Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[chriscol]

Hi All,

Nice to meet you - my first post here. I wonder if anyone could give me some advice.

I recently inherited a 1969 Chevrolet Caprice that has seen better days. I'd like to undertake as much restoration as possible myself. However I know very little about cars. I'm ready & willing to learn, but pragmatic enough to accept there might be some repairs that are just beyond me! (Or should only be attempted by people who know what they're doing.)

So I've had a mechanic look at the car. He drew up a list of everything that requires attention, and I thought I'd join the Forum to ask if anyone has an opinion on which repairs a novice like me could attempt, and which repairs are best left to a professional?

List as follows:

• Electrical overhaul - many of lights do not work, etc. - extent of damage unknown
  
• Complete tuning to include: a) new battery, b) new spark plugs, c) oil filter, d) fuel filter, e) air filter, f) belts, g) oil change
  
• Overhaul of steering box
  
• AC and interior fan not working
  
• Water pump needs to be changed

...and of course there may be more things wrong, the list is based on a preliminary inspection only

I assume I should be able to undertake the tuning at least. But when it comes to the others, I don't really know, e.g. whether they're likely to be too intricate for a beginner, etc.

So if anyone has any thoughts, I'd be grateful for any advice.

Many thanks!
Chris

[peter scott]

Hi Chris,

Welcome to the forum.

With general purpose tools you should be able to tackle everything on your list bar the AC.

Peter
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http://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk
1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon

[Rick]

Welcome to the forum,

Most jobs should be possible, but before diving in I'd recommend buying any manuals that you can find for it, and learning as much as possible about the car before getting the spanners out. Amazon and ebay would be good places to start hunting. Have you got access to a decent toolkit?

Also, try and see if anyone else in your area has a similar car. Seeing another car, and being able to call on other owners when things get tricky, is always a big help.

As Peter says, the air con job isn't really DIY, and a steering box overhaul may be another job that'd need farming out, but with suitable reference books, tools, and a healthy dose of patience and time then the other jobs should be achievable.

Has the car been out of use for a long time?

You may find that an evening course on vehicle maintenance, if there is one local to you, may be of use (assuming it doesn't just cover very modern cars with their electronics).

RJ
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[47Jag]

Chris,

Is the car a 6 or 8 cylinder? I ask because you will need a dwell meter to set up the points. You will need some sort of multi-meter to investigate the electrical problems so make sure your purchase can do dwell as well as the usual electrical functions. The steering boxes are usually quite rugged however the idler arms are a bit naff and the rubber bushings fail. What problems have been diagnosed? They are easy cars to work on so don't be afraid to tackle most jobs. What is the problem with the AC? You say there are electrical problems so the fault might just be the compressor clutch is not being energised. With a glamorous assistant and the engine running, get them to turn the AC on. You should hear a click and on the compressor should start turning. If it does, it might need a re-gassing (specialist job). Where are you? There may be one among us who can help.

Art

[V8 Nutter]

That is good advice from Art. I have rebuilt American steering boxes in the past, but I don't know if the parts are available for your Chevy, they probably are. Most spares are readily available and the prices are usually very good, buying direct from America is easy enough but sometimes the cost of shipping can be a bit expensive.

[MVPeters]

Good responses from Rick & Art.
Are you in the UK or the US?

These cars are pretty agricultural. Aside from the sheer size & weight you'll be able to do most jobs.
Tune-up, oil & plugs - all straightforward.
Lights - most likely blown bulbs & corroded wiring plugs.
Heater fan - most likely the fan resistor, probably to the right of the back of the fan, under the hood. 2 screws & a multi-pin plug. You can bypass it with a paper clip to see if the fan is OK. If it is, $20 - $30 will get you a new resistor pack.
A/C - leave this til last. Probably needs a re-charge. In the US re-charge kits are freely available, another $20 - $30. The compressor won't kick in unless there's a little pressure in the system. As long as it doesn't seize up, you can run it for ever.
Water pump - yes almost certainly needs changing. Maybe $150 tops.
Steering - the box is probably as fine as it's ever going to be. Look at tie rod ends, ball joints & upper/lower control arm bushes first. Think of cruise ship steering.

These things are built like rusty tanks. 300,000+++ miles is not uncommon. They were the car of choice for Police & taxi use for years.
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2002 MINI Cooper 'S'

[chriscol]

Many thanks, All, for the responses - they're extremely helpful.

To answer some of the questions that have come up: The car is an 8 cylinder. It has been out of use since around 2003, though it wasn't used much for a decade or so prior to that. Unfortunately it hasn't been stored well since then.

I'm not sure what precisely is wrong with the steering box or AC - I just know the headline issues from the mechanic. So it sounds like my next step should be to attempt to diagnose with the tips you've kindly given me. I must say I feel reassured about tackling the restoration thanks to you guys. It seems I'd be hard pressed to do any serious damage, given the size and weight.

I've bought a manual on eBay (waiting for it to arrive) and I've got some tools, though probably not everything I'll need. I still need to look into multi-meters as well.

I forgot to mention there's also some rust damage to the roof, which I think I'll have a professional see to, to prevent further deterioration while I'm getting up to speed on everything else. Does that sound sensible?

I'm based in London, UK and really like your idea, Rick, of finding a suitable evening course. If anyone can think of other handy London-area sources of help, please feel free to suggest.

Thanks again, gents, I really appreciate it.

Chris

[47Jag]

Chris,

It would be worthwhile joining one of the classic American car clubs. I'm sure V8Nutter could point you in the correct direction.

Art

[Rick]

It'd be interesting to see a few photos of the car if you're able to add any in?

RJ
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[rcx822]

Hi Chris,

With the right people to give you advice you can achieve anything with effort and time.

One thing I've noticed though is that when you start out everything is very very very slow. Once you gather experience it all gets quicker. Jobs that now take me a weekend used to take me weeks and weeks before. My first project took years and not much was achieved.

Your list of fixes looks pretty simple, just looks like it needs some attention and fixes. Check for rust though as that would require more work to sort.

Electrical overhaul
- So long as the wiring harness is ok then it's usually just bulbs and bulb connectors.

Complete tuning
- Well this is just a service!

Overhaul of steering box
- Whats the mileage? Some steering boxes just have an adjuster that allows you to "adjust out" the wear.

AC and interior fan not working
- Nothing major

Water pump needs to be changed
- Service item

[ukdave2002]

You can buy DIY aircon re-gassing kits in Halfords, though the cost doesn't look much cheaper than the £40 a garage would charge....unless the kits do multiple re-gasses?

Dave

[V8 Nutter]

As Art has said it is probably worth joining a club. I am a founder member of the American Auto Club U.K. We have a website and a face book page, take a look and see what you think. As a club member you will get cheaper insurance and discount on parts from several dealers.

I am not sure but I dont think the old refrigerant that was originally used in your A.C. is still available (E.U. regs). Your system will need a few minor mods to use the modern stuff.

[MikeEdwards]

[MVPeters]

Things have changed recently, at least in the US.
When R12 was outlawed there were hugely expensive conversions to seals, compressors, the drier etc.
I think R134a has been re-formulated to deal with this.
Now we can easily buy the adapters etc. All you really need is the low-pressure side port adapter, so that the Halfords kit fits.
One can should be enough to get the compressor to kick in, 2 cans will more or less fill the system.
If that doesn't work, then an expensive trip to an A/C specialist will be needed.
Watch this video & especially read the comments down below it, then you can judge!
I've done this once on an old Volvo & it worked great.

It's a bit like the leaded gas conversion, few folks in the US bothered to do anything but fill the gas tank.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__alchrw7CE

Mike - 97 Lincoln Town Car with 325,000 miles & a Cooper 'S'.
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Mike - MVPeters at comcast.net
2002 MINI Cooper 'S'

[chriscol]

Thanks again, gents, for all the helpful replies. I'm extremely excited to have found such a hive of knowledge and advice.

Rick, I'll take some photos when I'm next with the car and upload them like you suggest. I'll also definitely check out the American Auto Club U.K.

In fact I'll go and do that right now...