Successful operation doctor

"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher) 06/16/2016 at 11:14 • Filed to: Smashy-smashy

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A couple days ago my buddy Howard came over to help me tackle straightening the core support on the Roadmaster. Howard spent some time in the navy back in the day, so I needed his expert “ship-fitters eye” (the “p” in ship may or may not really be a “t”).

After we got the AC condenser out (the system had no charge in it), I was able to get some better pics of how far the support was bent.

Here you can see how badly the condenser itself is bent.

We started pulling the bottom of the core support forward. We used a Harbor Frieght 4000 pound rated hand winch attached to the trailer hitch of my truck. True to reputation, the winch turned out to be a one use tool. After the first pull, the release lever worked once. After the second pull, no dice. Luckily we had the winch at basically full extension and it was anchored to something movable, my truck. I released the tension by backing up the truck, and repositioned for pull number three.

Satisfied with the front to back positioning, it was time to deal with the levelness. The back of the support was pushed down, while the front of the support was bent up.

The bottom came right up thanks to a floor jack. The top took a little more “convincing” with a block of wood and some implements from my “Drawer of Jeremy.”

We then pronounced the core support, “Good enough for this job,” and pushed the Toadmaster back in the garage to await its new radiator. The radiator arrived yesterday afternoon, but I’m on daddy daycare duty the rest of the week. I should be able to get it going again next week.

PartyPooper2012 > shop-teacher 06/16/2016 at 11:30

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I give up. You keep your brown car and you make her happy!

shop-teacher > PartyPooper2012 06/16/2016 at 11:31

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Will do! :D

PartyPooper2012 > shop-teacher 06/16/2016 at 11:32

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What state are you in? Maybe one day I’ll drive through it and if I have my wife with me, I’ll point to your car and tell her - Shop-teacher owns that car. He takes good care of it.

To which undoubtedly she will play an OWL and say HOOO?

Ash78, voting early and often > shop-teacher 06/16/2016 at 11:34

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My favorite gray area for car DIY is right between "This is way above my pay grade" and "What have I got to lose?"

DynamicWeight > shop-teacher 06/16/2016 at 11:34

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The only Harbor Freight tool I still use (and love) is my Harbor Freight hydraulic jack. I love that thing! I’m afraid to use any other jack because I have a sneaking suspicion it’s actually crap and it’s just all I know.

CalzoneGolem > shop-teacher 06/16/2016 at 11:36

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Are you going to ditch the AC because race car or fix it?

shop-teacher > CalzoneGolem 06/16/2016 at 11:44

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The AC was already dead. In addition to the now trashed condenser, it needs a new compressor and a controller that requires disassembling the entire dash. I’m just not willing to spend that money on a rusty old beater.

shop-teacher > PartyPooper2012 06/16/2016 at 11:44

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I’m in the Chicagoland area.

Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch > shop-teacher 06/16/2016 at 11:44

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Nice! Are there any performance mods in the Buick’s future?

shop-teacher > Ash78, voting early and often 06/16/2016 at 11:44

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Yeah, that’s right where I’m at!

vondon302 > shop-teacher 06/16/2016 at 11:45

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It lives! Nice write up.

PartyPooper2012 > shop-teacher 06/16/2016 at 11:46

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Chances of me driving through Chicagoland are slim to none... :( too bad.

shop-teacher > DynamicWeight 06/16/2016 at 11:47

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Funny thing about those Harbor Frieght jacks is tons of people swear by them, but I just can’t go there mentally. Even my big Craftsman jack makes me nervous.

shop-teacher > Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch 06/16/2016 at 11:48

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Nope. It’s too rusty for me to put any money in it besides what’s necessary. I’m going to keep it another year or two, and then move onto something else on my vehicular bucket list.

Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch > shop-teacher 06/16/2016 at 11:51

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Good plan

shop-teacher > PartyPooper2012 06/16/2016 at 11:54

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Well, I’m not planning to keep it forever, so perhaps you can buy it from me someday :)

shop-teacher > vondon302 06/16/2016 at 11:54

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Thanks, it will!

PartyPooper2012 > shop-teacher 06/16/2016 at 11:55

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That would be the day!

Just don’t fart too much into the seats...

shop-teacher > PartyPooper2012 06/16/2016 at 11:56

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No promises!

PartyPooper2012 > shop-teacher 06/16/2016 at 11:59

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Lay off the beans and cabbage, will you?

At least crack a window or two

DynamicWeight > shop-teacher 06/16/2016 at 12:01

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Yeah, I’ve heard that too. I’m thinking maybe a jack is something a little too lawsuit-y to really be able to sell a terrible one? I always use jackstands but all those warnings out there must mean there are people who don’t.

CalzoneGolem > shop-teacher 06/16/2016 at 12:10

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Ah I thought it might just be a leak that left it uncharged but with all that you’re best to ditch it.

shop-teacher > PartyPooper2012 06/16/2016 at 12:47

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I don’t like beans or cabbage, so you’re safe there :)

Also no AC, so plenty of windows down time.

shop-teacher > CalzoneGolem 06/16/2016 at 12:48

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Yep!

PartyPooper2012 > shop-teacher 06/16/2016 at 12:55

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I don’t need AC. I can stick my elbow out of the window with beltlines being low enough. Much better feeling

shop-teacher > DynamicWeight 06/16/2016 at 12:55

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Jack stands are a must no matter what. A friend of mine, an auto shop teacher, once used my truck to demonstrate to his class how to jack up a vehicle with a full frame. Just after he got the jack stand under there, the gianormous floor jack that took two people if you were going to try to pick it up gave way and dropped my truck. That sure got that classes attention. Goes to show you that you just never know.

DynamicWeight > shop-teacher 06/16/2016 at 13:07

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Sheesh! Thanks for that story. One more to add to the mental list I go through every time I jack the car up and the underside looks so inviting to “just check that one thing”.

shop-teacher > PartyPooper2012 06/16/2016 at 13:28

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It’s a beautiful thing!

shop-teacher > DynamicWeight 06/16/2016 at 13:29

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You’re welcome. It weighs heavy on me every rim I get under a vehicle. No pun intended :)

fryguy > shop-teacher 06/16/2016 at 13:36

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In addition to helping, I learned “thangs” that day. Let me know re: the radiator.