More waiting

I still haven't heard if they have found the part for my car. I'm getting kind of antsy. But I'm happy I brought the car in, it feels like a lot more is getting finished than if I had it sitting in the street with my '93.

Never tell your mechanic you're not in a rush...

I finally got a call today, and the new timing cover housing is installed, apparently they patched up the few little places on this "new" one. The timing chain was already new so they did not replace it. they put my oil pump back in because it was in good shape, and they don’t like to switch them out unless they need to because they wear along with the other parts and fit better. It still needs some kind of plate for the carb, which of course they are trying to get from A&A, which will end up costing me $$$. He forgot to check the heat riser valve, so he's going to look at that. I'm bummed I was really hoping to get it to the upholstery guy this week, so I can order the fabric.

Outsourcing

I've maybe got a guy lined up to do the interior in the Eldo, as soon as I get it back, I'm going to meet with him so he can see it. I also have a possible shop for the body work and paint on my convertible, I need to send that guy photos of the work to be done. Or I might try to meet him at his shop so I can check it out. I may bring the convertible to Nielsen Auto in San Carlos first to get it running, then have the cosmetics done after, that might make more sense.

Waiting...

for the mechanic to call with a new list of things that are wrong with the Eldorado. Also waiting for someone to buy the 93. I've got plenty of calls after I put a sign in the window, but once they find out what's wrong with it, they don't want it. I'm thinking I should just fix it and then sell it. Of course if I do that, I won't actually sell it, I'll just drive it.

Timing Cover Housing, etc...

So, I took this morning off of work to drive up to A&A in Brentwood which is an all Cadillac parts yard to pick up a timing cover housing for the Eldo. Apparently, this part is much coveted, and therefore runs some serious cash. I paid $275, and while I was there picked up an "E" for the side emblem that was missing. which ran me another $10. A&A is expensive but they have the parts and they are close. There was one in Arizona for $212 shipped, but it would have taken until the middle of next week to get here and I wouldn't have to car out of the shop until at least the end of the week. At least this way, I may have the car done earlier, plus I got to see the part I was buying before it went on the car.

I have also attempted to contact an upholsterer that advertises on craigslist a lot, he has not replied to me yet. I want to hold off on buying the fabric until I can verify with the upholsterer that I don't need to purchase the vinyl parts of the seat too. If I don't hear back by Monday, I'll try to find a shop in the area.

One the way up to Brentwood, I thought I smelled a burning fluid in the Porsche... At first I thought it was oil, but them I recognized that smell as differential fluid. I'll have to check it when I get home tonight. I need a garage so badly!

pandora's box

So, my mechanic, Jeff called and said my Eldo a Pandora’s Box. The timing cover housing is apparently disintegrated and needs to be built back up or replaced, so that the water pump can be replaced.

I'm looking for the part at various specialty yards around the country and two places have it. one is local and is $275 and one needs to be shipped and is $200, but I don't know what shipping is yet. I should probably just go for the local one. I can see it before I buy it.

$95/hr

It's going to be $611 to replace the water pump and fix some of the vaccum hose routing. This guy charges $95 dollars an hour! What the hell? I think that's insane. I don't think I'll be going back to this guy. I wonder if I could get the Porsche mechanic to look at my Cadillac. He was so much more reasonable, how sad is that?

Mechanic

I left work a little early yesterday to bring my car to a mechanic that was recommended to me from a fellow Cadillac owner. Conveniently, the shop is not too far from where I live, and I was able to limp it in.

I just got a call from the guy, Jeff, saying the water pump was out and there was in fact a vacuum leak and that some of the stuff wasn't hooked up right. He said it would be at least two hours to diagnose the problems. So I'll probably be looking at a pretty stiff bill when all is said and done.

But on the up side, I have someone interested in my '93 Eldo who is planning on fixing it himself, and is not frightened by the repairs. Maybe he'll actually buy it. Then I'll be able to pay for the repairs to the '67 Eldo.

Coming Home

Well, This weekend, There was an exhaust leak coming from the bottom of the carborator...so I put a new gasket on, but it didn't help(of course, no one had exactly the right gasket, so that may be the problem...). Even though this wasn't exactly fixed, I brought the Eldo to where I live, and it drove OK the 50 or 60 miles on the freeway, but once I exited, it didn't like the lower RPMs and started stalling on me. I made it to my apt. (after having to re-start the car about 4 or 5 times) but I don't think it will run well if I try to go anywhere. I'm going to call a mechanic, and get them to fix the exhaust leak, and whatever else it may need. I'm tired of not having cars that work. I'll fork out the cash to get it to run right.

Foamy

Jim doesn't think I will actually make the seats. He may be right, but still, he could lie. I'm not sure where to get the foam for the seats maybe I will ask the guy at SMS fabrics where to get the seat foam.

Fabric

So the seats in the 67 Eldo had been invaded by a rodent of some kind who decided that the seats would make a great place to live (I don't blame it, they are comfy). This means that I have to re-upholster the seats. I contacted SMS Auto Fabric in Oregon, and it turns out I don't even have the correct seat fabric in the car anyway the current fabric is from the '61/'62 Mercury. So I'll have to re-do all the seats instead of just the front. It's also going to cost about $300 in fabric just to replace the fabric insets. I will probably sew the seats myself to save some moola, but I always run the risk of not finishing the project doing it that way.

New Focus

So now instead of bringing a '67 Convertible to the Grand National, I will be bringing a '67 Eldorado. I have a few things I would like to do to it before I bring it down:

New upholstery on front seat (repair hole mouse chewed in it)
Refresh the paint
Change mufflers back to stock
Fix dashoard
get radio


things I don't absolutly need to get done before the show, but would like to fix:
power seat controls
power window controls
dash mechanics

So I need to get cracking on this...I've been in contact with the seat material guys, but they sent the wrong sample, so I'll need to find out if they have what I have.

I need to find an auto painter. this is the most scary part for me. I'm so afraid of it getting messed up.

I need to learn how to fix all the crap in the dashboard.