Well, I just continued driving her as long as I could... hoping to delay the inevitable until spring... last week I was driving home and I was only about a 1/2 mile from home driving about 55mph and without hitting any bumps or anything - I felt a "shift"... then she started the violent shaking again. I slowed down (as this usually corrects the problem) and it didn't stop shaking until I was alomost stopped... I thought that was wierd because she would usually quit shaking if I just let off the gas and let her coast down in speed by about 10mph or so. So going from 55 to 15mph to get it to stop.... well, it worried me. But, it stopped, so I continued on.
Once I hit 25mph.... the shake came back so I slowed down to 15mph again to make it stop.... then again, I attempted to speed up again with the same result. My next thought was... hey, maybe I need to get her going fast again and it'll maybe correct itself for now. So I attempted to hit 55 again and couldn't get over 35mph without getting such a violent shake that I seriously feared for my life and my wagon.
I cannot get her to drive faster than 25mph. The front end is toast.
Shelly's Jeep's front end is tweaked as well... it needs new lowe control arm brackets welded in. So we're down to a half a vehicle. We have a running Escort, but it needs tires... they are dangerously bald. The Jeep has a bad tire as well. It had a bad stem and it was flat and it was driven on for about a mile which tore up the side walls... fixed the stem, but that tire is done for. It's just a matter of time before it explodes.
So we're down to one vehicle that could go "poof" at any time. And did I mention that the Jeep has very high miles on it for the year? It has been "totaled" twice and repaired, it's leaking tranny fluid around the bell housing, leaking oil from the valve cover and the oil pan, the brakes have issues... feels like rotors need turned or replaced - no telling at this point. So yes, issues.
The Eagle will sit until spring... I don't turn wrenches in the cold anymore. Just not doing it. I've patiently waited all year for the cement to be laid in my barn so I could install the heater and have room to work, but it hasn't happened yet because everyone I counted on for help left me high and dry... and further in debt. I'm not bringing the Eagle into my smaller garage because I have 3k in band equipment set up out there along with stage and bar. A car sitting in there really cramps it up. Not fun working on the car in the cramped space... and everyone in the band complains because car parts end up getting strung all over the place... not to mention the garage door being open allows our stupid cats to get in there and treat the drum carpet as a litter box.
Yes, I'm whining. Sorry. Everyone has the right to whine a little bit once in awhile, right?
Lot's of work to do and not enough time, funds, or hands to do it.
Anyone wanna drive out and fix up that front end for me in return for parts or some paint work when it warms up? Just a thought!
Otherwise, don't be looking for any updates on the wagon until Spring. I just dropped the insurance on it as well.
On top of the Wagon needing a front end rebuild (everything!!) and a paint job... the dash still isn't finished (custom fiberglass work and 7" dvd touch screen) - the dvd/cd player is in, but it's not pretty. It's just "installed". The wagon also needs the rest of the upper trim installed on the inside, it needs a headliner installed, the holes from the roof rack need welded shut, the fog lights quit working for no reason again, the windshield needs replaced, all the door gaskets need replaced... lots of cold air seeps in driving down the road - also very loud and annoying and finally, the passenger side front door needs new hinges/latch... it simply won't shut all the way without slamming it VERY hard and even then you can still hear it clanging everytime you hit a bump. Omg it drives me nuts!
To top it all off... at some point in a two day period from when Kirsten, Jason and Rachel left... and when my mom came into town - someone wrecked the wagon and did not tell me. Either someone hit something or someone backed into it. The front fender has a huge crease in it and the side marker was destroyed. No telling who did it, how they did it, and why they didn't tell me... but it happened. I never let ANYone drive my Eagle and for two days I allowed a couple people access to it and it got wrecked and now it looks like $hit.
I could go on with the whining all night... but I won't. I'm done.
Sorry! Just very irritated with all of it right now.
Topic: Mav's Lifted 1985 Eagle Wagon Limited/Sport Stroker - Picture Heavy! - 04/09/10 (Read 119599 times)