Post by epaul on Jul 25, 2008 9:46:03 GMT -5
I went in yesterday to get ripped off by my local Chevy dealer. $560.00 for new AC compressor, accumulator, various orifices, and a flush and recharge. @#**% Ridiculous!
(hint, that is darn cheap. I bet Johnny B. would spend well over a grand at a BMW dealer for the same job.)
Darn Chevy crap. Chintzy Delco AC compressor giving it up after only 307,000 miles. They sure don’t build stuff like they used to. I only got 230,000 miles on Cav’s waterpump and the starter went the same summer. Sheesh! At least they just tacked those things on so I was able to replace them myself without having to bend over and grin at the repair shop. (hint, remarkable durability and repair accessibility)
OK, so I was actually in a pretty good mood. I knew my AC had gone a long, long time with no trouble (only one recharge prior to this deal), and I knew I was getting the job done darn reasonably ($900-$1200 isn’t uncommon with some cars in some places).
But my mood got even better at the shop. Parked next door at the Big A was a drop dead beautiful and soul cleansing 1954 Ford Crestliner convertible, bright shiny red with a spiffy white top. I almost fell over. I spent fifteen minutes just walking around it in a happy daze. It was perfect. I spent another five to ten minutes just looking at the little round tail lights. The chrome set them off like diamonds. The interior was immaculate. What a lovely, lovely car.
My first car was a 1953 Ford Victoria. I loved that car. We had four wonderful years together. (I got it in 1972. I’m not Bill’s age. Yet.) So, early 50’s Fords are one of my sweet spots. But anything from the late ‘40s to the mid-sixties is in my sweet spot. I hate to pick a favorite year, as I love them all, but 1958 is the year I would pick if I could pick no other. I love every single 1958 vehicle built. As I kid, we had a ’58 Ford and a ’58 Chevy pickup. Loved them. A friend of my folks had a black ’58 Chevy and his neighbor had a dark green ’58 DeSoto. My best friend's dad had a ’58 Ford pickup. My uncle Joe had a ’58 Caddy and uncle Tink had a ’58 T-Bird. I even watch the movie, “Christine”, once or twice a year just to see that ’58 Plymouth get restored (I always stop before it gets to the end because I can’t stand to see it get smashed up).
It seems I have been seeing more and more old beauties on the road lately. (hope it doesn’t mean I’m getting ready to croak or anything). And every time I do, a thrill runs through me. And my Gus has caught the bug, which pleases me.
Sometimes, there is a bit of sadness for a bygone era. New cars aren’t the same to me as the old ones were. Things have changed. But there is always change. On the other hand, lilies and roses have never been better. Ever. Mine are blooming now, and they just keep getting better and better. These new Oriental/Trumpet crosses are stupendous and I got a couple new roses out of the Morden (Canada) breeding program, and never, never, have I had such wonderful roses. (the rose is Morden Sunrise and it is the best landscape rose the world has ever seen. IMO.)
But back to cars. God Bless the fellow that restored that ’54 Crestliner. And bless all his fellow car-savers. It brings me great joy whenever I see one of the old ones on the road again. Sometimes, the gods return.
Paul
(hint, that is darn cheap. I bet Johnny B. would spend well over a grand at a BMW dealer for the same job.)
Darn Chevy crap. Chintzy Delco AC compressor giving it up after only 307,000 miles. They sure don’t build stuff like they used to. I only got 230,000 miles on Cav’s waterpump and the starter went the same summer. Sheesh! At least they just tacked those things on so I was able to replace them myself without having to bend over and grin at the repair shop. (hint, remarkable durability and repair accessibility)
OK, so I was actually in a pretty good mood. I knew my AC had gone a long, long time with no trouble (only one recharge prior to this deal), and I knew I was getting the job done darn reasonably ($900-$1200 isn’t uncommon with some cars in some places).
But my mood got even better at the shop. Parked next door at the Big A was a drop dead beautiful and soul cleansing 1954 Ford Crestliner convertible, bright shiny red with a spiffy white top. I almost fell over. I spent fifteen minutes just walking around it in a happy daze. It was perfect. I spent another five to ten minutes just looking at the little round tail lights. The chrome set them off like diamonds. The interior was immaculate. What a lovely, lovely car.
My first car was a 1953 Ford Victoria. I loved that car. We had four wonderful years together. (I got it in 1972. I’m not Bill’s age. Yet.) So, early 50’s Fords are one of my sweet spots. But anything from the late ‘40s to the mid-sixties is in my sweet spot. I hate to pick a favorite year, as I love them all, but 1958 is the year I would pick if I could pick no other. I love every single 1958 vehicle built. As I kid, we had a ’58 Ford and a ’58 Chevy pickup. Loved them. A friend of my folks had a black ’58 Chevy and his neighbor had a dark green ’58 DeSoto. My best friend's dad had a ’58 Ford pickup. My uncle Joe had a ’58 Caddy and uncle Tink had a ’58 T-Bird. I even watch the movie, “Christine”, once or twice a year just to see that ’58 Plymouth get restored (I always stop before it gets to the end because I can’t stand to see it get smashed up).
It seems I have been seeing more and more old beauties on the road lately. (hope it doesn’t mean I’m getting ready to croak or anything). And every time I do, a thrill runs through me. And my Gus has caught the bug, which pleases me.
Sometimes, there is a bit of sadness for a bygone era. New cars aren’t the same to me as the old ones were. Things have changed. But there is always change. On the other hand, lilies and roses have never been better. Ever. Mine are blooming now, and they just keep getting better and better. These new Oriental/Trumpet crosses are stupendous and I got a couple new roses out of the Morden (Canada) breeding program, and never, never, have I had such wonderful roses. (the rose is Morden Sunrise and it is the best landscape rose the world has ever seen. IMO.)
But back to cars. God Bless the fellow that restored that ’54 Crestliner. And bless all his fellow car-savers. It brings me great joy whenever I see one of the old ones on the road again. Sometimes, the gods return.
Paul
