I’ve been feeling for a while like random tasks have been piling up, to the point where I took a day this week just to get a few things done. Last weekend I did some work on everyone’s bicycles, and I also had to rebuild the support that holds out our mailbox. But I ran out of time Sunday while the todo list keeps increasing.
The specific motivator was that my Mustang, being and old car, wouldn’t start this spring. The car is mechanically sound, but alot of the hoses and gaskets are just old. So I had to get it towed to garage, which was kind of a big deal. The place I took it to a couple years back to get the carburetor worked on (basically they replaced all the gaskets and seals in it), that specialized in classic cars, is no longer in business, so I took it to my main local mechanic. It turned out the problem was the fuel pump was leaky and needed to be replaced, a fairly straightforward fix. While they were at it also replaced a radiator hose. I drove it home and it’s nice to be running again. The engine was a bit rough but it was a cold rainy day so it didn’t get warmed up. I need to take it out on the highway for a good run this weekend until I get that warm rumbly feeling of anachronistic V-8 power. I’m also wondering if it could use new shocks. Also, this is the year I hope to get the body painted. I have been saying that every year for the past few years, but this time I really mean it! Still there’s always something coming up that demands my attention, so we’ll see how it goes. The first step is to shop around for a body shop to do the work.
The other fixit project is my garage door opener, which stopped working last week and was conveniently easy to reach with the Mustang away at the shop. The motor spins and goes on and off, but the drivetrain and the door don’t move. I took it apart to find the main gear — which inexplicably was made out of soft plastic — was completely stripped and snowlike shavings all over the inside of the box. Also the main axle was seized. I lubed up the moving parts and tracks for the garage door to make it easier to slide, suspecting the problem was excessive strain on the gears. I ordered a replacement gear kit, so hopefully when it arrives I can put it back in working order.