OT ARRRRGGG, The money pit strikes again.

[Buffboy]

*Rant ON*: About a year and a half ago I bought a 1985 S10 blazer, gas prices were going through the roof and I figured a 4x4 with a V6 for $500 would be a good deal. Week later the motor blew up, big time. No problem, a friend has one out of a pickup that should bolt right in. I tore it down and found that there was no way it was gonna run very long, I'll just rebuild it. One problem led to another, I got to go to school for 3 months, anyway, in June I got it running again. $2500 worth of parts and labor(not including mine). Not happy about how much I got in it, but because of the weber carb and the removal of all other computer controls, it's doing 17mpg average(as compared to 8 with my old Dodge short box)with surprising power for a 2.8V6. Today, we head to town for cat food, jerky spices, borrow a meat grinder, the wife wanting out of the house on her B-day, and going up a hill it acts like it jumped out of gear(5th). Happy birthday, no 5th, no more, no warning, no noise, no nothing, just an extra neutral. This thing has less than 5k miles on a NEW transmission by the old owner. Drove it home as a 4 speed with no grinds or other noises but with the 4.11s it's wound up for the highway. Got the car and continued our plan.

The good news is: I found a non-running (he says it needs a fuel pump, that I have, his parents want it out of their yard, now!!!!) pretty ratty 83 Jimmy with a(supposedly good) 5 speed for $100. The bad news is: I got to trailer it home, I got to take out 2 transmissions and reinstall. I used to like to work on cars, this thing has changed that. I've never worked on anything that was so hard to get at. It's like it was put together by 8 year olds because those are the only hands that would fit in some of those places and it's like that everywhere. Ok *sigh* I'm not even really mad anymore, maybe the 3 fingers of scotch has something to do with that. *rant off*.

I'm sure you guys have had similar experiences.

[Rusty]

You should have to work on a Japmobile... they never have forgotten those little incidents at Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

[3leggedturtle]

When i used to wrench on vehicles i thought that putting a 396 into a 78 Malibu was rough. Is nothing compared to post 1995 vehicles. I now stick to motorcycles, bicycles and rental cars. Had a 78 Monza with a 327 4speed. Starter went bad. Spent 4 hours changing it. Sure was fun to smoke the rich types in their new Mustangs and Camaroes. Tho they always had better looking women in their cars.

[Buffboy]

You should have to work on a Japmobile... they never have forgotten those little incidents at Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Rusty, I still have a 73 240Z, it's easy to work on, and an absolute blast to drive. Had an 87 Fiero that wasn't. It was cramped, complex to work on(I had to do it, local Pontiac dealers wouldn't let it in the door), uncomfortable ride, ridiculously expensive to insure, the 240 would blow it's doors off and get better gas mileage doing it. I sold it.

3leggedturtle, I hear you about the Monza, mine had the stock 305, but I remember one sparkplug that required the engine being jacked up off the mounts to get at. The 240 would blow it's doors off too. Not that that took much, they had a tenancy to to just fall off from rust after a few years.

[claybob86]

When i used to wrench on vehicles i thought that putting a 396 into a 78 Malibu was rough. Is nothing compared to post 1995 vehicles. I now stick to motorcycles, bicycles and rental cars. Had a 78 Monza with a 327 4speed. Starter went bad. Spent 4 hours changing it. Sure was fun to smoke the rich types in their new Mustangs and Camaroes. Tho they always had better looking women in their cars.

I had an '80 Monza Spyder with the 231 V-6 4 speed. A little exhaust work and a Holley manifold/4bbl carb. Lots of fun with the yuppies in their 280ZXs and BMW 320s!