Wednesday, August 8

Old cars... don't get me started


One of the niggles with the Dodge in the past few weeks has been a leaking power steering pump pressure hose.

So I decided to replace it.

Seemingly a simple job. One nut at each end, remove, replace, refill, sorted.

But no, of course fucking not.

The VIN identifies the engine as a 1982 Camaro 305 V8. There is only one pressure hose that fits 1980-85 Camaro V8s, and I ordered it. After waiting 10 days for it to come from the States and paying £45 for a $20 part, I finally find time to fit it.

Removing the leaking old one is not simple. The nut has been tightened so severely onto the pump housing fitting that I have to cut the hose in order to get enough purchase on the nut to remove it. It's a dirty, oily job as the far end of the hose is hidden under, up and behind the pump, next to the engine block.

I emerge, blackened, from under the truck, dribbling old hose triumphantly held aloft like the still-beating heart of a Aztec sacrificial victim. I reach for the new one and... um. Oh. It's a good four inches shorter than the one I've just butchered.

I don't know any Camaro experts. I am out of pocket, out of time, out of patience and will now have to ride into the city today to try to get a new hose custom made to match the old one.

I know, I know. Don't buy old stuff. Buy new stuff that works. Stop whingeing.

But if I stopped whingeing, this wouldn't be much of a blog, would it?

5 comments:

Blue said...

You're allowed to whine when you have to do the job at the side of the road.... ;)

goosegreen_63 said...

Nice story i feel.

Crusty McTuft said...

Yeah but at least you can fix old stuff on your drive when it breaks. No need for a £££££ trip to garage

grant said...

try getting stuff like that from Classic Performance Products, www.classicperform.com they are great guys and have lots of stuff for modified old vehicles. I've used their universal GM PS line kits on all kinds of stuff.

deluxestyling said...

Think Automotive http://www.thinkauto.com/index.html would have made a pair up using the ends and cut hoses as a templates. Good people and easy to work with.