August 08'-09' Build Off: 86 Monte Carlo

[bondo]

just about the only way to get the torx bolt out if it's stripped is to weld a bolt to it and torch the threads since there installed at 30ft. pounds.

and no, you can't drive an untagged car ANYWHERE.
it doesnt matter if your testing the new brakes you just put on it.
an unliscensed car CAN NOT leave your driveway unless under tow.
they make gas cans and air tanks for a reason.

and no, you can't just pop the trim off the back window and squirt something in there.
if there's water in there then there's rust.
if there's rust then the hole is only going to get bigger.
this is the kinda stuff i'm talking about man.
with the help of a freind,a piano/guitar string,a days worth of work,leftover ospho from the floor pans and a $15 tube of butyl you could have it done right and probably never have to worry about it again.

edit to relpy to his edit....
if you're broke then stop everything that your doing,get it roadworthy,get it tagged,get a job and start saving.
all your doing now is making things worse and wasting time.

Originally Posted by snowboi1289

Edit: What, bondo, I already put the wiper motors back in. It was way before I started on the interior. And about the screws, I have them in bags with a letter, or just where they go. Fuc* it man, I'm just going to walk up to the bank, and get some money. I'm going to do a temp. job, and then when I get all that money from the Maxima payments, I'll go ahead and get new floor pans. I dont have $100. now, and if I did, I wouldnt spend it all on the floor pans which arent too bad, I mean theres holes, I just gotta watch out for large puddles. I'm going to put something over it so it wont get wet inside, but the floor pans will be removed once I have enough money and somebody to weld everything (or I can have a stroke of luck and find a good cheap welder, or even barrow one).

Edit, again: Sorry, just read the top part of your post, its going to be both, resto/daily driver. Theres no problem driving while its getting restored. I'm not going to do stuff like I did in the Maxima, take it off roading go out on long trips, just drive around for no reason, do modifications that make it look extremely ricey, ect. (I cant go on for hours, but I'll stop).

that's the thing man, it can't really be a resto AND a daily.
there's too much stuff that needs to be done to that car and most of it is going to take a week or more at a time, AND MONEY.
if you need a driver then fix little cheap stuff that NEEDS it and start saving.

[AJB32690]

Originally Posted by bondo

if you're broke then stop everything that your doing,get it roadworthy,get it tagged,get a job and start saving.
all your doing now is making things worse and wasting time.

Agreed.

I would listen to Bondo if I were you. You aren't going to be able to make this a show car on a limited budget. Just fix what needs to be fixed in order for it to be a reliable driver, get it registered and insured and then get a job and save up. Then when you have the money, fix it the right way, instead of using "instant magical cure-all elixirs."

[snowboi1289]

It is considered a resto job, because right now its not drivable or reliable. I need to be 100% sure there will not be anymore water coming in the car, so no more large rust parts, although the chances of rust building up near the rear seats will be almost impossible, because the seats will soak up the water and start to stink. I didnt mean the rear window, I ment both side rear windows, I've got to send some stuff from ebay and see all what I have left, but chances are I have to get some more money.

I walked for more than 5 hours yesterday, just to get some money from the bank, from a friends house and to get the rust crap and the rubberized paint for the underbody. I know what your saying exactly bondo, I understand, I'm not stupid, just going to leave it the way it is and hope it doesnt get worse because I know it will. I would have to say prolly in June or sooner I'll have enough money to get new floor pans, core support, and most of the other stuff I need. I'm going to end up removing the Edlebrock carb/intake, because it takes too much gas. I've tunned it, messed with it, and it still doesnt just start up in the morning like it should, I have to hit the gas a couple times to get it to fire properly, still doesnt really matter though.

I will be glad when I finally get this thing registered. I'm not sure if I already said it, but the cops here (whihc are mostly as*es all the time, will let me go to the gas, but not like every day or every week, I havent had to get gas yet, I got some already. Basicly, I have to call a cop before I go).

I'm 100% sure I will be going to car shows even if the condition isnt that great.

[texan_idiot25]

If you have no tools to cut and no skills to weld, why are you buying a floor pan? That rust is very minimal and would only need patch panels. As minor as cutting a square out, cutting a square of new metal, and welding it in.

Stop driving it with out tags, and insurance. I would hope you learned that lesson the last time.

You need to take a step back, and make a check list of what needs to be done. It's called the punch list. Your going many different directions. Yes there is a problem with restoring a daily driver, it won't be a reliable thing to restore. Putting your work against the clock makes you rush which makes your quality of work go down. Your definition of Restoration must be very off if you think it can be a daily driver. Many "resto" projects like rust repair, and mechanical work can, and probably will take more than a weekend.

Just take your time and don't cut corners. Because, being in that car's next buyer's position, it is a pain in the *** to cover for the last guy's rigging crap.

There is no rush if the car isn't legal. The Chevy took 2 years, and it was worth waiting that 2 years to get everything done right.

I've tunned it, messed with it, and it still doesnt just start up in the morning like it should, I have to hit the gas a couple times to get it to fire properly, still doesnt really matter though.

Welcome to owning a carburetted car, that's normal. The engine has to be rich to start. As far as tuning, you and the guy before are probably doing it wrong. Best go look up a book on the carb and really read into it. half the time it's not he carb that's junk, it's the person miss-tuning it.

[snowboi1289]

I never said that I was driving without tags, I havent even drove it that much, moving it in the yard is bascily where its been, and on the side of the house where it will sit for awhile. I drove the Maxima arounnd without any tags, no trouble, but I'm sure I learned not to drive without insurance. My mom will take care of the insurance as soon as its completely registered and drivable.

Just tunned it a bit more, but still it still needs new plugs, and a good oil change, heres a small video of it running:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7-2gcMavr0

I dont remember if I mentioned this, but it has no cats, or mufflers, just headers and pipes. I can start it up now, but my neighbors will call the cops, again (they said there kids are sleeping, so no go on the runnning past 11:00).

[2jack3jack]

Also its a muscle car so if your getting 20mpg your doing good. On my camaro I'm getting like 17

[snowboi1289]

I seriously doubt I get 20mpg, I dont think I'm even getting 17mpg. I havent drove it that long to find out yet.

[supraboi97]

Originally Posted by snowboi1289

I seriously doubt I get 20mpg, I dont think I'm even getting 17mpg. I havent drove it that long to find out yet.

I wouldn't be suprized if it actually did. For some reason I get around 17mpg which is odd because thats exactly what my moms v6 gets.

[snowboi1289]

It can be a show car, but its going to be a daily driver car. I mean I will take it to car shows and all, its just it might not be winning anything, I'm just going to show it off.

[AJB32690]

Why is it that people refuse to listen to reason?

Everything that Bondo, Texan and I have said rings true.

Please, for the sake of this box, listen to us.

Case in point: My friend has a 1974 VW Sunbug that I helped him "restore." He decided he didn't want to fully restore it as he didn't have the money, so the money he did have he put into just getting it driving. (We did replace the floorpans, but that doesn't count because they were so rusted you could put your foot through them if you werent careful.) All we did was get the engine running, brakes, change transmission fluid, new tires, and a few small things. Now hes got a half-paint, half-primer car, that has rust spots in several places on the body, obvious fiber-glass patches, a bare interior, and it only runs about two months before it breaks down again. He has had this car for eight years, and its been on the road for two. Its not like this was his only car, he did have a slowbird just like Texans, but he sold it to get money for the Bug. He has also had four motorcycles since the purchase of the Bug.

Please listen to us, don't end up like my friend.

Do this the right way.

[snowboi1289]

The floor pans are not the bad, I'm pretty sure a couple holes in the floor wont be a problem, because I dont plan on driving in the rain, so I'm not worried about it. I looked under the car, and the floor pans are worse than all my friends ever thought.

I truely dont care what you all say, they are true, sometimes, but remember its my car, and I'm just asking for opinions, infact I didnt even ask for opinions, I didnt ask for anything. I would rather just post, and everybody look, and once I'm done, comment then people just telling me stuff that I most likely already know. The floor pans will not effect the driving at all, I've patched them up so it wont be like every time I go through a puddle the carpet will be wet.

[texan_idiot25]

If you don't want people's opinions... then... don't post in a public forum....

Or if you want to keep it boring, we can lock it, and only open it for you to post..

[snowboi1289]

Ok, thats fine with me.

[kendallcschm]

bad a** .. this thing is gonna be awesome.. and its way less ricey than the maxima

[texan_idiot25]

Currently locked by user's request..

[bondo]

i've opened this back up because i feel it is important that you learn to listen to people that are trying to help you.
you can get as defensive as you want but i'm going to let people pick on you and your actions until we finally beat it into your head that you have little idea about what your doing.
case in point,you somehow managed to ruin your suspension on the maxima while changing trans fluid.
you dive headfirst into gutting the car even though you have no money to fix/replace the stuff that needs it.(more work for nothing gained)

like i said in the other thread.
the P/O of my z28 was like you.
he dove headfirst into it and now i have to pay(both time and money)to fix his jurry riggins.
when i towed it home i had more parts off the car then on it and alot of stuff was missing or broke because he didnt know what he was doing when he took them off.
perfectly good car gone to **** and i have to pay out the *** just to get it back to stock.
if anyone has been wondering why it's taking me so long to resto an 85',well,there's your answer.
it makes me feel a bit better to know that kid is now a man and doing prison time for unrelated instances of *******edness.

please sno,take what we say to heart,chew it over and hopefully you'll learn something about cars and mostlikely about yourself.
quit getting so ****y when someone tells you your wrong.
it's a safe bet to say that the people that are telling you you're wrong have already been there or know someone who has.


@the rest of you guys,
please keep the offensives to a minimum.

[snowboi1289]

I d what I do. I've got very little money now because I still have to save up for a apartment or another place to live ( I've got to get my own place), I'm sure after that is finished, the Monte Carlo will be partly done. I dont like to finish things fast, because theres no fun in it, you finish everything one day what will you have to look back on (?) 1 day you did alot of work, instead of alot of work and maybe even some fun times while you work.

I've read everything, even though I didnt want to. I've taken everything into consideration, everything, even getting a guy to do all the work for me, but still thats no fun and I would have any more experience with my car. I would rather work on the car the hole year, while driving it, then having no car to drive and work on it when I can, what I'm trying to say is, its a daily driver, and I do all the work on it. Right now, I got $40. from cleaning a trailer, so I'm going to change the oil, plugs, and grease the speedo cable.

Ohhh, guess what, when I was letting my friend look at my car (yes I said letting him), I almost took a sip of my soda, when I seen there was bugs all in it, it looked like it was ants and nats, I dont know how ants can get into the car after I cleaned it. I just had put the soda in the car not even 5 minutes, and already stupid bugs all over it.

[ling427ttvette]

Dude, listen to your own words.. you are already broke, and you want to take on fixing an old broken down car?

You should have kept the Maxima. It already ran, didn't need work.. this one you are having to do a lot of crap to just to make it DECENT to drive.

And I don't care what you say, you are NOT doing a full resto on a car that you are daily driving. It's NOT POSSIBLE. A full resto requires a TON of work that can not be done on a daily driven car. And 2jack or whoever call this a muscle car, V8 and RWD does NOT mean muscle car. if that were the case Caprice station wagons and Crown Vics would be muscle cars.

Snowboi, have you ever noticed how you manage to come up with some BS excuse everytime someone tells you to do it the right way? You always have some kind of re-buttle that makes everything seem ok in your head. And if we don't agree then we are stupid.

Texan has done more to his truck that you could dream of, I've accomplished quite a bit in my time of being a mechanic and also working on my Camaro. And bondo has MANY years of body experience and has a resto project going himself.

That's three people right there with real experience, and yet you aren't listening to a single one of us. You are the most thick headed person I know. Let your guard down and LISTEN TO US.

[bondo]

Originally Posted by snowboi1289

I d what I do. I've got very little money now because I still have to save up for a apartment or another place to live ( I've got to get my own place), I'm sure after that is finished, the Monte Carlo will be partly done.
like i said before. stop ripping into the car and fix the piddly things that it needs to be legal/driveable.
SAVE YOUR MONEY because there's going to be ALOT of stuff that you can't fix and it's going to take some cash to replace.
again,ripping the seats and carpet out is a pointless step if you have no money.


I dont like to finish things fast, because theres no fun in it, you finish everything one day what will you have to look back on (?) 1 day you did alot of work, instead of alot of work and maybe even some fun times while you work.
believe me, with the shape that that car is in, even if you had a proper budget it would still take atleast a year to be show worthy.
there is nothing "fast" about a resto and it's going to take even longer if your walking backwards.

I've read everything, even though I didnt want to. I've taken everything into consideration, everything, even getting a guy to do all the work for me, but still thats no fun and I would have any more experience with my car. I would rather work on the car the hole year, while driving it, then having no car to drive and work on it when I can, what I'm trying to say is, its a daily driver, and I do all the work on it.

no one ever said to let someone else do the work.
what we're trying to pound into your thick head is that you should ask for advice before jumping into the deep end without your water wings.

Right now, I got $40. from cleaning a trailer, so I'm going to change the oil, plugs, and grease the speedo cable.
the plugs and fluids should heve been the VERY first thing you changed when you bought the car.
wiper motors and floorboards dont mean **** unless the car runs....
yet another uneducated mistake..
i don't care if i just bought a car from chip foose, imma swap all fluids and change the plugs simply for piece of mind.

do yourself a favor and nix greasing the speedo cable.
cough up the $12 for a replacement and you won't have to worry about it again.


Ohhh, guess what, when I was letting my friend look at my car (yes I said letting him), I almost took a sip of my soda, when I seen there was bugs all in it, it looked like it was ants and nats, I dont know how ants can get into the car after I cleaned it. I just had put the soda in the car not even 5 minutes, and already stupid bugs all over it.

you're probably parked on an ant bed.......

sorry for picking that one apart but that's about the only way i could do it without completely confusing myself....

[kendallcschm]

... if you don't have the money don't start the project... why do you all think you haven't heard any progress on my 1965 mustang xmod project.. i don't have the money and im not doing it half way and leaving my self with a broken RC or one that can't drive.. i learned this lesson the har way.. i dove head first into modifying my computer and bought mother board specific items... well.. my mother board is craping out from age... if i had saved my money then i would have a new mother board, memory, and really fast processor.. but now im stuck with crap.. i agree with everyone else.. save your money and fix your other problems before starting on the car