Getting to be about that time again...need another A-body

[Keiths1976]

I agree there our biggest issues gang is keeping them going for more years as parts get all cheaply made and foreighized . I love mine to the moon and back and enjoy each daily cruise with her 185 k closely knocking on that door

[Skip]

Yes my friend finding quality replacement parts is becoming more difficult everyday.

[CorvairGeek]

Yes my friend finding quality replacement parts is becoming more difficult everyday.

+1
I can't begin to imagine what it will be like for General Motors Company cars, nor do I intend to find out. Our cars aren't even victims of RoHS solder!

[Skip]

A perfect example, my baby does not like aftermarket o2 sensors. Especially anything that is Bosch, she throws a code immediately. Also Bosch plugs. They make her run very rough and again she will throw a code. She will however run very well on NGK Iridium plugs and AC/Delco o2s. When she doesn't like something she will let me know right away.

[Century7667]

Yes my friend finding quality replacement parts is becoming more difficult everyday.

I'm holding out hope in 3D printing. There's great potential in this area.

Ken T.

[Skip]

Yup, Jay Leno has been having some great success with 3D printing and saving his car collection. Amazing that 3D printing.

Edit: Another thing I need to start doing is start collecting front calipers and rebuild them myself and put them on the shelf. Every time I buy rebuilt calipers they are just crap. They don't last. And I need to get rear brake spring kits/hardware kits and put them up too. I'll go to Napa for those.

[Century7667]

Yup, Jay Leno has been having some great success with 3D printing and saving his car collection. Amazing that 3D printing.

Edit: Another thing I need to start doing is start collecting front calipers and rebuild them myself and put them on the shelf. Every time I buy rebuilt calipers they are just crap. They don't last. And I need to get rear brake spring kits/hardware kits and put them up too. I'll go to Napa for those.

I bought rebuilder kits for mine, and they were only about $5 from Rock Auto. Thing is, you just never know about the pistons, and the a-body cars use steel pistons. Might need to pick up a couple. I don't have any cores right now.

I haven't rebuilt any calipers since I was 19 when I did a pair on my '76 Chevy C10. It was was easy and they came out great! ..and I was only 19!

Ken T.

[CorvairGeek]

I'm holding out hope in 3D printing. There's great potential in this area.

Ken T.

One thing we could use right now are the window sashes.



They are discontinued by GM (they were <$4) and I haven't found another source for them. The entire regulator assembly with the sash (sash attached to regulator in picture) is still available for some positions, but expensive. These sashes fit most GM from the late 70s/early 80s up to 1996.

[Century7667]

One thing we could use right now are the window sashes.



They are discontinued by GM (they were <$4) and I haven't found another source for them. The entire regulator assembly with the sash (sash attached to regulator in picture) is still available for some positions, but expensive. These sashes fit most GM from the late 70s/early 80s up to 1996.

One of the good things about GM is parts interchangeability. I was watching DeBoss Garage, and he replaced the corner of the roof of a car (rusted) with one from anther GM body of another year. It was both cool and amazing all at once. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxgYzr-7pSU

Ken T.

[occupant]

I don't think I can pass on this opportunity...

https://columbus.craigslist.org/cto/...624363346.html



It's about an hour away from where I live and I can offer him about $1100 if he still has it in a week.

One of the companies I work for now is called Clustertruck, and it's basically food delivery in downtown Columbus Ohio. I think this would be the perfect mascot car once it's cleaned up.

[CorvairGeek]

While I'm certain that is an interesting combination of parts and vehicles, the center bolt valve covers would indicate that is a 4.3L V6, and not an earlier 200 or 229 V6. The performance should be good!

[Century7667]

While I'm certain that is an interesting combination of parts and vehicles, the center bolt valve covers would indicate that is a 4.3L V6, and not an earlier 200 or 229 V6. The performance should be good!

If they could have managed a 229 in the back of the Fiero, it would have been legit as far as performance goes! A very underrated motor.

Ken T.

[occupant]

None of this materialized. Working on some other ideas at the moment, including disposing of the stupid Malibu because now it has an oil leak from the pressure sensor, a coolant leak from the thermostat housing which is now moved from an annoyance to serious, plus a new bad external water leak at the base of the rear window where the rear floors and spare tire well get soaked in the lightest of rains...but an A-body project WILL be a part of my life, just not this year.

[tlc1976]

I know what you mean. My mom had a 2009 Malibu. If it wasn't water leaks, the power steering constantly going out that they refused to warranty... the last straw was finding out she needed to have a body shop remove practically the whole front end just to change headlight bulbs.

They don't build them like they used to. One reason I drive old a-bodies.

[Century7667]

That's the story of auto repair over the last few decades. The repair isn't bad; what's bad is un-peeling the onion to get to the repair. This was already the case for the a-body, but in 1996 when I was shopping for a new car, the a-body was the least cramped and most serviceable on the mid sized market at the time. The '96 Ford Taurus was the absolute WORST; that was the first year of the suppository/jelly bean shaped Taurus cars. I look at what it took too just replaced the drive belt and walked away. At least in 1996 you could get your arm into the bay of the Buick.

Ken T.