10-DASH-4, JerIsn't it supposed to be like new after all this?
Go, and have fun. The car was made for road trips.
73 Monaco wagon
- Thread starter MonacoBlue
- Start date
LocuMob
Fluid Technician with a hat
@saforwardlook Steve, I certainly didn't mean @MonacoBlue should rush anything, just that if the car is sorted out by then, it would be a shame not to take it. Simple as that.
MonacoBlue
Senior Member
Hey guys...thanks Steve. You summed it up better than I could have! It ain’t a ‘Cuda, that’s for sure!
Yeah, that’s what the young folks say isn’t it? “It’s complicated.”
The engine. It has 125,000 miles on it. It doesn’t seem to burn oil, which is good. And I expect I will spend this summer attempting to go to some regional car shows. It’s a huge boost in confidence to now have the tranny re-built and (hopefully) the AC functional. Need some “orbiting” road time not too far from home to shake it down. Successive round trips of longer duration. “Sea trials”, the shipbuilders call them.
I took a four hour trip to get the seats re-upholstered this summer. Thought it would be fine. One hour into it. The AC iced up when I didn’t even switch it on. Then it quit working. Not too scary, but unpleasant. And suddenly the fuel sender blew a fuse and the gas gauge read empty. Then the car lost acceleration, as I had two hours left to get to my destination - the transmission had decided it needed rebuilt. This was my first “long trip” in the car, after having done many smaller 30 minute to ‘hour and a half’ trips. Thankfully I had a good friend who was chase car/ “wing man” to give me a ride back after I “just barely” got the car dropped off at the upholsterers.
I had to retrieve the car by myself when it was completed months later at the upholsterer with my truck and a borrowed race car trailer, out of concern for the unreliability. That was a long white knuckle drive back. That wagon filled up that trailer. And braking the truck required FORESIGHT.
My 2006 Ram 2500 5.7 4x4 with 271500 miles on it did just fine in the mountains.
We all have stories like this. I consider myself to be pretty good at gauging when a risk is worth taking and when it’s not. I’m not single and in my 20’s anymore. I have more responsibilities...and while I do have more money now than I had then, the same question asked now that I am in my 50’s has more experience and wisdom and awareness of dangers brought to mind, when I ask it. “Is this really worth it?”
We’re all at our own unique places in life. Yes sir, I have spent a pile of dough and a bunch of elbow grease of my own trying to “make this car right”, to the extent of my finite means. It’s not perfect. I don’t care that the bumpers aren’t flawless, they’re worn and dinged, but presentable. I like that it has wear around the edges, here and there. I know it’s an uncommon car, and I do like the idea of having it be something out of the ordinary that OTHER people can also see and appreciate. I don’t see myself as a hoarder. This is part of the hobby - sharing it. Life’s more fun and more rewarding that way. I like seeing other wagons/cars too. But having spent four years and a ton of cash on it, bringing it back from the junkyard grave, so to speak, I am not eager to get stuck with the family off I-81 in Harrisburg PA or Winchester, VA, with my new-to-this-expensive-hobby wife wondering why I am willing to put our young family in this situation, also faced with a $1000 rollback tow bill to get it back to NC, because unforeseen problem X occurred that I could not easily repair by myself with hand tools plus all the sum total of my modest mechanical knowledge brought to bear, in a sweltering hotel parking lot or roadside rest stop, or with “help” from the spin the roulette wheel random local fix-it shop, while I was on my way to or from Carlisle. With the fam.
So... I tell myself...for now...”Baby steps, Bob.”
Way more explanation than needed, I suppose. Let’s see what this summer brings. It’d be great to meet other folks from this forum at Carlisle or Volo someday, in the not too distant future.
And Steve, FYI, the Original Air guys think it’s the AC thermostat. They said it should be shutting off the system before it ices up. Makes sense. So, one is in the mail to the shop. They said it could be POA too...? We’ll see. At least the system is not leaking/is sealed and functional. We’ll see what happens. Maybe POA and EPR and some other three letter parts will end up getting replaced before it’s all over. I don’t know what half of this stuff does, but I expect I’ll be more educated when it’s done.
Yeah, that’s what the young folks say isn’t it? “It’s complicated.”
The engine. It has 125,000 miles on it. It doesn’t seem to burn oil, which is good. And I expect I will spend this summer attempting to go to some regional car shows. It’s a huge boost in confidence to now have the tranny re-built and (hopefully) the AC functional. Need some “orbiting” road time not too far from home to shake it down. Successive round trips of longer duration. “Sea trials”, the shipbuilders call them.
I took a four hour trip to get the seats re-upholstered this summer. Thought it would be fine. One hour into it. The AC iced up when I didn’t even switch it on. Then it quit working. Not too scary, but unpleasant. And suddenly the fuel sender blew a fuse and the gas gauge read empty. Then the car lost acceleration, as I had two hours left to get to my destination - the transmission had decided it needed rebuilt. This was my first “long trip” in the car, after having done many smaller 30 minute to ‘hour and a half’ trips. Thankfully I had a good friend who was chase car/ “wing man” to give me a ride back after I “just barely” got the car dropped off at the upholsterers.
I had to retrieve the car by myself when it was completed months later at the upholsterer with my truck and a borrowed race car trailer, out of concern for the unreliability. That was a long white knuckle drive back. That wagon filled up that trailer. And braking the truck required FORESIGHT.
My 2006 Ram 2500 5.7 4x4 with 271500 miles on it did just fine in the mountains.
We all have stories like this. I consider myself to be pretty good at gauging when a risk is worth taking and when it’s not. I’m not single and in my 20’s anymore. I have more responsibilities...and while I do have more money now than I had then, the same question asked now that I am in my 50’s has more experience and wisdom and awareness of dangers brought to mind, when I ask it. “Is this really worth it?”
We’re all at our own unique places in life. Yes sir, I have spent a pile of dough and a bunch of elbow grease of my own trying to “make this car right”, to the extent of my finite means. It’s not perfect. I don’t care that the bumpers aren’t flawless, they’re worn and dinged, but presentable. I like that it has wear around the edges, here and there. I know it’s an uncommon car, and I do like the idea of having it be something out of the ordinary that OTHER people can also see and appreciate. I don’t see myself as a hoarder. This is part of the hobby - sharing it. Life’s more fun and more rewarding that way. I like seeing other wagons/cars too. But having spent four years and a ton of cash on it, bringing it back from the junkyard grave, so to speak, I am not eager to get stuck with the family off I-81 in Harrisburg PA or Winchester, VA, with my new-to-this-expensive-hobby wife wondering why I am willing to put our young family in this situation, also faced with a $1000 rollback tow bill to get it back to NC, because unforeseen problem X occurred that I could not easily repair by myself with hand tools plus all the sum total of my modest mechanical knowledge brought to bear, in a sweltering hotel parking lot or roadside rest stop, or with “help” from the spin the roulette wheel random local fix-it shop, while I was on my way to or from Carlisle. With the fam.
So... I tell myself...for now...”Baby steps, Bob.”
Way more explanation than needed, I suppose. Let’s see what this summer brings. It’d be great to meet other folks from this forum at Carlisle or Volo someday, in the not too distant future.
And Steve, FYI, the Original Air guys think it’s the AC thermostat. They said it should be shutting off the system before it ices up. Makes sense. So, one is in the mail to the shop. They said it could be POA too...? We’ll see. At least the system is not leaking/is sealed and functional. We’ll see what happens. Maybe POA and EPR and some other three letter parts will end up getting replaced before it’s all over. I don’t know what half of this stuff does, but I expect I’ll be more educated when it’s done.
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Yes, Scott, you documented your events well. Wagons just take a little more time to get right but in a little more time you should have some built up confidence to go longer distances. I think you are approaching things well.
Understood on Original Air Systems - they did tell me that if I were to switch to 134 refrigerant in my cars that use of a temperature switch instead of an EPR valve was recommended to get colder temperatures out of the evaporator - looks like they were right - too right! Hopefully the next one will work better. I have elected to remain with the R12 in my systems since I still have quite a bit left and I can still use my EPR valve that works fine with Freon.
Just never give up is what I maintain - your will get there and then it will be all worth it.
Understood on Original Air Systems - they did tell me that if I were to switch to 134 refrigerant in my cars that use of a temperature switch instead of an EPR valve was recommended to get colder temperatures out of the evaporator - looks like they were right - too right! Hopefully the next one will work better. I have elected to remain with the R12 in my systems since I still have quite a bit left and I can still use my EPR valve that works fine with Freon.
Just never give up is what I maintain - your will get there and then it will be all worth it.
MonacoBlue
Senior Member
I can’t believe you have R12.
Then again. I can.
You seem to have a virtual 70’s Mopar dealership Service Department inventory on hand. And of course, upon further reflection, when a person knows Manny...they automatically “know someone who knows someone.”
Then again. I can.
You seem to have a virtual 70’s Mopar dealership Service Department inventory on hand. And of course, upon further reflection, when a person knows Manny...they automatically “know someone who knows someone.”
MonacoBlue
Senior Member
Any recommendations for replacing seat belts with re-pops that look original?
LocuMob
Fluid Technician with a hat
@dart4forte does that.
MonacoBlue
Senior Member
Oh, ok. I’ll message him. Thanks LocuMob!
LocuMob
Fluid Technician with a hat
He uses your cores, buckles and ends, with new webbing.
MonacoBlue
Senior Member
I actually prefer that.
Refresh my memory Scott, 440 in your Beast or 400? And I have a reason for asking, Jer
MonacoBlue
Senior Member
Thank You. Reason? I'm pretty sure they both use the same fuel pump push rod but that's easy to check. My source for those Push Rods has always been Mancini racing in Roseville, Mi. Kind of a PITA to replace but to me it ranks right up there with keeping an extra Ballast Resister in the glove box. Friend of mine had his '64 Silver Edition 300 die on him right on top of the Ambassador Bridge heading for the 300 meet back in the late '80s in Ontario, Ca. My spare saved his weekend that time. Just a thought that you might consider, Jer
MonacoBlue
Senior Member
I think I may have read your comment before Jer, and it stuck in my head. Thanks for sharing. That’s a good idea to have a spare. I’ll give it serious thought.
MonacoBlue
Senior Member
Auveco tubular nuts for the tailgate letters.
23647 looks a lot like the originals on the letters with tall studs.
The other nuts I ordered were just too big.
23647 looks a lot like the originals on the letters with tall studs.
The other nuts I ordered were just too big.
Interesting endeavor to search for letters that way.
I had the same issue with missing letters on the rear of my 1973 Dodge Coronet Crestwood wagon and after looking at numerous letters from sources like yours, I bit the bullet and ordered nos ones. Pricey but they were correct with no issues.
No one will know the difference in either case since yours are close enough it seems to me..................
I had the same issue with missing letters on the rear of my 1973 Dodge Coronet Crestwood wagon and after looking at numerous letters from sources like yours, I bit the bullet and ordered nos ones. Pricey but they were correct with no issues.
No one will know the difference in either case since yours are close enough it seems to me..................
MonacoBlue
Senior Member
One down, four to go. The attachment method is not a good design.
Anyone alive today who remembers old cars with letters “back in the day” knows they have a tendency to get loose and fall off over time. I will be watching these.
Anyone alive today who remembers old cars with letters “back in the day” knows they have a tendency to get loose and fall off over time. I will be watching these.
MonacoBlue
Senior Member
Oh no Steve. I had some of the letters separately from junkyard. A couple are NOS from AZ.
The Auveco fasteners are what goes on the back.
MonacoBlue
Senior Member
Oh BTW, I got the car back today!
I’ll post pics of the replacement part.
Original Air told the shop to take the valve out of the compressor completely...
I’ll post pics of the replacement part.
Original Air told the shop to take the valve out of the compressor completely...
MonacoBlue
Senior Member
So the rear AC switch had a little bit of Oregon loamy silt (or silty loam?). That fine stuff. While I am sitting at the doctors office parking lot waiting (nothing serious) I grabbed a white terry cloth towel and put some spit on the controls to polish them up a bit. Much better. Gotta get that green copper corrosion off. A Q-tip with a little toothpaste will probably help deal with that.
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