From: in2dadark on
On Nov 8, 8:34 pm, Hachiroku $B%O%A%m%/(B <Tru...(a)e86.GTS> wrote:
> $150 bucks on eBay, 120 miles from home. Didn't think you could go that
> far in Mass and not run into the ocean...
>
> Of all the fears I had, the one was that the brake lines were rusted out.
> Anything else I can deal with. But I have AAA Plus, so a tow is a phone
> call away, as long as I could drive the thing ~30 miles.
>
> We got there and couldn't find the place, and then I looked and saw a
> REALLY nice looking '92 Grand Caravan LE sitting in a parking lot. YUP! We
> pulled in and George came out to meet us. It had no anti freeze in it, so
> I had 2 gallons with me.
>
> George told me when he moved it, the brake pedal went to the floor. This
> can be a common problem on these vans, so I didn't think a lot at first.
> We filled the radiator and then I asked George to start it. One turn of
> the key and the motor jumped to life, with just a little tappet noise. Not
> bad for $150. Looks good, good motor, but the brakes...
>
> I asked the guy who drove me out to look while I pressed the brakes, and
> he said, Yeah, there's stuff running out over here...kinda gushing...
>
> But I haven't stepped on the brakes yet!
>
> Um, kinda smells like GAS, too!
>
> Shut it down and went to have a look. YUP! Gas. I went underneath for a
> look, and the fuel filter had some rust and was pissing gas out when the
> fuel pump was running. AutoZone two miles down the road? No problem! 15
> minute job. OK, with the van OFF, do you see anything NOW?
>
> Yup...your side.
>
> I reached up underneath, and the ONE THING I was hoping wasn't
> wrong...was. The brake lines going to the rear were pretty rotten.
> AAA will tow it, but only 100 miles. I only needed to go 30 miles, but NO
> WAY! But I called them. HINT: NEVER TELL AAA FUEL IS LEAKING!!! NOW we
> have to get the Fire Department here to make sure it's safe to move.
>
> Forty minutes later, no FD< so the guy came out. He's going to put a piece
> of fuel line in it and replace the brake lines, and we'll try again next
> week. It wasn't really in bad shape at all. One rust bubble on the
> passenger's fender, and a rusting rocker panel. The guitar player says he
> can replace that no problem, and we'll have to spray the hood because of
> peeling paint, but other than that the body was in really good shape.
>
> Ah, well, next week...we had better get a LOT of gigs...

Ah.. you crazy teenagers..
From: clare on
On Mon, 09 Nov 2009 14:24:50 -0500, Hachiroku ???? <Trueno(a)e86.GTS>
wrote:

>On Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:51:44 -0500, clare wrote:
>
>> On Mon, 9 Nov 2009 11:12:53 -0800, "ron" <randus3(a)teranews.com> wrote:
>>
>>>doesn't sound quite rusty enough to pull a Flintstone.
>>>
>>>ron
>>
>>
>> Vice grips. Find where the line gets solid. Cut it off. Squeese it flat.
>> bend it over. squeese it again. Clamp the vice grips on tight and tie to
>> the frame. Drive the heap home.
>
>I had thought of that, too. If it had been ~35-40 miles I would have done
>it. 132 miles...uh, thanks, no... ;)
>
>
I got stuck doing it on the 96 Mystique - broke down in Toronto on my
eldest daughter. Went down with the van to see if I could fix it.
Couldn't, so pinched off the line and drove it home to Waterloo on the
401. Left the van for the daughter, Before I could get the line fixed,
that night I get a phone call. The darn van quit (blew the engine) 3/4
of the way to Toronto - so back on th 401 with only front brakes to go
rescue her at about 11 pm. - and back home.

Total distance about 135 miles on the busyest highway in Canada.
From: Hachiroku ハチロク on
On Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:23:14 -0500, clare wrote:

> On Mon, 09 Nov 2009 14:24:50 -0500, Hachiroku ???? <Trueno(a)e86.GTS> wrote:
>
>>On Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:51:44 -0500, clare wrote:
>>
>>> On Mon, 9 Nov 2009 11:12:53 -0800, "ron" <randus3(a)teranews.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>>doesn't sound quite rusty enough to pull a Flintstone.
>>>>
>>>>ron
>>>
>>>
>>> Vice grips. Find where the line gets solid. Cut it off. Squeese it
>>> flat. bend it over. squeese it again. Clamp the vice grips on tight and
>>> tie to the frame. Drive the heap home.
>>
>>I had thought of that, too. If it had been ~35-40 miles I would have done
>>it. 132 miles...uh, thanks, no... ;)
>>
>>
> I got stuck doing it on the 96 Mystique - broke down in Toronto on my
> eldest daughter. Went down with the van to see if I could fix it.
> Couldn't, so pinched off the line and drove it home to Waterloo on the
> 401. Left the van for the daughter, Before I could get the line fixed,
> that night I get a phone call. The darn van quit (blew the engine) 3/4 of
> the way to Toronto - so back on th 401 with only front brakes to go rescue
> her at about 11 pm. - and back home.
>
> Total distance about 135 miles on the busyest highway in Canada.

Good thing it wasn't on Lakeshore Blvd sometime around July 17th! :)


Quite familiar with the 401...hit the highest speed I *EVER* went in a car
on that road. Had a Honda Prelude and a Volvo Bertone BLAST past me, so I
took my 1985 Corolla GTS w/10,000 miles on it for a run. When I hit 128
MPH the Honda and the Bertone were STILL pulling away from me, so I
figured I better back it down. 75 (120) sure felt SLOW!