Faults:

Heater core blew.

Dropped a muffler.

Brake master cylinder.

Carb.replaced.

General Comments:

Neglected this car for a long time, but she always hung in there for me.

Not huge on power with the smallest V8 made by GM, but good enough.

Never thought I'd see the day this car would look classic.

She looks great in new paint.

Faults:

Brake Lines and Front Calipers replaced, and rear cylinders.

Heater Core replaced.

A/c Compressor replaced.

Speedometer Cable replaced.

Replaced Radiator.

Replaced Alternator.

Tie Rod Ends.

Transmission gave out a week ago, so here it sits...

General Comments:

I purchased this car in 1999 from a college professor in Arizona, where I attended school for a while. The paint was and still is faded from sun damage, but the body still has no rust anywhere, amazing since these cars were especially prone to rust in the fender wells, rocker panels, bottoms of doors. All the chrome and trim is still intact. The interior is wide, roomy, plush, and very comfy, especially for long trips.

This car is the most reliable vehicle I've ever owned, it can really take a beating. While it is the most reliable, it is also the most underpowered. Whoever had the bright idea of ordering a 2-ton car with a 100 nothing horsepower dinky V8 should have their head examined. With that said, this car had no oil leaks until nearly 250,000 miles. The Compression is still good, no oil burning, ticks, pings, or knocks. The car was capable of nearly 25 MPG highway, but that number droppped quickly if I drove it through any kind of hills or mountains.

A few years ago I towed a Chevy Blazer with a dolly from Asheville, NC to Kingsport, TN on I-26. Not An S-10 Blazer, a full size 4-wheel drive 1986 K10 mudder with a broken drive shaft. Anyone who drives this road knows there is a 6-7 percent grade in either direction at the Tennessee/North Carolina boarder for 5 miles. Up the big hill going north, the car kept slamming between 2nd and 1st gear at around 35 MPH, so I finally just locked it into first and mashed the throttle down. The car did well for a gutless pig, and didn't start to get real hot until we got to the parking area at the top of the mountain. By then the temperature gauge was almost at 240, with a warning light. I pulled into the parking area and let the car idle and cool for a few minutes. When I opened the hood, the exhaust Manifolds were glowing red hot. The engine was still running fine, and didn't even burn a drop of oil the whole time. This stunt is probably what led the transmission to an early grave, it finally gave out last week. Try that with a modern full size car and you will be picking up the pieces along the highway.

Going down the hill, I held it in first gear, and had the owner of the blazer get in the truck and idle his engine so he could help with braking. We made it down just fine.

The car is currently sitting in my garage, but I plan on repainting it and getting and doing an engine and transmission swap. Probably will be a Buick, Olds, or Pontiac 455, just depends what I can get my hands on.