Not a Garage, Part II

As I mentioned in a previous post, I haven't been working on the Eldorado much because I've been building a shed. Here is a photo:



This is actually the state it has been in for the last 6 or so weeks. It needs some finishing touches like door handles, second coat of paint, some trim work, etc., but it is a full functioning shed. By that, I mean it holds a bunch of crap!

I installed some shelves and pegboard in the shed last weekend to help me get things organized. I still need to build a lockable cabinet in there to hold some expensive tools. I was going to try and get around to that this upcoming weekend, but other obligations are creeping up.

I haven't driven the Caddy since the weekend I put the starter in. The car starts a lot quicker now, usually.

I had Caddy-appropriate errands to run last weekend, but things were hectic and I didn't have time to go through the checklist (oil, fluids, tire pressure, belts, etc.) before driving off, so I drove the truck.

So, what's a Caddy-appropriate errand? Grocery shopping, library, visiting friends, dinner, etc.

Not Caddy-appropriate? Going to the hardware/home improvement store for big things like shelves or lumber, getting landscape materials - those are jobs for the pickup. Also, driving in the rain is not Caddy-appropriate. I didn't buy a convertible to drive it with the top up.

Caddy-essential tasks? Cruisin' and lookin' good!

New Starter

I'm feeling pretty proud of myself this evening - I successfully replaced the starter on the Eldorado. Happily, the engine started right up after installing the new starter. I took the car for a quick spin and everything seems to be fine.

I did the work this afternoon and things went pretty smoothly. Only two hassles - first, the old starter (pictured above) didn't want to come out. A few whacks with a big hammer took care of that.

Second, the ring connector on one of the wires connecting to the starter came off, so I had to take a quick trip to the auto parts for a replacement. I also picked up some GOJO while there.

I live on a busy street so I parked my truck behind the Caddy and put some orange cones to the side to lessen the chance of somebody hitting the car. It would suck if somebody side-swiped the car. It would be really bad if I was under it when they did it.



Usually, I work on the Caddy in the driveway, but this is where the tow truck dropped it.

Here is another photo of the Eldorado while I was working on it.

Road Trip!

I took a quick trip up to Chattanooga, leaving on Friday, returning on Saturday. The Caddy drove great the whole time, doing about 70-75 mph on the 250 mile round-trip.

No pictures, though, it was such a quick trip I didn't feel like taking a camera... The Eldorado got about 12 mpg. That's a little less than I was hoping for - I'd be ecstatic if I got 15 mpg.

It was a sunny & hot drive both ways, but I applied sunscreen regularly so I didn't get burned (at least not sunburned, maybe a little wind-burned).

Anyway, I stopped for gas about 20 miles from home and the darn car wouldn't start after I got done filling it up! Sounds like the starter to me.

Called AAA and they gave me a tow home. I tried to take some photos with my cellphone, but that piece of junk wouldn't save the pictures. (Don't get me started on my pos phone - it sucks and I'm surprised the battery didn't give out when I was calling AAA even though it claimed to have a full charge...) The driver was a real nice guy and gently dropped the car in front of the house.

Looks like a new starter will be about $40-50. Gotta look at the service manual to see how hard it will be to put in.

And, while the Caddy did die on me, it didn't die in Chattanooga or on the highway. I read a book in the shade while waiting on the tow. So, I'm not at all upset or disappointed with the car. We had a great time and got lots of looks and compliments on the trip.

Seat Belts

So, I'm heading home last night about 8:00, cruising on the downtown connector.

Blue lights in my rear view mirror. "Ah, this state trooper wants to get by me", I think, "he certainly can't want to pull me over". So I move over a lane. He follows me and hits his siren. "Crap!". I pull over.

The following thoughts go through my head in a matter of seconds:

• It must be speeding. I was speeding. But, I wasn't go faster than anybody else, slower than some. It's Atlanta, for crying out loud, everybody speeds. Can't be speeding.
• Something fell off the car. Hubcap? Muffler? I didn't hear anything, though.
• Ah, he must be curious about my awesome, awesome car. Yes! That's it.

Then I notice a second set of flashing lights behind the car that pulled me over. There are two state troopers on the shoulder behind me.

• DRUGS! They see me in this pimp-mobile and think I'm a drug dealer. Crap!

The officer approaches my vehicle. "Where's your seat belt?" he demands.

I gesture to the lap belt secured across my hips.

Trooper: "No shoulder belt?"
Me: "No sir, these cars didn't come with shoulder belts".
Trooper: "Let me see your driver's license". Examines my drivers license for about one second.
"Where you going?"
Me: "I'm going home". We've pulled over near the exit to my house.
Trooper, handing back driver's license: "Have a nice day".
Me: "Thank you, sir! Have a nice day!"

I had seen ads on TV about stepped up enforcement of seat belt laws, but never paid much attention because I always wear them. So this was definitely a surprise for me.

Maybe I need to get a bumper sticker that says "Vehicle not equipped with shoulder belts".

Not a Garage

Well, haven't been doing much with the Caddy because I am working on building a shed.



No, it's not a garage, but it will be housing spare parts and tools for the Eldorado.

I thought I'd get the shed finished this week, but things are taking longer than I expected. About four more weekends worth of work I think - roofing, building doors, siding, painting.

Been rainy the last few days, but got the Caddy out earlier this week to run some errands and just do some cruisin'.

Brakes

I broke down and took the Eldorado into the shop last week to have the brakes worked on. That squeal was driving me crazy and it doesn't look like I'm going to have time to work on them anytime soon.

So, $483.30 later, I have new brakes. Yay! $242 of that was labor, which is quite an incentive to do stuff myself. But, they got it done in one day - who knows how long it would have taken me?

Anyway, I got new brake pads and rotors on the front wheels,and new shoes on the rear brakes.

No more squeal!

The perfect example of a gas-guzzling land barge in the era of escalating fuel prices

Surfin' the 'net, found a couple of sites dealing with Eldorado history:

Last Great American Whale

Gas Guzzlers of the 70s

There isn't anything that says "pimp" quite like this car.

So, as you can see my current 8 mpg is a bit low. Some folks on Internet Cadillac enthusiast groups claim to get close to 20 mpg highway with these cars. Those cars are fastidiously maintained and well-tuned. I also assume they are driving with the top up and driving the speed limit (or the old 55 mph speed limit).

While my baby runs well, it is certainly not perfectly tuned; I don't drive it with the top up, and I drive fast - 70+++ mph.

Well, I guess that explains why I'm not getting 16 mpg...