The Sheriff

[67Monaco]

Having issues aligning this beast after the bushings and upper balljoints. Granted im not looking for a stock spec alignment since im running radials and want more road feel. So more positive caster amd some negative camber.

I know I have to do the lower bushings too. Lower balljoints are good and were replaced sometime in the past by jer grandfather. But.. I wouls assume I'd be able to get close.

Remember we know it was hit on the passenger side behind the door. After I took the femder off we also know it was hit in the front on the passeger side too. Right side I can get +4 caster and maintain aboit 1 to 1-1/2 degrees of camber.
Leftside, max o can pull off is +1-1/2 degrees of caster.

If I try to bring the right side to 1-1/2 degrees of camber I lose most of the camber on that side. I can maintain about -.5 degrees of camber on right with 1-1/2 degrees of camber.

I bring this up to the father in law. He says that might have something to do with the time he jumped the car. I guess it wasnt intentional. They were doing about 60 though an intersection that was actually a T. Said it crossed about a 6 foot ditch in to a farmer field somewhere outside of Bismarck. He said thats where the cigarette burn in the headliner came from.

It explains some other oddities ive come across like an inch solid thick layer of dirt on the steerimg box and cross member.

I guess I'm off to figure out where this thing is really twisted so.eday.

 

[commando1]

He says that might have something to do with the time he jumped the car.

 

[67Monaco]

I tell you the more i fix the more odd stories come out about this car.

 

[67Monaco]

Just a side shot from Sunday.

Haven't done much on it lately, just been driving and enjoying it.

The boy has been asking to help out in the garage lately. So I think we're gunna be kicking off finishing up the body work I want to do. Might make paint this year, maybe.

 

[commando1]

Park old car on grass.
HOA on high alert.

 

[cbarge]

Just a side shot from Sunday.

Haven't done much on it lately, just been driving and enjoying it.

View attachment 344708

The boy has been asking to help out in the garage lately. So I think we're gunna be kicking off finishing up the body work I want to do. Might make paint this year, maybe.

Good to see that you and the Sherriff still kickin.
Encourage the young lad to help out. It is also a connection to his great grandfather.
After all he is next in line to the family heirloom lol!
Besides it is nice to have a wrench monkey willing to help.
Keep the updates coming!!

 

[1978 NYB]

Park old car on grass.
HOA on high alert.

I am so tempted to bury my Newport in my front yard to ultimately satisfy the HOA. There is nothing in the by-laws that says I can't do it....

A guy in Milwaukee has a whole fleet in his yard!

 

[67Monaco]

Park old car on grass.
HOA on high alert.

Funny thing about that.

The HOA had set the speed limit on the community roads to 20mph. People were still speeding since they were considered private roads nothing could be done. Old f'ers wanted something done. So the HOA contacts the county and they determine a way to make the speed limit enforceable, make the roads county property. They did that last year.

Here comes the fun part.

Being that they're now county property the HOA can no longer prevent non-residents from fishing in the ponds adjacent to the roads, and the HOA is on the hook for any liabilities that come along with that.

That nice grassy area where I parked, well when they made the roads county, that area became county property as well as the easement over laps from side to side. Nothing the HOA can do about it. So it's now the parking area for overnight cars etc as they can't fine anyone for parking outside. Not that I do but there's someone from time to time that has to for whatever reason.

The meetings were lots of fun when the old grease balls figured all this out after the fact.

Also a fun fact they really can't do **** to the residents for parking outside anymore as they're county roads and we as residents have a right to park there now.

 

[commando1]

Funny thing about that.

The HOA had set the speed limit on the community roads to 20mph. People were still speeding since they were considered private roads nothing could be done. Old f'ers wanted something done. So the HOA contacts the county and they determine a way to make the speed limit enforceable, make the roads county property. They did that last year.

Here comes the fun part.

Being that they're now county property the HOA can no longer prevent non-residents from fishing in the ponds adjacent to the roads, and the HOA is on the hook for any liabilities that come along with that.

That nice grassy area where I parked, well when they made the roads county, that area became county property as well as the easement over laps from side to side. Nothing the HOA can do about it. So it's now the parking area for overnight cars etc as they can't fine anyone for parking outside. Not that I do but there's someone from time to time that has to for whatever reason.

The meetings were lots of fun when the old grease balls figured all this out after the fact.

Also a fun fact they really can't do **** to the residents for parking outside anymore as they're county roads and we as residents have a right to park there now.

 

[cantflip]

Funny thing about that.

The HOA had set the speed limit on the community roads to 20mph. People were still speeding since they were considered private roads nothing could be done. Old f'ers wanted something done. So the HOA contacts the county and they determine a way to make the speed limit enforceable, make the roads county property. They did that last year.

Here comes the fun part.

Being that they're now county property the HOA can no longer prevent non-residents from fishing in the ponds adjacent to the roads, and the HOA is on the hook for any liabilities that come along with that.

That nice grassy area where I parked, well when they made the roads county, that area became county property as well as the easement over laps from side to side. Nothing the HOA can do about it. So it's now the parking area for overnight cars etc as they can't fine anyone for parking outside. Not that I do but there's someone from time to time that has to for whatever reason.

The meetings were lots of fun when the old grease balls figured all this out after the fact.

Also a fun fact they really can't do **** to the residents for parking outside anymore as they're county roads and we as residents have a right to park there now.

 

[67Monaco]

well I had big plans for April as my bonus was approved and should be here by 03/27.. YAY.. Had a guy lined up to spray it for $800 if I supplied the materials..

The Ram had other plans last night. after 17 years and 197K miles the 4.7L decided it was done and cooked itself last night.

No now I'm on the hunt for a new 4.7L or a new ride. I haven't figured out which yet.

Hay man, you got any new 4.7L's cheap?

 

[cbarge]

well I had big plans for April as my bonus was approved and should be here by 03/27.. YAY.. Had a guy lined up to spray it for $800 if I supplied the materials..

The Ram had other plans last night. after 17 years and 197K miles the 4.7L decided it was done and cooked itself last night.

No now I'm on the hunt for a new 4.7L or a new ride. I haven't figured out which yet.

Sorry to hear about the truck.
Being a service advisor at a shop,sad to say it may not be feasible to replace the motor.
Cost may exceed the book value of the truck especially factoring in the labour to re and re the motor.

Unless you do it yourself and that nasty job is not fun.
The exhaust manifold studs are ignorant on the 4.7L and the log manifold are always pitted or cracked.

A lot of late model vehicles are going the way of the TV...
Cheaper to replace than repair.

 

[67Monaco]

Sorry to hear about the truck.
Being a service advisor at a shop,sad to say it may not be feasible to replace the motor.
Cost may exceed the book value of the truck especially factoring in the labour to re and re the motor.

Unless you do it yourself and that nasty job is not fun.
The exhaust manifold studs are ignorant on the 4.7L and the log manifold are always pitted or cracked.

A lot of late model vehicles are going the way of the TV...
Cheaper to replace than repair.

Yeah I did the heads myself once before on it the first time I cooked it about 11 years ago. Pain in the ***. So I'm aware of the job and what it entails. And I'm not so much worried about the value of the truck, but rather the hassle of not knowing what someone else's problems bring to the table. This horse I know so there's no surprises, it just needs a new engine. I know trans and rearend are right behind it somewhere.. BUT it's all cheaper than a new car payment.

 

[traintech55]

Yeah I did the heads myself once before on it the first time I cooked it about 11 years ago. Pain in the ***. So I'm aware of the job and what it entails. And I'm not so much worried about the value of the truck, but rather the hassle of not knowing what someone else's problems bring to the table. This horse I know so there's no surprises, it just needs a new engine. I know trans and rearend are right behind it somewhere.. BUT it's all cheaper than a new car payment.

Sorry to hear about your truck, but I am glad you got the mileage out of it. I have a 2007 Ram with 110,000 miles on it. This gives me something to look forward to.

 

[67Monaco]

Sorry to hear about your truck, but I am glad you got the mileage out of it. I have a 2007 Ram with 110,000 miles on it. This gives me something to look forward to.

Yeah it's done alot over the time I owned it. Drove over the highest two lane highway in the country. Hauled several cars locally in CO. Towed our 20ft boat 190miles each way to Glendo WY several times a year the few years we owned it. Hauled my wife, three dogs, and my old Magnum cross country from CO to MD. Hauled the Monaco from MD to CT. Moved my wife, son and dogs from CT to FL. Bought my son home from the hospital when he was born. Lots of memories in that truck.

 

[commando1]

You gotta keep it then. Seriously.

 

[67Monaco]

You gotta keep it then. Seriously.

Yeah I go back and forth. Bonus time will tell me what i'm doing with it...

 

[65sporty]

Check here for a used engine close to you.

Car-Part.com--Used Auto Parts Market

 

[commando1]

My 14 yo truck is entering its terrible teens.
You know, every other day it irritates you with another minor petty thing.
Odometer display back lighting goes out when you turn on the headlights. Fuggit, ain't buying a new instrument panel display.
Dome light finicky about turning on when you open the driver's door. Fuggit. I can't get under a dashboard any more.
Intermittent CEL keeps returning a month after the repair where the engine runs smoothly when the CEL comes on and runs rough when it's off.. . Fuggit, not putting any more money into that.
The Fuggits are starting to add up.

Little **** like that.

 

[67Monaco]

Well that went well.

Kiddo still in judo and bjj training and we had to get there on our own because somehow we both pissed momma off at the same time. Usually it's just one or the other but yesterday was a new novel experience. She wasn't going with us and I wasn't gunna leave her without a dependable car with the baby.

So we loaded up in the Monaco and headed out. 40 miles one way, about 30 miles highway the rest is surface streets, 80 miles round trip. No hiccups no worries other than yeah the exhaust is loud, but that's the way I built it.

Oh yeah, tried spinning the truck over to see if she'd pop at all, nothing but for the 3 or 4 cranks it did, it is dumping fuel bad. Like dipping out of the exhaust bad. I assumed it was water but I smelt it and sure as **** it's gas.

Mean while I had someone come over and try to low ball me on the truck. Not sure If I'm going to take it or not or keep it and wait. Who knows yet. Sebring is tomorrow. I may just say f you cause I don't want to deal with it this weekend.


And jeebus christ get down in to the blue collar part of town, and people break their necks trying to look at it. But it was fun. Will I do it next week? I dunno. we'll see.