Chris/Marc's project

[Ol'fogasaurus]

I like the color combination Chris. Have you looked into Foremost insurance. I used them for off-road for a while; no claims, no problems so that is the best I can give you.

I am not sure about street driving though here is their web site: http://foremost.com/. They used to go through independent insurance agents/brokers but now it seems they have expanded. I think I heard that they may be kind of like Lloyds but I am not positive about it.

Lee

[Chris V]

That's one I hadn't heard of, but it looks as though their policies are underwritten by JC Taylor...which has fair reviews from what I've seen, but does not meet my criteria. Thanks though.

- Locate a Foremost Agent
- Go to the JC Taylor Web site, our affiliate service center, to request a quote online. Or call 1-888-ANTIQUE to speak to a representative.
- Work directly with JC Taylor, our affiliate service center:
Antique or Classics: Call 1-888-ANTIQUE to speak to a representative.
Modifieds: Call 1-877-HOT RODS to speak to a representative.

[Marc]

I like the color combination...

When we got the car years ago it had matching stock-width steel fenders (which have gone off to serve elsewhere)...the gray is just CCC's gelcoat color, I do expect to paint them someday but it's not at the top of the priority list. They're very subtle so don't show up much in the photos, but there are ghost flames on the sides. I think the primary body color is 1998 Dodge Neon "Intense Blue" but I'm not certain - the car came with a pint that's probably garbage by now but there should be a code on the can (wherever it is).

...What do you think of putting a couple fat washers between the top of the shock and the shock tower? There's enough thread on the top-stud I think...

That'd effective increase the shock's compressed length, so it'd be more likely to hit the snubbers. Wouldn't really care if it was just temporary for a show, and since it'd only be about an inch it shouldn't be a big deal when daily-driving at max height...I suppose it'd be worth a try, but realistically I don't have any plans to ever drop it any so the Puma beam's pretty much going to waste on this car.

[Chris V]

I think I would like to experiment with the Sway-A-Way 20% stiffer torsion bars as the car is so heavy...Though, I haven't really even driven it since I setup the Whiteline-bar upon doing the last alignment...

[Ol'fogasaurus]

I still like the (color) blue (you have) & grey color combination

I accessed Foremost through my independent agent. Sorry it didn't work out for you but I will look around; every-so-often I run into something like that especially when not looking for it.

If you have been with someone (an insurance company & agent) a long time you may find out that they will underwrite you on stuff they don't normally do.

Lee

[Chris V]

...
If you have been with someone (an insurance company & agent) a long time you may find out that they will underwrite you on stuff they don't normally do.

Lee

Sure, but they can't make up anything...There's several underwriters out there for classics, and everyone who says they offer classic car insurance uses them to the best of my knowledge.

One of the most irritating things with our Progressive agent was his knee-jerk reaction to offer everything I wanted without knowing the policies available...so while possible, it can be entirely foolish to bother with someone with no background with the policies. It's like talking to a politician.

The guy at USAA was quick to tell me he has no experience, gave me the number of their underwriter and told me to go over coverage directly with them, and once armed with knowledge to come back - I have no problem doing the leg-work, and it just may have taught the guy something if their underwriter offered anything. The gal from the underwriter was less helpful and I had to 'dig' for information as it certainly wasn't offered up. It's been a couple weeks now but I recall they could offer something like upto 7500 miles but no simple pleasure or to/from work driving...had to be parades and whatnot. They offer such a high mileage to such restricted cars so that a small minority may go on the route 66 power-tour.

[Chris V]

Well, a few hundred miles have passed, mileage is around 20MPG so far with the mystery motor, which is actually enough, even though she's a heavy girl. Finally added a check-rod to the driver's door, and the correct grommets for the hood emblem (which I removed from his new-off-the-lot `69 and cleaned up), and popped-in the two grommets to either-side of the adjustable rear apron snubber.

It hasn't been cold enough to test the rear window defroster unfortunately. Brakes are certainly working upto par. Transmission fluid should probably be changed sooner-than-later. And after grounding the gas gauge sender wire to confirm the sender was bad, it started working on its own a few days later. The speedometer is off three miles per hour around 66mph indicated is only 63 actual...and at 75mph indicated it's really 71. The seal from the windows and doors is great too, not the best, but still difficult to close the doors with the windows closed.

[turbobaja]

It hasn't been cold enough to test the rear window defroster unfortunately.

Try breathing on the window. The moisture from your breath should evaporate if the defroster grid is heating up the glass enough...or sometimes you can feel if the glass warms up with your hand, but the breath trick will tell you if it actually defrosts or not, and can pinpoint an open grid w/out waiting for cold weather.

[Marc]

It's a new rear window, obtained at considerable expense, and the grid is just fine. I've used it a few times in the AM to clear light fogging, there just hasn't been an opportunity yet to give it a real test versus heavy fog/frost - we'll have to wait until fall for that, but I'm confident it'll be excellent.
Back in the day when I managed a VW shop, we'd pick up a half-dozen or so windows at the junkyard (selected using an ohmmeter to find those with the least resistance across the grid) and prop them up overnight outside the building to get a nice frost present; in the morning, we'd apply power and judge how nicely they functioned in clearing it to assign a dollar value to each one. That was 30 years ago and even then the really good ones were few and far between, I wouldn't expect to find a used one that's even minimally functional anymore.

[turbobaja]

Ya, I thing I gave about $100 too much for my new defrosting rear glass too, they sure are proud of 'em. I haven't tested mine either. About 14 years ago I slapped a JC Whitney ??? Brand aftermarket grid on a standard glass and it worked pretty good for maybe 8 years daily, but I haven't seen a kit like that available in a while.

Great to hear you're cruising that thing around, I hope to see it on the road some day!

[Chris V]

Well, I stole a couple more amps from the baja and mounted them, then the 10" woofer, installed both kick panel speakers, sound deadening in the doors, 3 mil vapor barrier, new door cards,...so now the blue car has some fairly rockin' tunes.

It drives pretty well, fiddled with the timing the other day - but it needs a valve-adjustment and oil change...The longest trip has been upto Lynnwood, then Everett, then out to Monroe for the season opener...Hoping to hit-up CFTC, but probably won't be seeing the summit.

I did put a wicked dent in the passenger rear quarter the other day on a test-drive...the subwoofer wasn't held-down and I gave it just a little more than I should have through a corner and it launched it and put and outward facing dent in the panel...the only saving grace is that's the same panel that needed work already, no biggie I hope.

[Ol'fogasaurus]

Ya shoulda dropped by!!

Lee

[Chris V]

I was in a hurry that day or it would have been nice...Have you seen the first part of the new sign we put up? It'll be a little longer before the other half and power are finished I believe - though Doug is a handy guy. He was planning on driving down 99 past the Volvo dealer to see how far away he could spot the building.

I've killed the battery in the 2000 Chevy 1-ton a couple times lately being so used to the Dakota Digital controlling the lighting in the Beetle. Both the bonehead from Grease Monkey and NAPA didn't know the proper way to connect the jumper cables - The guy from NAPA even suggested my problem wasn't a dead battery when he was left scratching his head. I never thought I'd say this, but I was more impressed with the phone dispatcher lady and the fella in the roadside assistance phone call room than those that came to help.

Hopefully I'll find some time to finish the tune-up for CFTC tomorrow, about to head-out to Evergreen now...My Buddy managed to win his first heat-race a couple weeks ago and was wrecked-out by another friendly face of competition on the first lap of the main. Tonight we'll see how working on their cars the past couple weeks changes their driving styles.

[Ol'fogasaurus]

To be honest, I haven't been up there yet. Had too much to do with selling a house and all that which finally closed last night. We went out to Azteca to celebrate.

Which NAPA?

Lee

[Chris V]

Great news...Sequim or Port Angeles I believe, I was in Sequim at the time and the wait was brief.

I just drove my Uncle by the new shop on the way home from Martha Lake this morning to show him where they moved to.

My buddy got third place in the mini-stock main last night, and also the late models had their best showing in years, with a few South Sound boys and some Canadians too. Best part, only thing to break all day was a weld holding a hoodpin near the end of the race.