Who Works on Your Vette?

fine69 · 10-26-07, 12:24 PM

I worked on my electrical system all last winter. After "repairing" all the damaged wires, installing the new interior items, and getting everything buttoned back up, I kept blowing fuses. Last week, I finally decided to take my car to a specialty shop. I got my car back today - everything works!

It took the shop about 5 hours - but they found the shorted wires, and also checked the integrity of other things such as the wiper motor, alternator, and headlight system.

Talk about humbling! I spent all winter messing with this stuff. I could have saved a lot of time and frustration by having the "experts" look at it!

I'm wondering how many of you do your own "wrenching"....

Ralph

Vette79 · 10-26-07, 02:40 PM

Hi Ralph. Glad you got her all fixed up. I attempt to do a lot of the work myself but when it comes to the big stuff like re-wiring the interior or rebuilding the motor I let the expert handle it. Especially when I don't have the time. Of course money is always a factor. I want to learn but I also want to drive it as soon as possible. I love my Vette and I get very impatient when I can't drive it.

minifridge1138 · 10-26-07, 02:53 PM

I do everything except:
Fiberglass & body work.
Tire mounting and balancing.

What's the fun in letting someone else do all the work?
(although I can see doing most of it, and then letting a "pro" get something you may have missed) It was probably cheaper to let them find and fix a short, than it would have been to let them re-wire you whole car.

Good Luck!

fine69 · 10-26-07, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vette79

Hi Ralph. Glad you got her all fixed up. I attempt to do a lot of the work myself but when it comes to the big stuff like re-wiring the interior or rebuilding the motor I let the expert handle it. Especially when I don't have the time. Of course money is always a factor. I want to learn but I also want to drive it as soon as possible. I love my Vette and I get very impatient when I can't drive it.

Thanks Jeff,

Yeah, I also get impatient and it pretty much sux not to have access to your car... either when working on it --- or if it's in the shop.

I can be such a knuckle-head, and refuse to take the car into a shop.

Ralph

DarkShark · 10-26-07, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fine69

...I'm wondering how many of you do your own "wrenching"....

I do everything but transmission rebuilds. I subcontract out for those...

big2bird · 10-26-07, 11:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkShark

I do everything but transmission rebuilds. I subcontract out for those...

Yep. Same here.

bill81vette · 10-27-07, 06:36 AM

I'll do anything but body work...and tranny's
I have a buddy up the road that does those!!!

gmjunkie · 10-27-07, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bill81vette

I'll do anything but body work...and tranny's
I have a buddy up the road that does those!!!

I do it all here,except 4+3's!!!

Dr. Junk
V.D.P.S. No BS!!!

I have "HrtBeat1" on the Operating table Now!!

DarkShark · 10-27-07, 08:48 AM

Quote:

Must have been some cup of coffee, Junk!

Seriously- every time I see Medusa I'm impressed!

vett boy · 10-27-07, 12:01 PM

Ya ,seein how the car was brand new when he got it.

bill81vette · 10-27-07, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkShark

Must have been some cup of coffee, Junk!

Seriously- every time I see Medusa I'm impressed!

it was probably 'irish' coffee

that pic of medusa can scare the sheet out of anyboby!!!!!!!!!!

grumpyvette · 10-27-07, 12:43 PM

now I got asked,
"what do you do, who do you call when your about to tackle a job youve never done before?"
now most guys sub out jobs to the dealer or a corvette shop when they get into areas they may not be familiar with,but I do ALL the work on my corvettes for TWO good reasons, first I could NEVER afford the shop rates and I can NEVER trust the quality of work many shops do, now ILL be the VERY FIRST GUY IN LINE to ADMIT Im in WAY over my head at times! but Ive always been able to research the processes, tools, and skills and do the work, or find someone too teach me the skills eventually, youll NEVER learn new stuff if your not willing to tackle new projects and get in way over your current skill level....besides it USUALLY requires buying LOTS OF new tools and meeting new friends so you can,t hardly lose!

Red Vette · 10-29-07, 04:15 PM

After looking at Junks' pics, I think I will subcontract out most of the work. Even with the FSM, I doubt I could do anything near what Junk does and get it right. But I hope I never find myself with major repairs. Besides, at my advanced age, I don't like laying on a creeper doing work in a confined space.

BarryK · 10-29-07, 06:26 PM

I used to always take trhe car into a shop for EVERYTHING including simple oil changes but after realizing that most shops have NO IDEA how to work on older cars without computers, not to mention I can't afford to pay a shop to constantly make repairs on both Vettes, I now do everything myself except paint and bodywork.
I have no prior expereince doing the work so I learn each job as I go along.
I started with simple spark plug change and setting the timing to redoing the entire engine bay and most of the interior in the '65 than I got the '78 and pulled my first motor.....
Now I'm doing a complete frame replacement for a fellow club member's '80 along with a couple of the other members.

On the '65 I need to get the tranny rebuilt and replace the clutch and throw-out bearing this winter and since i can't afford to pay someone else to do it for me once again I'll have to learn how to do it all myself. I don't think the clutch and TO replacement will be TOO bad but the tranny rebuild should get interesting to say the least.....

fine69 · 10-29-07, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BarryK

"... On the '65 I need to get the tranny rebuilt and replace the clutch and throw-out bearing this winter and since i can't afford to pay someone else to do it for me once again I'll have to learn how to do it all myself. I don't think the clutch and TO replacement will be TOO bad but the tranny rebuild should get interesting to say the least..."

Hi Barry,

I have videotape on how to rebuild Muncie's. If you're interested, I can convert it to DVD and burn you a copy.

It's a pretty comprehensive instructional on how to do the overhaul. Of course, I wussed-out and ended having it rebuilt at my friend's tranny shop.

Ralph