here was the existing rotor, causing considerable vibration, and the nice new one

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so a few updates.

Finally installed a new car stereo. I recommend the Sony CDX-GT57UP.

Primary reason is the stock lighting is exactly the same shade of red as the manual climate control knobs. looks good.


Also, I hadn't mentioned, but id proposed a long term maintenance contract with the previous owner of the car last january.
This contract was worded as a "marriage", and the contract stipulates continued vehicular maintenance and repair. Official terms of the contract were agreed to and rings of office exchanged this last weekend.

To establish a base line on vehicle condition, a 1200 mile road trip in this car was embarked upon to test its systems. The only failure was an injector return line, instantly repaired as part of my contractual obligations.

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Congratulation! May you have a very long, heathy and happy life together! As well as a very long, healthy and happy maintenance contract!

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1983 123.133 California
- GreaseCar Veg System

thanks!

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Congrats!

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$60 OM617 Blank Exhaust Flanges
$110 OM606 Blank Exhaust Flanges
No merc at the moment

thanks!

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so I had two events on my recent road trip in this car.

We did a pretty demanding 580 miles one way, and over 600 on the way back.
I cruised at about 68-70 the whole time. The car performed flawlessly, BUT, on the way back, I had two large puffs of smoke. The first time was in daylight, and was definitely black smoke, and it was two lanes full, big enough cloud to obscure cars behind me for a moment.

There was no change in engine note, or variation of throttle, I was running about 70 with my foot maintaining. Freaked me out a little, then after a couple more hours, it happened again, this time at night, so I can't be sure of the color, but another large puff of smoke.

Ive been reading up and it doesn't feel like carbon blowing out. I have a simplified 1980 air intake pre EGR also.
I can't imagine it being carbon blowing out, not after nearly 800 miles immediately before with the same heavy load. Any thoughts on what this might be?

The car runs better than ever, the drive definitely was good for it, though I need motor mounts I think

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Congrats John!

Congratulations are indeed in order!

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1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!

Thanks everybody!

more manual steering commentary-

Just put on my snow tires (thanks gatorblue for the steel wheels!)

What an incredible difference the rubber compound of the tire makes in steering ease, with the soft snow tires, the steering has bumped up to nearly that of power steering for ease of turning. Just shy of being able to parallel park one handed.

I am amazed. Its so different that for a few minutes I thought something was broken, and after checking over all parts of the steering, its all in the soft rubber. What I find really weird is I had this exact brand snow tire on my manual steering VW as well, and summer and winter snow tires made no difference on that car, but its a huge difference on this one.

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Anytime!

How does it look with the wheels sans hubcaps? Those wheels I sent are better suited to running naked than the ones with all the holes in them.

Its militant looking, ill take a pic for you soon, they are nicely coated with salt, getting seasoned

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Be sure to throw on some pepper for balance. It's never good to have unbalanced wheels.

But seriously, since you just did some major rust repair on the car, how are you planning on protecting it from the effects of winter roads? Are you oilcoating it? Rinsing it once a week? Inquiring minds want to know .

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"Senior Luna, your sense of humor is still loco... but we love it, anyway." -rickymay ____ "Your sense of humor is still loco... " -MBeige ____ "Señor Luna, your sense of humor is quite järjetön" -Delibes

1982 300SD -- 211k, Texas car, tranny issues ____ 1979 240D 4-speed 234k -- turbo and tuned IP, third world taxi hot rod

2 Samuel 12:13: "David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die."

here you are, looks pretty good IMO-

Steel wheel with winter tire-



mounted in its element-

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2 things-

1. Washing salt off as much as possible temperature permitting (frozen locks and door seals ripping = bad). Salt is preferable to tearing your driver door seal off or breaking your key, been there done that for both

2. Being comfortable with the fact that winter use, and really any use of the car will attack and destroy paint and body work forever, and that body repair will forever be an ongoing maintenance factor.
Far too many people see rust as a death knell for a car and freak out if the car is showing rust problems; it helps if you consider rust in the same light as tires. Periodically, rust repair will need to happen, just like replacing tires. If you stay on top of it from minute one with that mentality, you can keep the car going for a long time. It took 20 years for the car to develop the rust it now has, if you knock it flat and keep it clean, it will take another 20 years for the car to develop rust just as bad.

This car has rotten doors, and a rotten passenger floor. Thats next years project for me. After thats done, it will go for a long time without new rust repair, im sure there will be plenty of touch ups, but no major work for a while. Locally we see winter weather, but nothing like I used to deal with living in upstate NY, so it shouldn't kill the car as fast.

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