Thread: I hate my car!!
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Old July 28th 2004, 13:16
beesquad711 beesquad711 is offline
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Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: California (Southern for school, northern for summer)
Posts: 56
I hate my car!!

It seems as though my GL project will never get off the ground. At this rate I can't seem to keep my baja together for more than a day at a time. Since that is my driver I kinda have to keep it on the road before I can throw time and money at the super. Here's a sample of the weekend timeline (I was way too frustrated to re-live it yesterday):

Saturday (afternoon): Dropped my sister off at the movie theatre and on the way home ran out of gas (no fuel gauge...forgot to factor in engine removal into odometer figure). It's a good thing I did because I was just about out of oil (no pressure gauge to tell me I was about to die)...the bottome of the dipstick was barely moist. This all happened across the street from a gas station but since the "street" was really a 4 lane highway and it was 5pm I couldn't push it across so I had to call my friend (Chevron has no gas cans for the borrowing). I then proceeded to leak 2 quarts of oil between Cotati (the movie theatre) and Petaluma (my house) - about 7 miles. I diagnosed the problem as the bales that hold on the rocker covers being absolutely worthless. Problem solved Saturday afternoon.

Saturday (evening): Drove the car again and found that the leak had slowed significantly to a point that is very acceptable for a stock vw engine (if it ain't leakin' oil it ain't got oil). While I was out I noticed a loud knocking sound....not good. I went home and found on out the locknuts on the rocker had loosened itself almost completely...valves need adjustment, no big deal. Park it for the night to let it cool off so I can adjust the next day.

Sunday (afternoon): Got the valves adjusted and the bales fixed to stop the leak completely and get the car back on the road. Drove to my friends house.

Sunday (night): Got in my car to head home. About 2 miles from my house I head a wheel rubbing but could not locate the sound. I assumed that the front right wheel was hitting the caliper from my disc brake conversion and I needed to remove a tiny bit more material...the noise got louder and I knew that wasn't the problem. About that time I feel the nose of the car come up - or really the rear go down - and heard a thud followed my nasty dragging. I managed to get my car to the curb before I grind to a halt, everybody safe. First order of business was finding the wheel that had separated itslef from the car and make sure it wasn't in anybody's trunk. A front yard was fine with me. The next discovery wasn't as good. My fender was shredded. Cracked about 2/3 of the way across, beyond repair (fibergalss). I got a new wheel on and managed to limp it home.

Monday (lunch): I saw it for the first time in the daylight. 2 of the fender bolts ripped clean out of the body...so angry. I took the rest of the day off work and moped. I don't know why I keep putting money into this deathtrap. It wants to kill me!!

Sorry for the rant

**EDIT**
Does anybody want a 1971 Baja on a IRS pan? More of a looker than a off-roader. Minus one fender (for now). $2000. Ok that's mostly a joke stemming from frustration...unless I get a serious offer...
__________________
Brandon E.
1971 Baja
1972 soon (or maybe not so soon) to be GL 1302

Last edited by beesquad711; July 28th 2004 at 15:41.
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