Bill,
I feel better for you know also.
$2700.00 is more realistic. Isn't it amazing how many folks are looking out for
you. Kind of like a bunch of big brothers and Dads on the list. I hope all go
well for you.
Tim
1960 Imperial
I want to once again thank everyone for the
great response I got to my post. Judging from the responses there are many who
are familiar with my car, and some who are not. To Davis I just wanted to say
I do live in Southern California, Mission Viejo to be exact. The car has had
two compression tests, one when I first got it a couple of years ago which
found one weak cylinder. The other I had done in January when I brought the
car in for a tune up, and to have the power steering box rebuilt. That test
found two weak cylinders next to each other, and it was recommended that I get
an engine rebuild originally, and then again back in January. It was also in
January that I noticed the massive tear in the brake booster. In January I
also had the radiator rodded out and supposedly a new thermostat put in, and
all of the plugs were replaced. From January till now the car was relegated to
drives just down to the grocery store or around my condo complex, and a few
times it sat so long that the battery was drained when I went to drive it.
Almost every system on the car has been redone now except for the suspension,
which has only new shocks. I worked on the carburetor myself, and replaced
only the plunger and gaskets, and bent the metering rods when I put it back on
the car, so it now has a slightly thicker metering rods making it run leaner.
I also plan on having the carburetor rebuilt, and will most likely do that
while it is in the shop, since the car never had the power that it did before
I messed around with it. It started much better, and didn't die out at every
stoplight like it did before I put a new plunger in it, so that was a plus.
Today I went and picked up the car and took it down the street to where I
usually take my Nissan to be repaired. The owner of the shop also has a
project car of his own, and I have always been satisfied with the work he has
performed on the Nissan. He gave me a quote of $2,700.00 installed for the
engine rebuild, and he was apologetic about that price, so I left the car with
him, and told him to go for it. As most of you on the list know, I live in a
condo complex where it is hard enough just parking the car, let alone working
on it, which is forbidden in the CC&R's, so doing anything but minor
repairs on the car is about all I can tackle at this point. When I pulled the
car into the mechanics garage this afternoon every mechanic in the shop
dropped what they were doing to come over and take a look at the engine, so at
least they were interested in the car. The owner also told me apologetically
that it would probably take a week, which dropped my jaw. I told him that was
fine, and that it is just my project car, so there was no rush on it. Anyway,
that is where I stand at this point, and I feel much better with a $2,700.00
estimate than a $6,000.00 plus estimate.
Bill '59
Crown
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