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How was your 4th? — Parallax Forums

How was your 4th?

rjo__rjo__ Posts: 2,114
edited 2019-07-05 04:49 in General Discussion
She wanted a new car... she got it. I got her old car... and the 89 Caravan has been sitting outside my cave since then.

Apparently the 4 flat tires and shrubs growing out of the wheel wells gave someone the idea that the Caravan was "inoperable."
A little yellow tag warned me that if I didn't move the car 300 feet, the city would tow it at my expense.

"They can't do that. I am an American, this is the Fourth of July, and there is nothing wrong with that car."

Got myself a new battery, cleared out the hornet nests and put a gallon of gas in it... she cranked like a charm and ran just about perfect… right before the engine caught fire.
On the bright side... I have a brand-spanking new 12V battery for my next project AND my favorite junk man could not be happier.




Comments

  • Mine went okay.
  • Peter JakackiPeter Jakacki Posts: 10,193
    edited 2019-07-06 01:50
    Hey Rich, yo sad wheelz wuz spotted
    89CARAVAN.jpeg
    and ya hadta turn it over bro, didin ja?
    89CARAVAN1.jpeg
    there wuz more smoke than a room full of happy hippies :)

    My Forth of July I tinkered under the hood of TAQOZ, working on the engine and got it smoking too! :)








    177 x 127 - 12K
  • Cluso99Cluso99 Posts: 18,069
    A week ago I charged the battery on my 88 Supra, cranked it over, pumped up 1 tyre, and moved the vehicle out of my friends garage ready for a swap with her car while she goes on another trip - last one was 12 months to the day. She's been back for 3 mths so she's off again B)
  • rjo__rjo__ Posts: 2,114
    It might have been a wasp's nest in the alternator... but the fire plus the thought of changing out 4 tires in 100% humidity convinced me.

    Peter... You really need to write "Forth for Idiots." It is all very attractive. What stops me is the idea that I would end up with
    a language that only I could speak... and then forget how to say anything:)

    Cluso… if mine were a Supra, I wouldn't have given up.

  • K2K2 Posts: 693
    The other day I looked at some Forth I'd written four years ago, and found it was surprisingly readable. Logical choices of when to make a new word and what to call them seem to have made all the difference.
  • rjo__rjo__ Posts: 2,114
    I still think we need "Tachyon for Idiots." I felt inspired to look again... and there is an amazing amount of info and detail available... but when it came to "how do I load Tachyon onto a P123A9...nothing but a big brick wall.

  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    July 5, I replaced the radiator in the wife's 2008 PT Snoozer. A fool's quest, the radiator is officially unavailable and on "nation backorder", says the dealer, who wanted $350 for the part. I found one online for $60. Pretty straightforward R&R, even found some Youtube vids with excruciating detail. Mid-job I wanted to replace the rubber isolators, which are ALSO unavailable at the dealer. IMO this car is not that old and it's ridiculous that the dealer doesn't have parts. Anyway, she's back on the road. Always feels good to get my hands dirty and end up with a win.
  • erco wrote: »
    Anyway, she's back on the road. Always feels good to get my hands dirty and end up with a win.

    Would be good to hear that about a certain Corvair. :smile:

  • Yeah! The Corvair would not even have the radiator issue!
    Jim
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    RS_Jim wrote: »
    Yeah! The Corvair would not even have the radiator issue!
    Jim

    Nice to hear from both Jims!

    It did occur to me that neither my Corvair or Leaf has a radiator. Antifreeze is for suckers!

    Publison wrote: »
    Would be good to hear that about a certain Corvair. :smile:

    And yes, my valve-adjusting fingers are getting itchy... It's a fact that I don't respond to gentle nudges or positive encouragement. I am only motivated to action through active, constant shaming and calling out. Try something closer to, "You'll NEVER get that out of the garage" and "You need to register that hunkajunk with Group Red!" :)

    http://www.wittelaw.com/personal/groupred/
  • Erco, install the radiator and do a figure eight!😋
  • GenetixGenetix Posts: 1,754
    edited 2019-07-21 23:48
    Erco,

    My golden rule is to avoid anything that's made by Chrysler because only the outside look is good.

    At least you don't have to worry about smogging your Corvair because of it's age.
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    Genetix wrote: »
    At least you don't have to worry about smogging your Corvair because of it's age.

    My new worries are more about ME, all the getting up and down and creeping around under the car to work on it, because of MY age! :)
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