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A great day in the shop

Started by Gene Beaird, August 21, 2016, 07:12:52 PM

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Gene Beaird

As Jon S. has stated, the weather has been oppressive, even down here in southeast Texas.  It's either 100-deg-F and 100% humidity, or we're bracing to evacuate because of torrential rains.  Well, today, we had a little break in the temps, even if it was because of the rain.  The rains, though, were the dash and go type, so I could get out to the shop to do a little work. 

I made good progress on some small things I needed to get done.  One of them, was to work on our 68 Calais, to try to see if I could fix an issue the car has had, and has bothered me, since about 1985, or so.  It was on a November day back then when a neighbor's kid, learning to drive, panicked and matted the accelerator on their Ford Futura wagon, instead of the brake.  She narrowly-missed a telephone pole and support to a carport, and pretty much center-punched the garage door my grandparent's Calais was parked behind.  The accident totaled the Ford,  :o and ended up bending the rear bumper (among other, minor things) on the Calais up so that is just contacted the lower lip of the trunk lid.  Because of the interference from the bumper, it usually takes a couple of attempts to close the trunk lid. 

Figuring (hoping) that the rear bumper was just sprung, I thought it would maybe spring back if I loosened the inner four bolts that attach the bumper to the body.  With the help of my wife, and a torsion bar from a 1970 Plymouth station wagon as a prybar (wonderful tools, torsion bars make!), we loosened the bolts and pushed the center of the bumper down, re-tightening the bolts.  We were able to push it down just enough to allow me to slide a piece of paper between the bumper and trunk lid.  Closing the trunk lid is now an almost push-it-to-latch affair. 

It's still pretty close, and wasn't 'sprung' as I first hoped, but we now have some clearance.  My wife thought we could try the process again in a couple of months to see if we can get a little more separation between the bumper and trunk lid.  I mean, the bumper has been there as-is for about 30 years now! 

I was still soaking wet when I got back to the house, but that was mostly because of the humidity, instead of the heat AND humidity.  All-in-all, a good day.   ;D
Gene Beaird,
1968 Calais
1979 Seville
Pearland, Texas
CLC Member No. 29873

Jeff Wilk

"Impossible Only Describes The Degree Of Difficulty" 

Southern New Jersey

1959 Cadillac Fleetwood Sixty Special
1975 Eldorado Convertible (#12 made)
1933 Phaeton Chevrolet - "Baby Cadillac"
1933 Master Sedan Chevrolet - "Baby Cadillac"

SOLD
1976 Cadillac Mirage (factory authorized Pick-Up)
1958 Cadillac Sixty-Special
1958 Cadillac Sixty-Special
1958 Cadillac Sedan
1958 Cadillac Coupe Deville

chrisntam

Good to hear of your success!  Sounds like it's headed the right direction!

Humid in Dallas too, been putting off working on my car, I'm tired from working all week, rest on Sat & Sun morning and by the time I feel like doing anything, it's too hot/humid.

I'll get to it, eventually.

chris.

Hey everyone, put your (general) location in your sig line (like Gene) or up by your name (like me) so we know (about) where you are.  It takes the guessing of geographic location to a minimum....
1970 Deville Convertible 
Dallas, Texas

Bobby B

Quote from: chrisntam on August 21, 2016, 09:13:17 PM
Hey everyone, put your (general) location in your sig line (like Gene) or up by your name (like me) so we know (about) where you are.  It takes the guessing of geographic location to a minimum....

Chris,
  Great idea. Just updated mine....
                                        Bobby
1947 Cadillac Series 62 Convertible Coupe
1968 Mustang Convertible
1973 Mustang Convertible
1969 Jaguar E-Type Roadster
1971 Datsun 240Z
1979 H-D FLH

Glen

Quote from: chrisntam on August 21, 2016, 09:13:17 PM
Hey everyone, put your (general) location in your sig line (like Gene) or up by your name (like me) so we know (about) where you are.  It takes the guessing of geographic location to a minimum....

The problem with that is when some people learn where I live they suddenly become my best buddy and want to come spend a week or two with me.   
Glen Houlton CLC #727 
CLCMRC benefactor #104

Gene Beaird

Quote from: chrisntam on August 21, 2016, 09:13:17 PM
Good to hear of your success!  Sounds like it's headed the right direction!

Humid in Dallas too, been putting off working on my car, I'm tired from working all week, rest on Sat & Sun morning and by the time I feel like doing anything, it's too hot/humid.

I'll get to it, eventually.

chris.

Hey everyone, put your (general) location in your sig line (like Gene) or up by your name (like me) so we know (about) where you are.  It takes the guessing of geographic location to a minimum....

That's exactly the way it's been here, too!!  That's why I took advantage of the relatively-cooler weather.  I've been feeling guilty about not getting out to the shop more often this summer, but man, it's hot!!  So many projects, so much heat!!  I keep thinking 'I'll do that when it gets cooler', but I know we have two seasons here, hurricane and winter-day.  We don't get much between. 

Gene Beaird,
1968 Calais
1979 Seville
Pearland, Texas
CLC Member No. 29873

chrisntam

Quote from: Glen on August 22, 2016, 02:22:09 AM
The problem with that is when some people learn where I live they suddenly become my best buddy and want to come spend a week or two with me.

Then be vague about your location.  Northeast?  Mid-south?  Canada?

Have you had your fear come to fruition?
1970 Deville Convertible 
Dallas, Texas

Bobby B

Quote from: Glen on August 22, 2016, 02:22:09 AM
The problem with that is when some people learn where I live they suddenly become my best buddy and want to come spend a week or two with me.   

Quote from: chrisntam on August 22, 2016, 09:41:55 PM
Then be vague about your location.  Northeast?  Mid-south?  Canada?

Have you had your fear come to fruition?

I could see if it was the in-laws or family....... ;D
                                                        Bobby
1947 Cadillac Series 62 Convertible Coupe
1968 Mustang Convertible
1973 Mustang Convertible
1969 Jaguar E-Type Roadster
1971 Datsun 240Z
1979 H-D FLH

bcroe

Its a great day in the shop when the work is done way sooner than I anticipated,
a bunch of parts that have been taking up space get used up, there is no mess
left to clean up, and the project performs very well. 

Last time for that was building a stainless exhaust for the 79 Eldo. 

Bruce Roe

Glen

Quote from: chrisntam on August 22, 2016, 09:41:55 PM
Then be vague about your location.  Northeast?  Mid-south?  Canada?

Have you had your fear come to fruition?

It might still give it away if I said West of West. 

Yes, or at least they tried.  Amazing how mad they get when I say no.     
Glen Houlton CLC #727 
CLCMRC benefactor #104

Gene Beaird

Quote from: bcroe on August 22, 2016, 11:56:29 PM
Its a great day in the shop when the work is done way sooner than I anticipated,
a bunch of parts that have been taking up space get used up, there is no mess
left to clean up, and the project performs very well. 

Last time for that was building a stainless exhaust for the 79 Eldo. 

Bruce Roe

A new exhaust is high on the list on our Calais, too.  The head pipe has some rust holes.  I need to do the motor mounts first, it was discovered at least one was bad when they R&R the transmission.  The transmission mount was toast, too, which I figured it would. 
Gene Beaird,
1968 Calais
1979 Seville
Pearland, Texas
CLC Member No. 29873