Repair-It

The search is over: http://columbia.craigslist.org/cto/5348910764.html

Bob wrote:The search is over: http://columbia.craigslist.org/cto/5348910764.html

Score, low miles!

kevm14 wrote:I guess I thought it would be faster than that given the power and weight.

I wonder what differential ratio that has to support a 190mph top speed. If only there was some way to calculate that...

http://charlotte.craigslist.org/cto/5342114958.html The seller thinks highly of the LT1.

Now here's a real conundrum. That episode of Top Gear with the Town Car limo would have been better with this Fleetwood. But, a Fleetwood would have been destroyed. See the difficulty?

I think I would be okay with that since supply far exceeds demand by the time a limo is 20 years old.

Yeah but more Fleetwoods is more better.

Actually, I guess you're right. Which is why these aren't really worth anything. It goes from an expensive thing that makes money, to a thing that's too old to make money and is largely undesirable for any other purpose. Too old not because of function, but because of perception. Same reason luxury cars all depreciate badly. The reliability issues over time/miles are just another factor.

Nicely preserved example here: http://hickory.craigslist.org/cto/5321382938.html

Somewhat recently (call it 6-8 months) I have noticed the first 2-3 shift of the day has been quite soft. That shift happens at light throttle as I am only driving like 25 mph. All successive shifts are normal.

Yesterday, I was at 1/3rd to 1/2 throttle for the 2-3 shift and it felt like that first cold shift. What it feels like is 2nd releases a bit before 3rd engages. A small "shift flare" as they call it. A regular person wouldn't have even noticed. But I'm wondering if this transmission is on its way out...

I should check the fluid.

On the commute everything was normal. Same soft first 2-3 shift, and then every other shift is normal.

Maybe I need to get a little more serious about another B-body. I don't know that I can justify any powertrain repairs to my Caprice. I'd much rather spend every dollar of that on a replacement car and/or mods to that car. Getting a junkyard 4L60 doesn't help if my next B-body is an LT1. Any powertrain repair at this point should probably lead directly to a major overhaul. And by overhaul I mean engine swap. I COULD go through the trouble to engine swap my Caprice, and at some point in the future when the rust takes over, put it in another B-body...

It's funny - the difference between being casual about replacing a car and being desperate can be defined by a couple of funny 2-3 shifts...

Not that I should be THAT desperate. I still have the Ranger. But that's like the Bruce Springsteen scooter in the Vietnam Top Gear special. It's better than walking but you don't really want to use it.

Unfortunately, the supply of interesting B-bodies seems to have dried up here. That super clean white RMS in SC may still be available...