My '95 Caprice Classic STW, "Sally"

[Arquemann]

WELL.

The Caprice did not pass inspection, as I kinda expected. Unexpectedly the only fail was the parking brake, right side holds 25% of the left, left is okay for braking power.
Got home, underneath the car in sleet and snow I curse to my hearts content to loosen the adjustment. Nope, not budging.

Taking her to the shop on monday, I have zero motivation to do this on my back in the wet snowy driveway.
Question is will they be able do the adjustment with the remaining ~1cm of adjustment threads. Or will the rusty POS cooperate at all.

[friskyfrankie]

Maybe a big dose of something like PB BLaster and let it sit? Of course, much easier on a lift but perhaps it may save a cable replacement.

[Arquemann]

Maybe a big dose of something like PB BLaster and let it sit? Of course, much easier on a lift but perhaps it may save a cable replacement.

Yes of course there are things to get it loosened, but like I said I'm not fighting with it any more.
I doubt at the shop they'd spring immediately for replacement, because that'd be way more wrangling with rusty junk. And it's not like they have 90's Caprice parking brake cables stocked on the shelves. That being said, they'd be an hour drive away if needed.

[friskyfrankie]

Rockauto seems to have plenty of them depending which side you require (they seem to have multiple cables unlike the Fords) so you may want to check them out, just for grins.

[Arquemann]

The RA selection seems somewhat conflicting, different lengths for same location/model.
Oh yeah, my profile does say Finland right there under my pic, so RA deliveries aren't exactly overnight... In case you missed it.

[friskyfrankie]

Didn't miss it but not certain of your time constraints or if you have closer sources. Wasn't sure of your engine size or which cable/s you may need so it was merely a suggestion.

[Arquemann]

Well I did mention that I'm taking the car to the shop on monday, I did mention that they'd be available about an hour away, aaand I did mention that it's the right rear doesn't hold properly. And I guess it's mentioned here somewhere that this is a wagon with the LT1.

Ain't nothing from RA gonna be here before monday, just wait till I actually need the replacement cable and the local one won't fit. Bwahahah

[Arquemann]

Went and got the car back from the shop, gotta replace the cable(s). Right side gets stuck somehow and doesn't let the parking brake engage fully. Left side is just stretched as all hell, like the right side too. Most likely original cables.

Last wednesday when I tried fiddlefucking with the adjuster, I also had the right drum off, nothing of note on the mechanism on there, but did notice the brake shoes were pretty worn down.
Well the shop mentioned that the brake shoes are quite worn on both sides and that the left side wheel cylinder leaks and has saturated the shoes with brake fluid.
Since they're going to have to pull apart the brakes for the cable replacement anyways, I'll have them throw in new wheel cylinders and brake shoes while they're in there.

Ordered everything plus new wipers from RA, splurged on the expedited shipping so I can get the parts here and installed before holidays. Re-inspection will have to wait until after New year's unless I find a convenient time between xmas and new year's.


And regarding this "experiment" that I explained in the opening post of this thread... I don't think this will last too long. While it'll last till summer atleast, when I have a convenient opportunity to change cars. Currently being unemployed, the fuel consumption of the Caprice isn't an issue, but depending on my future commute might prove otherwise. The chances that a job I (should hopefully) get will most likely have a commute around 50km one way. Sure I'm not going broke driving the Caprice, but it sure as shit isn't smart. Also, while I love the spacious interior, this is honestly a bit too big of a car for many things. There ain't many things that would have the same buttery smooth and soft ride of an american boat, and would be more fuel efficient in any significant fashion. I sure would trade some size for MPGs, but I guess that's not on the meny.

[Arquemann]

New wipers are on, too long and too tall to stop on the little stoppers... Good job RA, though it was the only length available.
Dunno if I mentioned, but I bought an HID conversion kit, and today I went about installing it.

Well, I'd say the kit was probably adapter from some other kit just with a 9004 plugs and bulbs, because whoever designed it probably never saw a damn 9004 bulb. Low beam pins were backwards and high beam wiring didn't exist at all. I expected to see an OEM type 2-position HID bulb, but nope it's just a basic HID bulb that's on or off. Since 9004 is normally a dual filament bulb for high beams and there's no reflector switching on these, there's literally no high beams, at all. I'm returning the kit, for fucks sake...

[gadget73]

wonder if it was actually modeled after a 9007 bulb. They look similar to the 9004 but the pins are re-arranged.

[Arquemann]

wonder if it was actually modeled after a 9007 bulb. They look similar to the 9004 but the pins are re-arranged.

Could be, even though the box I got is marked 9004 and they also sell a 9007 variant. Dunno, don't care. These don't have high beams so I won't bother repinning.

[Arquemann]

I got the Caprice from the shop on Tuesday, new p. brake cables, brake shoes and wheel cylinders. They had a helluva time trying to adjust the parking brake to meet spec.
The brake pedal feels way firmer now, in a positive way, spongy feel was probably the loose drum adjustment.

On the night of 23rd I met up with a bunch of friends and had a good time. A couple went home and the rest of us stuffed ourselves in the Caprice with a couple boxes of beer and fooled around town till 2AM. Seven people in the car, it's still comfy for everyone and the mood is thru the roof. That is exactly what I was thinking about when I got the car. Tailpipes scraped a couple speed bumps but otherwise it was fine even though the air shocks were quite empty.

24th was a quiet Xmas with the family and today were gonna pile up a bunch of peeps in the car again and go celebrate a good friend's bday.
Fuel prices have cooled down slightly from the summer's insanity, but still expensive. Around 1,80-1,90€ per liter, which equates to about 18-30 euros per 100km of driving, depending on what mileage I'm getting.

Mandatory snow bank before/after pics, because Finland:

[Arquemann]

Well she decided to be a little shit and lost all power and stalled waiting in an intersection. Completely dead, no power anywhere whatsoever.
Popped the hood all seemed fine, cycled the key a few times, nothing... Waited 30 seconds or so, dash lit up, starter went KRRRRR. Waited another while, dash went dark, lit up, went dark. Key on a little later, dash lit again, and cranked fine but took a few seconds to fire up. Drove 40 minutes home normally.

At home, didn't see anything out of place underhood, checked the power feeds and stuff. BAT+ side post adapter was maybe a bit loose, tightened both for good measure.
Better not die on me like that ever again, for fuck's sake!

[Arquemann]

Oh my GOODNESS at a mall parking lot while I'm packing my crap, some cranky Karen comes to complain about my "poor parking" causing unneccesary congestion in the parking garage. Except the car is in the spot 99% the best it can, not my fucking fault the average parking spot is 5m long and my car is 5,6m.
"Should I ram the Qashqai in front backwards so I'm in their spot instead? Do you have some spatial recognition issues?" All I got as a response was some half-swallowed complaint about parking somewhere else, and then I kindly told them to fuck off and mind their own business.

I haven't been rude to randoms pretty much ever, but holy shit their outright stupidity and my already sour mood got the best of me and I lashed out. Felt damn good, I'm not even feeling sorry afterwards.

[sly]

Yeah... I think there's a timer cutout relay for low voltage condition that disconnects accessory power somehow. I've run into that problem before on some vehicle I had. I think it was the 85 B-body Pontiac I had. Never did dig into that so not sure if that's actually what it was or not. It did the same thing you're talking about. Power drop out and nothing works for about 15-30 seconds. Was almost always loose battery terminals.