The saga that is my Diplomat

[brotherGood]

Yeah, I've got a dead tree in the back, and if I call the power company they'll take it down since it interferes with the lines. Gonna do that once the ground is dry...don't want them tearing up my backyard..lol

 

[brotherGood]

Finally got a glimmer of hope last night. The owner of the shop messaged me that he'd have the car done next week. Gives me a week to find some front tires.

 

[tallhair]

Congrats BG .. I haven't read the whole thread but I"m looking forward to checking out your car and hearing what you wind up doing about the tree

 

[brotherGood]

Forgot to update this.

The Friday of the end of the week when I was supposed to have the car, he started to pull it into the shop and work on it. He double checked with dad on where the parts were, and everything. Then got a call that his son was in a car accident, so he parked the car and went to that. It moved 1 spot closer to the door, and hasn't moved since. Im thinking he's still going to be out of town through this coming weekend..so at this rate, theres no telling if I'll even get to drive it this summer. Im beyond irritated at this point, but what can I do. It was worked out between he and dad, and with Dad possibly tearing his just repaired meniscus again, he's gonna be down for a while longer. I'd do everything myself, but the amount of stuff he's doing and in such little time, it'd be stupid of me to try and tackle that on my own. especially since I don't have to pay him anything.

 

[Monkeyed]

Forgot to update this.

The Friday of the end of the week when I was supposed to have the car, he started to pull it into the shop and work on it. He double checked with dad on where the parts were, and everything. Then got a call that his son was in a car accident, so he parked the car and went to that. It moved 1 spot closer to the door, and hasn't moved since. Im thinking he's still going to be out of town through this coming weekend..so at this rate, theres no telling if I'll even get to drive it this summer. Im beyond irritated at this point, but what can I do. It was worked out between he and dad, and with Dad possibly tearing his just repaired meniscus again, he's gonna be down for a while longer. I'd do everything myself, but the amount of stuff he's doing and in such little time, it'd be stupid of me to try and tackle that on my own. especially since I don't have to pay him anything.

that's a tough call, it sounds like something that's going to need to be poked and prodded a little at a time to make it right, going to require a careful plan of attack. sounds like there are multiple issues with various systems, can't be easy to coordinate. especially since they'll have to tie up a bay during some random downtime. your best bet is just to go along with it, put it in your mind, your mantra, if you will, that "the longer it takes, the better."

 

[brotherGood]

The problem we face, the guy that's doing the work-the owner of the shop, has been in Indiana building a cabin. They're moving there as soon as he's done with it..and he's had to hurry it along because his wife got a job over there. So, He's gotta get his house built, and yet he's gotta finish up stuff here.

We thought we were going to have a second M body, up until Dad reinjured himself this morning. He was committed to buying a Gran Fury, but due to the injury, realized he wouldn't be able to do it.

 

[Jack Meoff]

Only my two cents.....
But if it were me I'd be coming up with plan B.
Sounds to me like this deal is gonna go south

 

[brotherGood]

Dad was gonna run up there, and when he saw an open bay, park the car in front of the door. But now that he messed his knee up again, who knows when something like that would happen.

Dads done so much lawnmower work for him, just getting this done still wouldn't begin to cover it

 

[Jack Meoff]

The only thing that's red flagging me about all this is your dad's the guy who he'll listen to....to a point...and he's out of commission right now. And it sounds like this guy is trying to clean house quickly so he can move.....and somehow I don't think taking his time to do your car right is part of that plan.....that's the way it's sounding to me anyway.

 

[brotherGood]

I've never really said anything because it wasn't my deal. I did however just ask him if he had a clue add to when it could get in, and he said hes coming back Saturday, and will be in the shop for a couple days next week, so he should be able to get it in next week. We'll see though.

Hes not the one who shortcuts, and unless dad has another surgery, he's gonna at least go up and hang out to remind him, I'm sure.

 

[brotherGood]

Well, dad went up early Thursday and stuck the car on the rack to make him work on it. They spent all day working on fixing the leaks. I thought one was an intake leak, but it ended up being a broken thermostat housing bolt. It also had a split fuel line that I didn't know about. They spent a majority of the time drilling that bolt out, but I guess everything is good now. They worked on changing the shocks and fixing the linkage yesterday, and next week will be brakes and getting it tuned right.

 

[brotherGood]

So, the saga continues......

While the dude who is supposed to be doing the work never shows up, dads getting increasingly more and more frustrated. He put it back on the lift yesterday to address the brakes. Spent the day changing rear wheel cylinders and trying to get the brakes to bleed. I went up with him this morning to try and get it to bleed..and we still couldn't get anything to the back. This has been a problem before, that ended in a new(er) proportioning valve. That was about a year and a half ago..I wouldnt think itd be shot again.

Anyone have any ideas?

 

[Jack Meoff]

Sounds like somethings blocked somewhere....

 

[brotherGood]

Yeah..talked to dad and we decided were gonna replace the lines from the valve back. It'll be on the rack, so shouldn't be too bad.

 

[brotherGood]

Had an interesting voicemail left on my phone while I was at work today.

Apparently, the guys at the shop have nothing better to do, so they called me in disguise saying they were asking about the diplomat that was for sale for 200 bucks. After going off on anyone in sight, multiple times, Dad and I set out to just go get it and bring it home. But, when I get there, I find out, the tire that's worn to pieces is flat, and there is a cop and flatbed in front of it (its perpendicular to the gate for the impound). So, the car is still there. But, I've absolutely had it. The car will come home, unfinished, and I'll run the lines on my back, swap Prop. valves, tune it up, fix everything up myself. If I would've known it was going to be this big of a mess, I would've kept it in the garage to begin with. If anything, we could've done the bodywork while waiting on money for the parts to fix it.

 

[Jack Meoff]

You need to find a good local guy who knows the old stuff who isn't a slackass....he can do the overhaul and you can do the other tweaks.
Gotta get her running man.

 

[brotherGood]

This guy was the good local guy. Then, he bought property in Indiana, and decided to just throw everything to the breeze.

Im gonna just learn to do absolutely everything myself. Theres no sense in bouncing to a different shop..when I've got the garage and another DD. If I was still driving this car every day, it'd be different..but that's not the case.

I've got a good jack, good stands, and a good creeper that'll add to the support. Never used one before, but it sure beats shimmying across the floor and having my shirt choke me as it gets caught. I've got a good set of hand tools, an air compressor, and an impact. Just need the specialty tools and Im ready to dive in..lol.

 

[brotherGood]

Car is home. Or how my wife so eloquently put it "the beast is back!!"

Time to get to work

 

[Blackbirdsrt78]

Yes... :whip2:

 

[brotherGood]

Here's how it sits now. I've not gotten a chance to work on it this week, but I'm hoping to Sunday. Gotta rearrange the garage..it hasn't had a car in there since March.