What Did You Do to Your A-Body Today?

[tlc1976]

Another summer over. Washed and vacuumed it real good then put it away for winter. Snow forecast for all this week and it started tonight a little bit.

[papawhellie]

Super nice, precciate the photo tlc. Hope all is well in snow land.

[tlc1976]

Well so much for the portable garage and the $400 I spent on the premium model. Was supposed to handle snow load. I put it between the pines to shield it from the wind. Hardly any snow so far this winter. Wanted to check on it last weekend but more bowel blockage issues. So this weekend went out to start it and check for mice. Found the whole thing collapsed on top of the car under 4 inches of light snow. The steel tubes actually linked and folded over. Came 1/4 inch from breaking my windshield. A few scratches but overall I got pretty lucky. Bent my hood and prop rod, but I was able to straighten both out. So I got it torn apart enough to get it off the car. Snowblowed a path to it and got it out. Cleared out enough in the garage to get it in there for the rest of the winter.

Maybe next summer I’ll get one of those surplus shipping containers and store the car safely in there. Got worlds of room out here.

On the plus side it started right up. And the mouse repellent is still working. This really strong smelling granules I keep in a little mason jar in the cupholder. Also the rag I used with invisible glass to clean the windows I left in the car and it still smells which is good. I left the hood open so mice wouldn’t hide on top of the engine and chew up my hood liner.

[High Mileage]

It has been a while since I posted anything here.

Yes,I still have the cars in my Avatar. Yes,they all run snd are used.

No,I haven’t gotten my ‘87 Eurosport (not pictured) back from the painter yet. It’s been 18 years!

Oh…. What did I do to one of my A-bodies today? I lubed up the door seals on the one I use when it’s icy-salty out. Don’t want those door seals tearing off.

Steve from Albany,NY

5 A-bodies.

[tlc1976]

It has been a while since I posted anything here.

Yes,I still have the cars in my Avatar. Yes,they all run snd are used.

No,I haven’t gotten my ‘87 Eurosport (not pictured) back from the painter yet. It’s been 18 years!

Oh…. What did I do to one of my A-bodies today? I lubed up the door seals on the one I use when it’s icy-salty out. Don’t want those door seals tearing off.

Steve from Albany,NY

5 A-bodies.

Good to hear from you Steve. I always enjoyed reading about your a-body adventures especially the winter. I remember when your 87 Euro originally went to the painter. I don’t run any of mine in the snow anymore, just my old Jeep which needs floors next summer.

I would love to make a trip and see your collection some summer. When/if this Covid thing settles down. Before my health prohibits me from doing so.

[Pontiac6ksteawd]

It has been a while since I posted anything here.

Yes,I still have the cars in my Avatar. Yes,they all run snd are used.

No,I haven’t gotten my ‘87 Eurosport (not pictured) back from the painter yet. It’s been 18 years!

Oh…. What did I do to one of my A-bodies today? I lubed up the door seals on the one I use when it’s icy-salty out. Don’t want those door seals tearing off.

Steve from Albany,NY

5 A-bodies.

He Lives!

[tlc1976]

I had other things last year going on, but I recently got done replacing the entire brake system on the Celebrity. Got tired of piecemealing it. I did the same thing to the Jeep last summer and what a difference. Gotta get some tires at some point too, the current ones were NOS stored inside, installed in 2013, and starting to show some cracks. But at the price of tires I’m just gonna keep on the lookout for a good used set. And adjust the cradle bolts after I welded and made my own mounts many years ago. 305k and still starts up very quickly. Feels so much lighter, smaller, and quicker than the wagon.

Trying to keep the miles off the Cruiser and also keep it out of the sun as much as possible to save the paint so the Celebrity is my daily driver. Now I can get started replacing the floors and gas tank and whatever else I find on the Jeep.

For my birthday I took the Cruiser out and hand washed it in the car wash and spray waxed it.

[tlc1976]

A few weeks ago I resealed the windshield of the Celebrity. Rain was leaking in and dripping exactly onto my Alpine CD changer controller. It was completely corroded inside. Found a replacement off eBay for $5 with the cord plug cut off. Which is fine because I’m not running wires under the carpet again, I’ll just do a solder splice and heat shrink. So now it’s been dry for awhile, I wired up the new controller tonight.

I got a set of used tires for it last week for $50. Tread decent enough for summer. No cracks or anything in the rubber, the material is excellent. I’ll probably wait to put them on until I strip and repaint the wheels.

[tlc1976]

Slow start to spring this year. We had a prematurely warm week early April and I took the Cruiser out. A few miles from home the exhaust broke in the usual spot, right behind the cat. Rest of it looked good, but I replaced everything behind the cat. Since the cat was good and solid, I coated it with many layers of high temp silver. Since my new Walker pipes had bare welds and flanges, I coated the pipes and clamps the same. At least the muffler was stainless.

This week I washed off all the pollen, with a good wax. Then took it out for some pictures.

[Cressida]

I just returned from a 1,800 mile road trip through the Oklahoma panhandle, northern corner of New Mexico, then up I-25 along the Colorado front range (traffic was terrible around Denver) and back via parts of Nebraska and Kansas. Besides the normal pre road trip inspections like checking fluid levels and tires, I didn't do anything except carry a lower radiator hose (that I've never gotten installed) and spare fuel injector with me. The thirty year old Ciera performed normal and uneventful, thankfully.

[Keiths1976]

I just finally finished up with some wiring for my reverse lights and to re wire my VSS due to old age and cracking . My 5 speed 1995 Buick Century is doing awesome out about 900 miles on it

[SexySilhouette]

Sold the Silhouette a couple of weeks ago. It went to a good home and he's already restoring it.

[Pontiac6ksteawd]

Sold the Silhouette a couple of weeks ago. It went to a good home and he's already restoring it.

I just bought its more modern sibling.. 2005 Saturn Relay 3 AWD

[tlc1976]

Been working on the Jeep almost every day this summer. Every other project put off. Almost done, really trying to finish it before snow. But days are getting shorter and temps are approaching freezing.

Since I didn’t get to refinishing the Celebrity wheels, I put the new tires on. Just rolled 310k last week, it’s been my daily driver all summer. Next year I would really like to fix the rust and give it a DIY paint job. June was my 20th anniversary of owning the car.

The wagon has mostly lived in the garage this summer. But it’s been to Back To The 80s Minnesota, Oldsmobile Homecoming in Lansing, and Classic GM FWD Society in Dearborn. And some local ramblings. I put 3k on it this year.

[Cressida]

I rotated the tires front to back before the cold weather becomes more of an issue. I also greased the two grease fittings (tire rod end and ball joint) on both sides front end.

Later this week I plan to take the spare tire out and top off the air pressure; and hope I continue to not need it. I really don't want to be testing a 30 year old compact spare even though it has not been in use except for a few miles.