Interesting car stories

[pflaming]

A new car dealer friend had a customer who wanted a dependable car for not much money. Harold had one that qualified but the reverse did not work. The buyer bought the car. Three years later the same buyer came in with the same question. Harold asked what he did with the first car, to which he replied, that was a good car, drove it to the east coast and back. He said he never fixed the tyranny, no need, just be careful where you park!! "Different strokes for different folks".

[austinsailor]

I bought a New Plymouth Baracudda in 65, 273 high performance 4 speed. I liked the car, but there were many thing about it thàt were junk, including anything to do with the clutch. I'd had it about a year and the arm that holds the throw out bearing bent and cracked. Linkage fell apart and there was no clutch. If it was in gear, it was going.

I drove it daily for about 2 weeks until they found parts. Kick it out of gear if you're going to stop, pug it in gear and hit the starter if you want to go. Couldn't do that today with all the safety interlocks, but it worked just fine. Even won a few races.

[soth122003]

I used to have a 1965 dodge 1/2 ton that I paid $125 for. It was in good shape and over the course of 10-12 years I rebuilt the clutch slave cylinder a few times. I put over 100,000 miles on that truck, and one time the clutch return spring bracket broke. I took one of the hood springs off and finangled it in there and used it for over a year. It worked great except for one small problem. My left leg was like Arnold Swartzenhagers and my right was like Mr, Puniverse. Sold the truck for $100 12 years later.

 

Joe

[Ulu]

Lotta clutch tales...

 

I had to do the "trooper start" business with my old VW fastback. The hook on the clutch pedal assy that pulls the cable was worn and just broke off. Not the first or last time for the trooper trick. I somehow made it across Fresno (at night) and at least 24 intersections were involved.

 

I remember telling my dad that I blew the clutch in his pickup, and it wasn't until I got it all apart that I found I had actually broken a rear axle shaft. The power-loc differential was actually able to get the truck home with one axle but it felt like a badly slipping clutch in motion.

 

The hydraulic clutch on our Scouts used brake fluid, same as the brakes. Damn clutch slave cylinders kept leaking so I put jack fluid in the clutch. It never leaked after that.

 

Why the clutch always leaked & the brakes never did I can't fathom. (BTW, Don't ever put jack fluid in your brakes unless it's an emergency. It'll make seeping brakes stop leaking, but it boils too easily when hot. Also it may eat up the seals eventually.)

[JerseyHarold]

In the  late seventies my co-worker's brother told me he had a '71 Pinto that needed an engine and transmission (according to the local gas station).  I could have it for the same $25.00 that the junk yard would give him.  I bought it and drove it home.  It ran terribly and didn't shift well.   Turns out it was a broken 3" piece of vacuum hose that was on the line to the transmission modulator.   I replaced the hose, used the car for a couple of years, and sold it for $600.00.  I ran a lot of red lights with that Pinto because I didn't want to get hit in the rear! 

[_shel_ny]

Late 1979 I bought a 72-73 Ford LTD, cheap. $200-300, don't remember. It had a crunched right front fender. I was able to remove one that was the same color at a junk yard. It had a small dent, but with it being the same color, I went ahead and swapped it out. The car used oil, and had a miss.  Turned out that the owner had loaned it to a family with 6 or so kids. They were going someplace and their regular vehicles weren't big enough for all to fit. While they were using the car there was some sort of problem. I believe it was raining, and the car didn't run well. Garage/gas station, or some place replaced the distributor cap. When the cap was replaced, the wires were put on wrong and bent some push rods. When I put the wires where they belonged, and replaced the push rods (I think it was like 4 of them) it ran great. Still used oil, but ran great. The oil was the down fall. One dark night I was exceeding the speed limit by several MPH when the engine quit. Apparently the oil was a bit low, and at the rate the engine was pumping the oil, I believe it cavitated, and lost oil pressure. I was at the top of a hill.  Somewhat pronounced descent of about 235', then along a somewhat flat area with a gradual rise of about 70' to a level roadway, and continued coasting along until I pulled to the side to park. The stopping point was over a mile (EDIT: according to google maps, seems like it was closer to 2 miles) from where the dash lights came on. Got it towed, and ended up selling it to a guy that wanted the transmission. It was a nice riding car. Went back to driving my '73 B-100 van with a /6. Traded the van to a guy for some ceiling drywall work along in the 1990's.   He was going to rear out all the custom interior work, and haul his motorcycle in it.

Edited March 15, 2015 by shel_ny

[pflaming]

When we lived in Omaha, I was high school debate coach. Early One Saturday morning we had a 6" +\- snow fall and I was earlier than the plows so driving in a blanket of snow. Half way up a long grade was a car which did not have the momentum to make the crest and I knew we would both be stalled when he stalled, so I carefully pulled up to him and when our bumpers touched I carefully applied power. Together we had the traction and made it over the top. We waved to each other and went our ways, we never met. Sometimes you got to do what you got to do.