Class #8: End of the line

 I had every intention of skipping my last class.  I know I have said from the beginning that I had had just about enough of the drive after the very first class.  Well, every week I got closer and closer to convincing myself that at the very least, I would not go to that last class.  What if there was a test and I humiliated myself by discovering that I had, in fact, learned nothing!?
Well, we got down to the wire on what I was doing, and I had to go to the last class to put my new tires on my old rims, for the Barracuda.
I had to make a special trip back to the tire store b/c they did not give me the valve stems and I was embarrassed to tell the guy.  Why?  Because I had to correct him twice already, for bringing me the wrong tires...twice.
Doesn't matter!  What matters is that I did make it to the last class, with everything I needed to get the tires ready for the day the Barracuda was ready to roll.  Everything except rims that weren't ruined!
Yes, I spun them to see how they looked, and we decided that they seemed salvageable...'we' were wrong.
I'll get to that after I share the progress of the rims:

rusty rim

cleaned rim

Four shiny, cleaned & painted rims!

So what happened?  The first tire was off a bit, but not so much I couldn't work with it.  'Put that one on the back' says the teacher.  I thought there was one that looked a bit iffy, so we figured that must be the one.
Each one got worse!  The next one needed 4.75oz balance on one side & .75 on the other!  The third one needed SIX OUNCES of weights on one side for balance!!
I made the decision to just take the 3 tires back off the rims.  I'm gonna stick with the 14" rims, and keep the tires I bought, but now I have two options: 1) find new 14" rims; or, 2) find someone to fix the ones I have.
I didn't think they were that bad!  But I know nothing about tires.  Live and learn.  I won't be needing tires on that car for quite some time anyway.  I was only doing it now to use the equipment in class.  Oh, well...moving on, not depressed, frustrated, or annoyed at all. (well, maybe a little of all of those things...)
The teacher said that if I had my new rims by Thursday night, I could come back and put the tires on during his Thursday night electrical class.  That's not going to happen...he seemed sad about it.

The rest of the last class...

It wasn't bad, honestly.  We did not get our little paper to say we finished the class, but that is fine.  They will mail it and I will have proof that I didn't skip out on my classes like I said I wanted to every week.

I was asked if I was going to come back in the fall for another round.  Could I learn more?  Not sure.  Would it be worth it if the 'Cuda was running and I could drive it to class and work on it there? Absolutely, but that won't happen.  Maybe I can take the class again when the car is at that point.  However, I'm kind of hoping I won't NEED a class at that point.  My brother has been so much fun to have helping me.  I have more friends offering to help than I ever imagined.  

All in all, I am glad I took this class.  I do feel like I learned some basics, not a ton of major issues, but I have looked under a car hood at least once a week for 9 weeks!  I feel comfortable.  That's progress for me.  I gained confidence knowing my teacher had confidence in me.  It was a great experience for me.  Totally worth the agony of getting worked up every week.  If there was a class to get over my anxiety I might take it...if I could get over my anxiety of being in school again.

And, on to Barracuda news!

We were able to get the back drums off!  And with less effort than expected.

Dan did one side and said, 'you do the other side! I'm not gonna do them both!'

I'm so glad he's sticking to his word, and letting me help instead of just taking over.

We cut the brake line because the nut was immovable.

Rear axle resting on leaf springs

Axle out.

Now, I'm still unclear why we took this route, and I think it's because we weren't thinking...

We had to lift the axle up and over the leaf springs to get it out from under the car.

But then...

Had to grind the bolts off the leaf springs.

We removed the leaf springs.  I guess it was nice having the springs there to catch the axle so that it didn't just tip to one side or the other (we had a jack under the center to keep it from dropping to the ground).

So...where are we now?

The car is up on 6 jack stands.  The rear axle, shocks, and leaf springs have been removed.  The replacement springs are in the trunk.  They are not exactly the same as what we took out.  I'm in the market for some new bushings (everything was just so seized and fused to the other parts...we did a lot of cutting and prying, trying to get pieces off).  I need a lot of new bolts, and Dan is cleaning some parts...making new pieces to replace some bits that had to be cut off.  I have a piece of sheet metal in the shed that will eventually fill the gaping hole where the trunk floor used to be.  We'll clean the outer part of the axle, but have to replace all the inner workings probably.  

There's quite a bit of body work to be done.  I'll be researching rear quarter panels, as well as rims, now.

We're working on it, and that's all I can really hope for right now.  It's slow going, but it's going.  It's a project car, and I'm having fun doing it.

OH!! and there was a matte black Olds 442 in the garage at school last night!  A real beauty!  I think I officially have the muscle car bug and want something cooler when this one is finished.  Not that I don't still love the car I have, but we have to evolve, right?

Class #7: tires, spark plugs

I think spark plugs are so cool!  I don't know why.  Maybe it's because they are such seemingly basic pieces, but they are so complex and important!
Well, it doesn't really matter how amazed I am by a spark plug, or that I would love to have one on a necklace or at least a key chain.  What matters is that, after all of these years of thinking, 'ah, spark plugs...I can change those, no problem!' I have discovered that, all this time, it's been true.
Here's what I took away from last night's class: my teacher has confidence in me and doesn't have a problem saying, 'well, go ahead and take out the spark plugs' and then walk away to show the boys how to do an oil change or brake job for the 3rd time.  I'm getting cocky...let's move on.

I did, in fact, work on my own last night.
I had the four tires off the Barracuda and jammed into the trunk/back seat of the Cav.  So, I, with the help of the guy who's been there 'for 10 years!' (according to the exclamation of Mr. Drys), began removing tires from rims.  We spun the rims on the balancer to get a better look at the shape they're in...we're gonna take the chance that they're still in good shape.  They are all round, in relation to each other, so unless they are all bent and mangled in exactly the same places, then I think we're good!  Next step: get new tires.  I have one last class, and Mr. D. is on board with mounting and balancing if I bring everything in next week!
I had to bring all the old tires home with me, though...no free disposal.  They're going to make lovely little planters!

I don't know the technical term for these, but it's the air intake/release from the valve stem.

I had to cut the valve stems off, because...well, because I'm getting new ones anyway, so why waste effort trying to pry those bitches out!?  I kept the little do-hickies pictured above, because I think I actually will put them on a necklace (or maybe earrings)!  I think they are pretty cool looking.

After my work with the wheels, I cleaned up my mess.  Two of the boys had started the front brake job on the Saturn (yes...still working on Ricky's Saturn!).  Two of the boys were doing an oil change on Josh's truck.  And, that left me...already having done at least 3 oil changes, and my own brakes...to do something else.  'You wanted to do tune-up stuff, right?'
 I sure did!
There happened to be a 2004 Chevy Cavalier, all lonely and sad.  'Go ahead and take the plugs out.'  He told me to check the computer for the location of the plugs, since I can't seem to find anything in this model of car.  Seriously, Chevy...why have you hidden everything??
Pulled up the specs on the computer, and we went over to the car and I said, 'is that it, there?'
Yep, go ahead and remove that cover and take 'em out.
He headed back over to the boys and I was on my way.  Now, here's how I know he has at least a little more confidence in me than the other 3...normally, his statement is followed by, 'you'll need [insert required socket sizes, tools, etc]'.  But not this time.  He just walked away.
And, here's how I know that I have more confidence in myself than I did 7-8 weeks ago...I took a look at the little bolts holding the cover on, went over to the wall and picked 2 sizes of sockets.  The first was what I thought I needed, the second was the next size down (just in case).  My first guess was right.  I'm so proud.

(starting to get wordy, again...let's try to reign it in a bit...)

So, I successfully pull out the plugs, look up the specs (plug size, gap, torque).  Before I even read the size I need, I can tell that I have 3 different types of spark plugs that I've taken from this car!  Of course, it's a donated, school/class car with no battery, so it's not like it's a big deal.  But I thought maybe it was a test...
'Did you get the plugs out?'
'Yes...one is cracked and only 2 of them match.'
He laughed, checked my 'work', explained a few things to me, and said, 'okay...go ahead and put it back together.'

At that point, the boys were finishing up and we had about a half hour left.  So, we went to the Saturn wagon sitting there and I had to do it again.  This time, since the boys were starting to mill about around me, I asked if anyone else wanted to give it a go.  Nothing but a bunch of head-shakers!
I got to 'gap' the ones out of the Saturn, so that was new.

This picture is on the back cover of my Haynes manual.  Now it has a little more meaning.

All in all, I didn't do much last night.  And, I almost didn't go (if not for the tires, I wouldn't have).  But, even when I don't feel like I 'learned' much, I like the feeling of being in the garage, and the opportunity to learn.  Even if it's just the littlest thing...it is something I didn't know before I got there.

As I said, next week I'm hoping to get new tires on the old rims.  It's our last class.  I wasn't planning on going to the last class, for fear there would be a test and I would embarrass myself.  (There's also a bit of a time crunch next week, now since everything I was planning on doing this week has been moved to next week...and I was unable to plan time off next week.)
But, now I can't miss it.  So, you're gonna get just one more blog about class...and then, who knows!?
(actually, I know.  Brother Dan is coming out Sunday...leaf springs...yikes!)