My '95 Caprice Classic STW, "Sally"

[Arquemann]

Evaporator freezing most likely resolved, I replaced both refrigerant pressure sensors and now the compressor actually cycles instead of being on constantly.
Only the power antenna and TCC to fix and she's ALL sorted. And maybe new rear shocks...

[Arquemann]

- Power antenna control is bypassed and I put a switch in the ashtray/cupholder below the radio.
- Rear air shocks leak from 80psi to 50 in about a week, but doesn't seem to fall below ~50 even after a couple weeks. Good enough.
- Center brake light is out again! Sigh...
- I kinda want to put the car up for sale. I like it but I want something else already

[Arquemann]

The Caprice really likes to surprise me sometimes, this time I got a sharp clunk and a hollow clang.

Lo and behold, two of the (three) fuel tank straps are hanging underneath the car. Not just a broken strap or bolt, the whole bracket where the straps attach to has ripped out of the body. The "housing" for the bracket in the body is half gone and what's left has the structural integrity of copy paper. Also the strap broke while removing the bracket from the hanging strap.

Dad thinks he can weld the bracket back to something somehow. I'll call the us parts store if they happen to have fuel tank straps in stock (unlikely), if not, we get to extend the old broken strap, extra jank!

But hey, I washed the car yesterday so atleast it looks clean on jackstands!

[sly]

Yikes.

[Arquemann]

Most of the tank strap bracket was remade from sheetmetal, but before managing to weld the patch panel to the remains of the bracket, the bracket let go of the body completely. The patch was welded to the bracket housing on the bench and the reinforcement to the bracket aswell, then the whole thing was welded into the floor pan. It's totally butchered, but it's there now and will hopefully hold.
The broken off end of the strap was also welded back on, as new straps aren't available over here, also trying to remove the other strap would probably open another can of worms with it's bracket.

While under the car, I noticed that the parking brake cable that crosses over is touching the tailpipes on two spots. The bracket on top of the pumpkin is busted, but I manhandled it too keep the cable away from the pipes. Hopefully it won't bounce over it on bumps.
Also sprayed some undercoating/cavity wax to the tank straps, brackets and other bits that werent too dirty or hard to access. Try to do atleast something properly.

One of the two bolts holding the latch, handle and center brake light to the rear glass has stripped out. The handle and latch can rotate a bit now, which makes shutting it a bit trickier. The other bolt is tight as hell and will probably break if I try removing it. They thread into the plastic handle on the outside. One of those threads is already fcked, so if the other one goes too, I'm properly SOL.

[Arquemann]

Fuel tank has stayed in its place, tailgate handle hasn't broken off yet, indicators return better as the weather's not as hot anymore. Great!
I put in a can of injector/valve cleaner about a tank ago and I'd almost dare to say that the idle is smoother.
Just yesterday the odo clocked over 360k KMs, so I've done about 15k in a bit over a year. Kind of alot considering I've been unemployed for 12 of those 14 months.

Haven't found any interesting cars that I'd want to trade for, so far it's looking like I'm keeping the Caprice for another winter.

[Arquemann]

Caprice winter prep step 1 of ? done.
- Changed engine oil and filter. Even remembered to scribble it into the notebook that identifies as a service record.

To do:
- Paint winter steelies
- Swap on said winter wheels
- Reinstall LED bar
- Figure out a better dehumidifier than last winter
- Contemplate LED headlights
- Wash and a hydrophobic coating
- Don't let the existential dread set in
- Install interior preheater

[Arquemann]

- Figure out a better dehumidifier than last winter ✓
- Install interior preheater ✓
- Removed roof rack crossbars for easier snow removal ✓
- Fixed the center brake light, again ✓

There's a wet spot on the passenger front floor, removed the mat to let it dry, doesn't seem wet forwards so it hopefully isn't a leak.
Also doing some figuring out with the engine tunes, in hopes of a bit more mpg. The TunerPro spark advance table/bias/minimum advance system is hard to understand. The original spicier tune looks like it'd have almost 15 degrees less timing, but it still gets better mpg than the stock tune.

Now that the MGM's 302 is not in the garage, I have (some) space to get to painting the winter steelies. First snow came and went already, most nights dip below freezing, I'm living dangerously...

[Arquemann]

Steelies are painted, with a brush and hammerite. Of course to add some more questionableness to it, I had opened the paint can about 3-4 years ago and it had gotten pretty thick. Prep was done with a wire brush, scotchbrite and compresser air. No masking or anything fancy like that. Zero fucks were involved and the end result shows it. But they're shiny and black which hides the brushstrokes and rust pitting and bubbling.

Almost fucked up with the led bar. I removed the old yellow tint, which left a lot of glue residue. I decided to remove the residue with xylene, which was the less aggressive of the glue removers I had. Bad move. The plastic lens of the led bar started to melt, which took me a while to realize.
Wet sand, wet sand some more, a cut and a buff later I've got a usable lens. Stuck on 2 layers of the yellow tint, with one layer the light was too white to my liking. While pressing out bubbles from the tint I managed to rip open the skin from underneath the end of the fingernail. 0/5 wouldn't want to do again.
Light is installed, wired up and functional. Didn't touch vertical alignment from last winter so hopefully it's pretty well aligned already.

Tried to replace the Lambda sensor due to the oddly poor mpg I've been getting lately. Nope. Rusted solid. I've got a shop visit lined up next month, they'll get to replace those rusted up sensors and do something about the pass. side exhaust leak. Didn't bother before but now its sometimes getting in the cabin while standing still. I'll check through the vacuum lines, a vacuum leak would increase fuel consumption too.

The moisture in the car is a bitch already, I dunno if my new windshield is leaking or the car's just gotten wet during the warm season. The dehumidifier doesn't seem to do jack shit. Headliner isn't wet, the carpet isn't wet either anymore, had a wet spot earlier but it has dried as I left the floor mat off for a while.

Tomorrow is tire change time, aswell as checking the brakes as greasing joints.

[jaywish]

I really like the pinstripe and the patina on the Olds or Pontiac? I am not a big fan of the allover rust look but the worn spot that looks like the car has done some cruising is pretty cool.

[DerekTheGreat]

For not masking the wheels, you did a pretty good job. Also interested in that 50's iron.

[Arquemann]

Center caps installed to winter wheels, wheels put on, joints greased and I think that about concludes my winterization list.
Still thinking about LED headlight bulbs, but those are kinda illegal. Still, I kinda want to see when it's dark.

She's looking sharp!



The car in the garage is my dad's '57 Olds 88 Holiday Sedan. Pretty patina'd California car, hood and trunk got repainted due to mismatch, but otherwise it's original paint. Dad says he doesn't like the patina look, in any extent really, but we don't have the facilities to paint the car. In the meantime he's practiced pinstriping onto it. He'll paint it, eventually...
I like the patina, even if it's a bit heavy on top. All in moderation, I don't like the totally rusted look either.

[DerekTheGreat]

Dig the steel wheels and center caps on the Cap-Rice. Hate LED's in any shape or form for exterior lighting, cars or otherwise.

That Oldsmobuick is really sharp, aside from the four doors. I like the faded paint. Interior pics? What options does it have?

[jaywish]

That Olds has really nice styling.

[Arquemann]

Dig the steel wheels and center caps on the Cap-Rice. Hate LED's in any shape or form for exterior lighting, cars or otherwise.

That Oldsmobuick is really sharp, aside from the four doors. I like the faded paint. Interior pics? What options does it have?

Eh, dunno much about these, it's got a 371 Rocket and a 4-speed Hydra-Matic. I think the VIN said J2 Golden Rocket, but any sign of 3 carbs is long gone, instead has an old-ass Rochester 4bbl. I like the 4d hardtops on these, windows down of course.

Not much of an interior to speak of in the Olds. Work in progress, recently dad decided to yank out the clapped out bench seats and got a set of buckets from some plastic mopar product.
I have no idea of the vision, but there's gonna be 4 bucket seats and a full length console, probably. Dash and interior trim are painted that dark metallic grey, if that's something to go off of.

I don't like LEDs either, but I could make an exception cuz I can't see shit with the composite candles in the Caprice.