FbodyGathering Forums

Betty and I are all excited about G-13. I got the tow vehicle all serviced and detailed. The truck turned out great! The trailer looks like crap, it needs a paint job, so we just aren't going to worry about that this year.

So, finally it is time to start getting the Trans Am ready. The old girl is one of those trailer queens, that everybody hates. 28K original miles, so it gets driven some. Still, despite its trailer queen status, or curse, I want it to be drivable at those times that we want to drive it, like to the Varsity. After all it is a car, not a statue.

Drove her to town, and blew out the seal between the intake manifold and the block and left head on the rear of the engine. GM did not believe in using gaskits, and just used a bead of silicone to seal the intake to the heads and block. I guess they were saving a few penny's on the production costs. GM. 23 years later, the silicone failed, and coolant started pooring out of the gap. Today the hole enlarged, and engine oil joined the mess. Lucky, nothing has leaked inside of the engine, it all ran outside all over the garage.

Since I am working 70 hours a week, and G-13 is three weeks off, I sent it to the shop for repairs. It is going to cost about a grand to fix it. I love F-bodies, but hate GM. Cheap %&$#.

I thought about draning the oil and coolant out of it so it would not make a mess, and using a winch to load and unload it from the trailer at the show. I figured that there is probably some rule that it has to run...

G-13 should be a blast.

And yes that post has no real purpose, it just made me feel better

Jees, damn GM!!! Only 23 years on a bead of silicone? I'd contact customer service and demand a repurchase under the lemon law! After looking at your sig, I think the 'bird is only trying to fit in with the expected quality levels based upon it's driveway mates.

(05-02-2009 08:57 PM)02 WS6 TA Wrote: [ -> ]Jees, damn GM!!! Only 23 years on a bead of silicone? I'd contact customer service and demand a repurchase under the lemon law! After looking at your sig, I think the 'bird is only trying to fit in with the expected quality levels based upon it's driveway mates.

I can't report it under the Lemon Law! It's an Orphan.

Seriously, I 'am sorry the post offended you. The post is mostly about my aggravation about having to spend a large chunk of money on a major repair right before the gathering. Moneys tight right now, and the breakdown is threatening our being able to come to the gathering. The post was more sarcastic then a cut. Murphy's Law!

I come from an all GM family. Not just consumers, but design enginners, to proving ground enginners, to the ownership of a large Buick dealership. Most all of them are dead now, but I grew up surrounded by GM. The point is that GM can and has make good cars when they want to, but they always have to cut the most corners.

The thirdgens are some of the most beautifully designed cars on the road, and if GM had put an extra $500.00 in the production of each of them, they would have the reputation of being one of the best built cars on the road, instead of being marginal. If they had spent a few pennys on an intake manifold gasket, it would have not have failed, even after a punishing 28K miles, living in a garage, and getting driven about 10 miles a week, only on sunny warm days. And theres that 23 year thing!

And since you are determined to trash my Ford products, the Super Duty is such a piece of junk! Seven years into ownership, and the POS finally had to go to the shop for the very first time, because the front brakes finally wore out. It had nothing to do with the fact that we drag a 36 ft camper, a 25 ft race car trailer, a 12K dump trailer, and a bass boat all over the mountains. Now that's bad service from a vehicle, I think that one should be reported under the lemon law. We need to rub Ford's nose in it!

As for the Crown Vics, the cars are bullet proof. We have owned nine panther models as far back as 1979, and never had a bad one. 450K panther police vehicles currently in service kind of makes a statement about the durability if the cars. And there's the fact that Chevy does not make a rear drive sedan any more.

As for the Expedition, 80K, and no problems. Several people in my family drive Tahoe's and they have been good for them also. But wait, the driver's seat is showing some wear. I guess we should rub Ford's nose in that one also.

As for the old Dodge, it's a POS. It was a POS when it was new, still is, and always will be. I owned a couple of Dodges years ago, and thought I might get lucky again.

As I said, I love F bodys, owned four of them, and probably always will.
As for my daily drivers, the post was not about them. You drive what you want to, and I will drive what I want to.

And by the way. I love your fourth Gen! It probably has an intake manifold gasket.

If it will make you feel better, I'll hide my Super Duty out back out of sight at the Gathering.

See you at the Gathering!

LOL @ both of you!! I need to vent as well. Yesterday my Yaris started dumping condensate in the passenger floorboard. None of my GMs do it.
Whew! Now i feel better!!

(05-03-2009 02:01 AM)86WS6 Wrote: [ -> ]

(05-02-2009 08:57 PM)02 WS6 TA Wrote: [ -> ]Jees, damn GM!!! Only 23 years on a bead of silicone? I'd contact customer service and demand a repurchase under the lemon law! After looking at your sig, I think the 'bird is only trying to fit in with the expected quality levels based upon it's driveway mates.

I can't report it under the Lemon Law! It's an Orphan.

Seriously, I 'am sorry the post offended you. The post is mostly about my aggravation about having to spend a large chunk of money on a major repair right before the gathering. Moneys tight right now, and the breakdown is threatening our being able to come to the gathering. The post was more sarcastic then a cut. Murphy's Law!

I come from an all GM family. Not just consumers, but design enginners, to proving ground enginners, to the ownership of a large Buick dealership. Most all of them are dead now, but I grew up surrounded by GM. The point is that GM can and has make good cars when they want to, but they always have to cut the most corners.

The thirdgens are some of the most beautifully designed cars on the road, and if GM had put an extra $500.00 in the production of each of them, they would have the reputation of being one of the best built cars on the road, instead of being marginal. If they had spent a few pennys on an intake manifold gasket, it would have not have failed, even after a punishing 28K miles, living in a garage, and getting driven about 10 miles a week, only on sunny warm days. And theres that 23 year thing!

And since you are determined to trash my Ford products, the Super Duty is such a piece of junk! Seven years into ownership, and the POS finally had to go to the shop for the very first time, because the front brakes finally wore out. It had nothing to do with the fact that we drag a 36 ft camper, a 25 ft race car trailer, a 12K dump trailer, and a bass boat all over the mountains. Now that's bad service from a vehicle, I think that one should be reported under the lemon law. We need to rub Ford's nose in it!

As for the Crown Vics, the cars are bullet proof. We have owned nine panther models as far back as 1979, and never had a bad one. 450K panther police vehicles currently in service kind of makes a statement about the durability if the cars. And there's the fact that Chevy does not make a rear drive sedan any more.

As for the Expedition, 80K, and no problems. Several people in my family drive Tahoe's and they have been good for them also. But wait, the driver's seat is showing some wear. I guess we should rub Ford's nose in that one also.

As for the old Dodge, it's a POS. It was a POS when it was new, still is, and always will be. I owned a couple of Dodges years ago, and thought I might get lucky again.

As I said, I love F bodys, owned four of them, and probably always will.
As for my daily drivers, the post was not about them. You drive what you want to, and I will drive what I want to.

And by the way. I love your fourth Gen! It probably has an intake manifold gasket.

If it will make you feel better, I'll hide my Super Duty out back out of sight at the Gathering.

See you at the Gathering!

Damn, it was just a joke.

I wonder who else I can make mad before the end of the day. I guess that I had better shut my mouth and leave my Ford cap at the house...

Anyway, this will be our first gathering. We will have a blast!

Don't feel too bad dude.My wife's newly aquired 91'Z has the front clip off of it @ present.I had to put it on a frame machine last weekend to straighten the pass side frame horn.Have to replace the bumper reinforcement bar,headlight header panel, front bumper cover,lower spoiler,grille,fog lights....etc....etc.......going to paint shop next weekend to freshen up the front clip,by the time I get er back it will be mad friggin dash mode to put it back together and then it will be time to turn attention on my 98' OMG I NEED A DRINK!!!!!!


Look for the blue 91Z and the white 98Z w/sliver stripes parked together,stop by and say hello.

(05-03-2009 01:40 PM)tbs98z Wrote: [ -> ]Don't feel too bad dude.My wife's newly aquired 91'Z has the front clip off of it @ present.I had to put it on a frame machine last weekend to straighten the pass side frame horn.Have to replace the bumper reinforcement bar,headlight header panel, front bumper cover,lower spoiler,grille,fog lights....etc....etc.......going to paint shop next weekend to freshen up the front clip,by the time I get er back it will be mad friggin dash mode to put it back together and then it will be time to turn attention on my 98' OMG I NEED A DRINK!!!!!!


Look for the blue 91Z and the white 98Z w/sliver stripes parked together,stop by and say hello.

Think about it. All that just to hang out and have a blast! Must be something to it Right?

(05-03-2009 01:45 PM)00formula6spd Wrote: [ -> ]

(05-03-2009 01:40 PM)tbs98z Wrote: [ -> ]Don't feel too bad dude.My wife's newly aquired 91'Z has the front clip off of it @ present.I had to put it on a frame machine last weekend to straighten the pass side frame horn.Have to replace the bumper reinforcement bar,headlight header panel, front bumper cover,lower spoiler,grille,fog lights....etc....etc.......going to paint shop next weekend to freshen up the front clip,by the time I get er back it will be mad friggin dash mode to put it back together and then it will be time to turn attention on my 98' OMG I NEED A DRINK!!!!!!


Look for the blue 91Z and the white 98Z w/sliver stripes parked together,stop by and say hello.

Think about it. All that just to hang out and have a blast! Must be something to it Right?

It is zin da blood

[quote='tbs98z' pid='1600' dateline='1241331984']
[quote='00formula6spd' pid='1599' dateline='1241322324']
[quote='tbs98z' pid='1598' dateline='1241322024']
Don't feel too bad dude.My wife's newly aquired 91'Z has the front clip off of it @ present.I had to put it on a frame machine last weekend to straighten the pass side frame horn.Have to replace the bumper reinforcement bar,headlight header panel, front bumper cover,lower spoiler,grille,fog lights....etc....etc.......going to paint shop next weekend to freshen up the front clip,by the time I get er back it will be mad friggin dash mode to put it back together and then it will be time to turn attention on my 98' OMG I NEED A DRINK!!!!!!

That sucks. Good luck getting your 91 back together! They ought to give you an award for effort.

Everytime I drive my thirdgen, I think about how sick I will be if someone smacks it. I am actually thinking about parking it in the living room, and waxing it with Pledge. Put a lamp on top of it, pics of the grandkids, and call it a centerpiece.

We are looking forward to meeting everyone. My car is the 86 WS6 in bright blue. You will not be able to miss it. It will have a brand new intake manifold gasket on it.

If that does not get your attention, look for the blue Trans Am with the old couple hanging around it... On second thought, you will probably have to go to Macy's to find Betty. Look for the blue T/A with the old fart near by.

It's for sure. I'm leaving my Ford cap at home. I'm too old to fight and too fat to run...

Maybe I can glue a Bowtie over the Blue Oval on my tow vehicle, just for the event?