--- ImpSvcs@xxxxxxx wrote:
> Can you give a brief rundown of the major
> maintenance items you've performed
> and the approximate mileages to keep your car
> running for 240K miles? And do
> you have any recall of your Grandmothers major
> maintenance?
When I got my '71 Imperial in October 1988, it had
been very poorly maintained. :o( And since I was 16
and not very car-smart at the time, it was a few years
before I learned enough to really get it in good
condition (and I'm STILL learning!). However, the
major things that I recall doing early on were simple
things like a good tune up and replacing the valve
cover gaskets.
Other than that sort of thing, the car did very well
up to about 210,000. By that point, the engine was
tired, and so was the transmission. I honestly
believe that had the car been maintained well for the
many years before I purchased it, it would still have
been doing quite well at 200K+ miles.
Anyway, at 210K, I had the engine and transmission
completely rebuild. Other "major" mechanical items in
the past five years include a new steering gear box,
new gas tank, replacement of most bushings in the
front suspension, new shocks, new exhaust, and
probably a few other things I'm forgetting.
Cosmetically, in the past 2 years, the car has been
painted (see Kerry Pinkerton's description at
http://www.imperialclub.com/Repair/Body/Body&Paint/index.htm),
the vinyl top has been replaced, new carpet has been
installed, and an original set of leather seats from a
'71 parts car have been installed.
Frankly, I plan to keep driving this car ad infinitum.
I think it's going to be a lifelong "project," but
this car has been my learning experience for many
years now. Since I don't ever expect it to be a show
car, I can make mistakes on it and then correct them.
:o)
And in 110,000 miles or so that I myself have driven
the car, it has never left me stranded. (It typically
has the good grace to break down in my driveway.
LOL!) So that's pretty good.
As for my Grandmother's '71, all I can say is that it
was a damn good car. My Grandmother was always a
rather "dangerous" driver, and her '71 certainly
showed it. But nothing seemed to stop that car. We
did have the transmission rebuilt (probably at about
250K) and the engine rebuilt (probably around 300K+).
What finally put the car out to pasture was the simple
fact that I went away to college and was no longer at
home to keep it going. The squirrels kept eating
through the spark plug wires, so Grandmother finally
gave up on it. It's still parked in her driveway, and
she absolutely will NOT let anyone move it. So as
long as she's happy having it there, there it will
stay.
Elijah
=====
-- "My samoyed is smarter than your honor student."
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