chev454]

kinda long, but bear with me and my english skills.

So the other day I’m on my way home and I get a shimmy out of the front end of my daily driver (Jeep Cherokee). I figured it was the u-joints as they were getting to a point where they really needed replaced. I had been dreading the task of pulling the entire front end apart, but it’s time, past time. In fact I had already had one side apart because of noise I was chasing. I replaced the right side hub assembly and I decided it wasn’t the u-joints even though I had the parts right there. I swing by the auto parts store and pick-up another hub assembly and since I already have the u-joints I should have everything I need.

I get home and tear into it only to find out they sold be the wrong u-joints. Oh well that’s fine I’ve got the 68 as a back-up and I hadn’t driven it since the Northern Show anyway. I pop the trunk and throw the u-joints in. Tomorrows another day.

Bright and early the next morning, well maybe not so bright it’s 5:30. I back her out of the garage and start my commute, which is a little later than my normal departure time, but that’s Ok, I have plenty of time. I quickly do a calculation and figure there’s enough gas to get me into town. I tool on down the road and as I pull into the turn lane to access the interstate, I hear a clang. Initially thinking it’s not me, gotta be someone else. I pull forward to make the turn and it turns out the clanging is me. Aw crap! I go through the light and across two lanes of traffic with noise following right along with me. I think, it must be another of those cheap Flow Master muffler clamps. Between the 70 and the 68, I know I’ve replaced at least 5. Having learned my lesson I now carry a spare. Only wait, the exhaust isn’t any louder than it normally is. Grab the flashlight out the console and take a peek below to find out one of the gas tank straps has come loose and is now dragging along the pavement. Man, I’m glad that didn’t happen at 65 mph! Lucky for me and my laziness, all of my tools and spare parts are still in the trunk from the Northern trip. A quick shuffle through my toolbox and I find I’m without the proper repair parts. However, I do come up with a half dozen zip ties. Hmm, it’s all I got, it’ll have to do. As lay under the car in my dress clothes, trying to push the tank up and manipulate the strap so I can attach the zip ties, all while giving the occasional glace around the area for some type metal object that has been previously discarded, I realize there’s no way there’s 5 gallons of fuel in the tank, maybe two, at the most. There’s no way I would’ve made it into town. I double zip tie it thinking it won’t hold but I’m only 10 miles from home. It’ll have to work. I get home make the repair and pull back out at 6:30a, still early enough to miss most of the traffic. It takes about an hour and that’ll put right at the edge of rush hour. The sun’s coming up now and the temperatures a little on the cool side but what the hey I put the top down anyway. I swing into the gas station, thinking I put 8 gallons in it a couple of weeks ago and hadn’t driven it since. There’s gotta’ be at least 5 in there. Not trusting my calculation, I fill it up. I get on the interstate, cruising down the road, the temperature is perfect, the car is running smooth, Big blocks love cool air. About 30 miles down the road I’m enjoying the drive and thinking man this car runs good. And about that time the TEMP light comes on. WTH. I ask her what she’s doing and there’s no response. She just keeps on running as smooth as before. At this time I’m between exits and I have got about 5 miles before the next exit. As I approach the exit, the light goes off. Thinking I was able to talk her down, I kept on driving. I’m running along side a semi in the passing lane and the light comes on again. WTH. This time there is a noise. Naw, gotta be the truck. I get up to the next semi and there’s most definitely a noise and it’s me! Crap! It’s not a good noise either. I give it a little gas to get around the semi and the noise gets louder. Double crap, this is not good. I let off the noise goes away, the temp light is still burning bright and it’s now accompanied by the oil light, Holy S#$!, I get her over to the side and she’s a hammer’n,..hard…whack, whack, bang, bang. Oh F@#!. I try to shut her down and she ain’t havn’ none, she just keeps running. Turn the key back on, put it gear, turn it off and she still running. Whack, whack, bang, bang, clatter, clatter, clatter. I pop the hood, pull the battery cable she’s still diesel’n. Now what? I go for the air cleaner, thinking I’ll choke off the air supply. About that time, with one last huff and she shuts down. Again, Aw S@!#. Ok this is my third big block I’ve hosed but at least the other two gave me some warning.

So I’m standing there on the interstate with 70 mph traffic blowing by and I’m thinking what went wrong. First, the misdirected blame: Did I not give you the attention you deserved? After a hard first 10 years and another 20 years of just sitting, I gave you a new lease on life. I gave you new fluids, new braking system, new suspension, and new rubber. I took you on a 1200 mile trip to Tenn to see all your kin folk that you hadn’t seen since Nov of 67. What happened? Why? She says nothing. She’s quite. Now the blame turns: Ok…Ok, it’s all my fault. You tried to tell me and didn’t listen…I’m sorry…but it’s too late. As I stand there, the analyzing begins. I determined the 42 year old water pump quit working and there just wasn’t enough cool air moving through the radiator. Regardless, she just got too hot and she’s gone now. So after all that noise, I figured I wiped some bearings and that was followed by the locking of pistons in their cylinders. And as I stand there I think of something funny…“You can’t leave, all the plants will die”. (slamming of the door) “Then depression sat in”.

What a crappy day.

[Ms Grumpy]

ss,


What can I say except ... my sympathies ... you had one heck of a day.

[Hank70SS]

All I can say is "ouch". Definitely a crappy day, hope things improve.