Thread: Junk I drive

Hey.

I've been on GPF for over a year and decided to make this ride thread, but be warned theres a lot to tell and none of it very exciting. I'll try to keep the retrospect brief and wade right through to the current herd. I like Grand Prixs but not exclusively. If I don't tell the whole story it won't explain my fever.

Right now my daily driver is a 99 GTP, a stock black coupe. You'll see (yawn). I've had some cool ones though and I have pics of em all so... in the interest of conversation-

1979, KS- Home made go kart by Dad except floor paint lol. Dukes of Hazzard TV show first aired in Jan 79 so I had the rebel flag bug. Don't shoot! 3.5 HP, very slow but with reverse (lawn mower trans).



1980, LA- First and last bike, a 75 (?) Honda CB125S



1980, LA- First car. Dad bought new, his third Tempest (62, 64 prev). Then brother's then mine then sold.

1966 Pontiac Tempest Sprint6 (OHC L6, 4 barrel carb, split exh, 3.23 posi, 3 speed stick, stock) to which Dad added a five speed. Block was poked .125 in the last rebuild at over 200K so it used 327 Chev pistons (see USA-1 tag lol). These things ate cams and cam belts. But they were a monster at like 205 HP with 7,000 RPM redline. This was also the first vehicle I ever rode in. Wish it was here, Dad special ordered it with stripe delete, rubber mats instead of carpet, A/C, P/S, tinted glass, and a first year under-dash add-on option... hazard flashers. His only other mods were to add an FM tuner to the AM radio, paint the roof white, and install a B-W retro T-50 five speed. That helped my bro and I mop the floor with many smog V8s. Occasionally, "gasohol' was available then and the engine liked it. Now theres a retro paragraph for ya. If its nonsensical you're too young.





Got a Nova when I turned 16. With a hatchback for humpin it and a 350 with Q-jet for haulin it. I got bored with an automatic but I learned not to get in a hurry after tweaking the carb.





1982, LA- Scored a faded out 68 Malibu from a teacher with 75K on it. 307 2barrel, 3 on tree but moved to floor and messed up my senior ring doing so. Nabbed an SS grille emblem at the JY (you could do that then). Body shop buddies helped get me painted and striped, then with about 82K on it, a lady ran into the back going like 50. Killed the car. It was total loss #1. In retrospect, I never should have made it so shiny.



1983, LA- On to big block country now. A ratty 72 SS with the 402 CID BBC and a TH400 that would chirp the L-60s at 100. Loved it but the frame broke, a common issue that made them junk.



A deer got the grille. I put ZZ stripes on it because Eliminator just came out. Ha.



1985,LA- College bound (TX), I needed a tank. A local bus driver had this with 75K and working A/C. 1967 Impala hardtop 283 2bbl, PG trans (2-speed auto, slow), a cream puff with 64K. A scar on my coupe history but nevertheless... a sedan was useful during those years. It was time for something completely different...



Stay tuned for the dawn of my gripping Grand Prix era! More to follow soon.

1987, AR / 88 LA- Now we're talkin! GP, that is. Traded the Imp at a lot and got this 1975 Grand Prix Model J. 400/400/4bbl. My first complete paint job. First custom color mix on my driver. First lots of things, but mainly Grand Prix. Best ET was a 14.95 or something like that. it was a smogger but I had a rebuild done in about 89. Ditched the pellet cat and went true duals, RV cam, re-curved the HEI but thats it. They had tall hiway gears in these mostly. But it was fairly fresh when I got it.





After paint-







Dammit, out for a Sunday drive and a merc Zephyr pulled right in front of me going 50, BAM! Done. The Merc ended up only about two feet wide, T-bone. Total loss #2



Yes, I painted "can't crack this" on the hood. Think MC hammer. What a waste. Paid to have it hauled off, things went bad and I had to move right then.



Coming next, the Buick era.

1992, TX- Had to buy something today and get to work. This was closest to a GTO I found that day. The perfect GTO popped up next day dammit.

Its a 1970 Buick Skylark Custom, 350/350/4bbl, buckets, pegleg. Again, a troubled time arose and I had to sell and buy something with half the money. But I did get another custom mix color on it. back then your paint vendor would pitch in on materials. Not now!





So back to a Pontiac, but with a Chevy heart...

1995, TX / AR- Found this in front of the new Auto Zone and got it for $1375. Its a 1971 Pontiac Ventura II Sprint. 307 SBC, 2bbl, 3 speed on floor. A buddy of mine not far from here still has it and its fast. When I traded it to him I had a goodwrench 350, Q-Jet, headers, 3.08 posi on multileafs and 4 speed in it. I built it up and took it on my first Power Tour excursion, in 1999.

It was totaled twice while I had it, ( Total loss #3, #4 ) but that helped me get the 74 GTO hood and late TA shaker on it. This color was a stocker, we were in a hurry when paint getn time came so I went with a 4th gen Firebird color,. WA119B, mystic teal.



This pic gives you some idea how long I've had this house!



This is after John traded me a 69 GP and wad of cash for it. Crate stroker, 6-speed, cal-tracs added. 12.2 first time out, nitrous added after. Haven't seen him in awhile but he also has a built up 428 69 Bonne coupe that I painted a hyundai color. Rare car, that one. Anyway yes I painted the hood but did not bond the scoop! The GTO hood is just stashed as far as I know, this was a flat one.



2002, AR- We both worked at the Olds GMC Benz house for 6 yrs.



Theres more pics of these two, we did laps on more than one Power Tour. I've gone eight times, six in the 69 GP. But we'll come back to that car, I still have it and this is just the run-down for kicks.

Then back to Chevy. A 76 El Camino. Bought in 2005, Caravan slammed into it 3 weeks later. Total loss #5. I pulled the frame and daily drove it for 4-5 years. it was a 350/350/2bbl, single exh. I made it a 4bbl with duals but it had 2.73 gears. Sold it between jobs dammit.



It would also tote 2 400 blocks.



I had a primer-ing frenzy in 08, everything needed paint-



Hey, theres an Olds chapter next...

Hahahaha junk. I makea the junk story, for you round eyes. Scotty I thought that was a thai stick for a sec.

Boobs, children. Thats what. Nobler than my pursuit! I just never wanted to come off the old cars. They're better bodies I guess. Hang loose, no hurry to age. I'm just farther down the road.

I'm also out here attempting sloppily to flush power steering on GTP. Not quite like Blue does it but I'll git r did. Hate whiny wheel. Checked for loose bearings yesterday in anticipation of alignment and tires tomorrow. Right front strut was slotted last alignment but I've had the frame out since then so who knows.

Getting General AltiMax HPs, 98V stock size tomorrow for it. I bet I'll want to get a Dorman sway bar on the rear soon, already have front and these tires should corner nicely so I'll want to use the sways once in awhile. The new coils and ICM cleaning yesterday did some good but the Delco wires on it seem fresh enough that I didn't replace yet. The plan is to do all this up, paint a new front bumper cover and the rails off the 40th, stick the airbags and SIR stuff from the GT in it and get the hell back to full coverage on insurance. I needs dat.

Jump back again... This 1972 Oldsmobile cutlass Supreme was in my brother's hands since '86 or so. I got mine on it, had great fun for a couple years and yep, job change, hard times, sold. Wah. It has a bullet hole now but the now owner is just crazy for it. It was tan when we got it, brown top. A cousin primed it with purple stuff which turned pink. I used "buff" primer. And put the GP wheels on it once... for PTour

There were others along the way- this 73 Camaro I got in an ATV trade. Swapped engines with the Camino and sold.



This 500HP 83 Monte was me helpin a relative at tax time, sold back later.



A couple trucks, 83 long with L6, 76 short with 454. It was wearing the EPS carb I run on my 69 GP now, when bought.

Ok woops. I haven't had a working TV in a couple years... who needs it these days? Currently on Lone Ranger box set and utube Highway Patrol bender. Reckon I prefer my entertainment aged a half century or so. B/W TV comforts me. Yeah I divorced reality long ago.

Uh-oh, I hear you guys shifting in your chairs.... going back to Pontiac garage to re-dirty m'sef.

Fill cap off, pocket screwdriver thru rag under green cap at engine, go. Right? Good time to do fuel filter also.

But, so how do I get the float to stay on? The only time I've tried to snatch the fuel pump was in the 40th and my arm was broke so I couldn't even get the hoses off. So I had dude (foot chopper offer man) get it out. Gave it to him for his LS Jeep for previous assistance. Ironically, now that one sits due to injury too. That 40th might have had bad vibes, man I dunno. Anyway wish I had that now, as I do the passenger airbag I junked.

I put two TS wheels on the GT, to make the best of the mis-matched mounted rubber thats left after the crash flurry. I think shes about ready for an alignment check, yep thats the next step. I could start commuting with it as-is pretty much. Barely get into overdrive. But the low coolant is on unless I'm on the gas. Coolant and wire check mmm-hmmm.

Well, looky two old buddies wearing guide coats...



... hiding in the back yard, a decade or more later,



...and making a segway now, to the black FWD era. 2009-present. Heaven, help me.

Speaking of mice, my GTP's steering is now about as quiet as one. Silence is golden but this fluid... somebody must have added ATF or something. New fluid is clear as water and I ran at least 3 quarts into the drain pan.



I unhooked the return line at the bottom end, dumped the res then plugged that. Hooked a long looped hose on the return line and turned the wheel lock to lock 2X then refill, and repeat maybe 10X. Reconnected hose, refilled, leisurely had a Camel and worked it lock to lock however many times a cig is. Recheck, start engine, check for leak. 10 or 12 slow lock to locks with it running now. Kill, let sit, recheck, happy. Glad thats done, it was awful annoying and luckily the pump seems fine.

What you need is a fully restored 65 gp just to baby it

Originally Posted by ericspecullaas

What you need is a fully restored 65 gp just to baby it

How about just the money pile instead. I could build up that 69 of mine and make folks want to slap they mamas! Not that I'm the least bit into mama-slappin! I know I'd be slappin em away with a 65 rag though, yes sir.

Flied lice anda mice?

Typical 'junk luck... on my way to get new tires I had a flat. Nifffty. Wait maybe thats actually a luck upgrade. Anyway...

Who wants to take a stab at what to do to correct issues indicated on this alignment check printout from today? I'm all ears.



Gonna check out the tire pics I shot at sunset. Shoulders of the tread are a little trucky lookin to me actually but I'm initially very pleased with the tires. Hecho en Portugal. Hmm, OK. But man, they are really quiet and have better ride than I expected. And they DIG damn good, even in rain. It was raining when I left the tire shop so tried that out right away. This evening on dry I got nice launches out of it.

Enter Betty as in bam-a-lam. I drove it from 09 to '13 before i stared getting hit. Still have it with clean title and it drives better all the time but is still recovering somewhat.





Total losses #6, 7, 8. I got hit in every month starting with J that year. Sideswipe on right, plowed door, qtr, fender. Focus. Lane changer ran into right fender, door. Highlander. July man in a CX-9 came across five lanes and never saw me in the far lane. He hit and kept hitting, I ended up in a BK parking lot and was going 40 when hit. That put it on the bench and I went GTP hunting. I still have the car so later, pics a plenty. Bought it off a cop's wife, a girl car.

After I had it awhile- I believe this was after the right door swap. Qtr is fd but u can't see it.




First blood.





last blood-

This one will grab ya, Total Loss #9. 2002 GTP coupe, 40th anni edition, 135 well kept miles. I paid too much and immediately had trans rebuilt. But it was pretty.











aaaand then for no apparent reason, I flipped it over. Dadgummit! I use the trans now in my current GTP, and the engine is stashed as are the rest of the unbolt kinda parts. The pile is getting deep.



What a mess. Found another though... and (sigh) scrapped the 40th.

Everybody look, a stock GP! LOL. How about an eyeful of rusty fresh-washed mini-rotor? Yeeaaah! Glad to have my 4 shiny TS back on.

Ha. heres my new tires but you can't see the coolio tread. Dusk again. I like them so far. Any input good bad or indifferent on these?

Originally Posted by idrivejunk

grass who needs that stinking grass!!! NOT ME!!!!

lol fixed that for ya

This is SuperBetty. Found her ain the hands of a dyed-in-the-wool Pontiac nut in November 2013. 99 GTP! Spittin image of Betty. Both are level 2 optioned, but no Bose in GTP. Scored it and it has been amazing for me, a good car. had 196k and a cone when I got it, and you know the rest of the story. Last November, dump truck bumps into rear at red light. January, a kid in a Ranger turns in front of me and blows the airbags, breaking my right arm which I built a career on and is now not much good for that. But I stay in it, albeit now with a dash cam. Total loss #10.

I'll stop here for today, but whore here on the tomorrows. Good stopping place. Theres still one more yet, an old one I saved from the crusher literally and am still clinging to. Gotta leave room for a sequel, ha ha. Everybody knows what the GTP looks like now, from the WDYDTYCT thread. So here it is before the onslaught. She is a fly girl and we are sneaking up on 220K as we speak.

Thats my story, and I'm stickin to it. Hope you enjoyed, tolerated, or dismissed it. Feel free to talk. Peace.