Continue reading »]]> If you are like me, I have my old college stereo in my shop.  The speakers are from the 80s, but they are Bose SA300.  They have sounded terrible for the last few years.  I pulled off the cover and found out why.  As you can see in the picture below, I am missing some foam around my woofer.

If you touched the foam it was just fall apart.  I knew it was time to look for new speakers.  Being the cheap, I started looking at Craigslist and Ebay for used speakers.  I already have a small new amplifier, and didn’t want to buy a whole new system.

What did I find on Ebay?  Replacement foam for my woofers!!  For under $15 for both speakers, I bought the new replacement foams.  There are a bunch of youtube posts showing you how to do this.  It is not a scary as you might think.  My speakers were already toast, so I gave it a try.

The first part is to remove the foam for both the cone and the metal.

I put the paper under the cone to lift the woofer up.  Doing that allow the gluing the foam to the paper without a problem.

Once you have the paper glued down the gluing to the metal ring was easy.

I am happy with the finished results.  The bass is back in my 80′s rap collection.

Continue reading »]]> Walking home from 5th grade the Friday of Labor Day weekend 1984 I was on a bit of a high. We were, after all, about to embark on a special trip north to see relatives in Minnesota. However, as I rounded the corner of the old Gromer’s Supermarket store [the building of which is now gone, in favor of a new fire station; I suppose SOME progress is good], my mood dropped considerably, as I didn’t see “my” 1976 Monte Carlo … anywhere. Oh, I knew it was in its last days with us; Mom and Dad were in the process of evaluating replacement vehicles, including a 1978 Caprice Classic sedan, but I didn’t expect it to just be … gone. Imagine my relief when my parents told me that it was in the garage. This possibility hadn’t crossed my young mind because, since they had purchased a 1981 MC SC (mine since December 1999), they routinely left the 1976 MC out when we went away, in an effort to make it look like people were home.

The reason “my” 1976 MC was in the garage (where it had been from the time Dad and Mom bought it in 1976 until they bought the 1981 MC in 1982) didn’t make me any happier. They had found a replacement vehicle that would become ours the next Tuesday evening. I was devastated. I wanted NO part of another car. The 1976 MC was MINE, for goodness sakes. While Dad and Mom finished preparations for the trip up to Minnesota that evening, I trudged myself out to the garage and just stared at “my” 1976 MC.

To say I enjoyed that Labor Day weekend with relatives in Minnesota doesn’t tell the entire story. I was, after all, one unhappy kid. I know my relatives in Minnesota didn’t understand why I was so unhappy, and I suspect that, even now, some 28 years later, they still don’t. The weekend, of course, flew by, and we were on the road home Monday morning with the intent of making it home so we could wash “my” 1976 MC one last time that evening. During that trip home, the expressway became a parking lot. We never found out the cause, though, as Dad did something that you aren’t supposed to do. He steered our 1981 MC SC through the grassy median and chose another route home.

I remember that next night, the Tuesday after Labor Day weekend 1984, almost as if it was yesterday. The front of “my” 1976 MC smiled at me when I got home from school, but as we drove away from the dealership later that evening in our “new” car (a used 1982 Chevette…hey, at least it was RWD!), I caught a glimpse of the tail end of “my” 1976 MC … and those taillights literally were frowning at me. I had always seen that “frown” in the rear end, but suddenly that night the frown was suddenly very huge and very real to this at-the-time 11-year-old kid.

I was reminded of all this recently when I found the results of a “title search” I did for that very 1976 MC, the car that started my automotive love affair. I re-discovered the results because, since my energy has increased, I’ve started the painstaking, long-overdue, and slow task of going through my many papers, files, belongings, etc. In that process, I’ve also come across a number of old magazines, clippings, and even some letters from people long since gone, whether by death, lost touch, or simply only vaguely remembering the signed name.

Through much of my high school senior year (1991-1992), my Dad kept asking me what year of Monte Carlo I would want to purchase. I kept telling him, 1979, the “halfway” point between 1970 and 1988, the model years of the original MC. Unbeknownst to me at the time, Dad was considering a search for their former 1976 MC. He never did the search, though. So, in 1993, after I had purchased my first car, a 1979 MC, which I still have, I decided to do just that.

When I received the results from the State of Illinois, I was heartbroken to see a junking certificate, though it wasn’t a complete surprise. From the titles the car had, it appeared “my” 1976 MC had 2 more owners after my parents. I wrote to both of them. One came back undeliverable (the person had moved away or died, I’m not sure which), the other reached its destination. Within a few weeks I received a response from the second person (mid September 1993), pictured below. In the letter, he notes that he didn’t take any pictures of the car or save any receipts. He also wrote, in part, “The guy I bought the car from had slid into a telephone pole. So after I got the car I had the frame straightened and a newer quarter panel put on.” … “I sold the car for $1500.00. The person I sold it to turned it into a stock car welded roll bars into it. He had been racing it when I left for the service. So I don’t know what happened to it after that.”

Not exactly what I was hoping to learn, but I was just thrilled to know SOME of what happened to “my” car after Dad and Mom traded it. I’ve wondered what might’ve happened had we done the search sooner, but of course, I’ll never know … and perhaps that is for the best. Given all of the privacy laws today, I’m not sure I’d have the same luck searching for my former 1988 MC LS, or for that matter, my parents’ former 1982 Chevette. I know the kid that bought my “Silver Bullet” did a lot of body work to it, but that doesn’t mean it is still on the road somewhere today. My parents’ 1982 Chevette probably is no longer on the road. Oh, we saw it parked at a house on the road between our house and my grandparents’ house, about a mile apart, for a few years after they traded it in 1990, but it’s been a long time since we’ve seen it. Maybe it’s being used on a dirt track somewhere….

Stranger things have happened. Now that I have the time, maybe I should start searching for my former 1988 MC LS and my parents’ former 1982 Chevette. Even though neither of those two carry the “nostalgic history” that my parents’ 1976 MC did, it might be fun and interesting to find out what happened to them….

Continue reading »]]> The foot wells on my 2012 Terrain did not have lights from the factory.  While looking on Terrain Forum, I found out the wiring is already in place for the lights.  All you need to do is install them.  The passenger side is the easiest one to do.  It doesn’t require more than a knife or scissors to cut the tape.  The driver side is a bit more involved, but still a normal DYIer can easy tackle the project.

Continue reading »]]> The foot wells on my 2012 Terrain did not have lights from the factory.  The SLT2 Terrains and LTZ Equinoxs come with the lights installed.  While looking on Terrain Forum, I found out the wiring is already in place for the lights.  All you need to do is install them.  The passenger side is the easiest one to do.  It doesn’t require more than a knife or scissors to cut the tape.  The driver side is a bit more involved, but still a normal DYIer can easy tackle the project.

Skill Level: 2 out of 10 for the Passenger Side.

Time: Half Hour.

You can buy the lights online from http://gmpartsdirect.com for under $45.00 with shipping.  You can also go down to your local dealer and buy the lights from the parts department.  The GM Part number is 13503059.  You will receive both the light bulb and the housing.

Passenger Side Foot well Light Install

The first step is to remove the glove box.  The box is made to be removed.  The cabin filter is behind it.  The above picture shows the lever that holds the box in.  You need to push up gentle so the glove box will comes towards you.  Once the glove box opens to the max, you can then pop the hinges out, and remove the glove box.

The picture above is the hinge.  Once fully open you pull up and the glove box will pop out, and you can set it aside for now.

My wiring from the factory was taped to the a harness with white tape.  Remove the white tape and the wire will hang free.

Here is the wire hanging free from the tape.

Pull the wire though the hole were the light is going to to snap in place.

Connect the light and pop the housing in place.

All you need to do is put the glove box back in.  The hinge will pop back in place, and the bend the lever to allow the glove box to pass.  Sit back an enjoy!

Part 2: The Driver Side

I want to give full credit to  http://www.terrainforum.net/ for getting me started on this project.  I have found them to be a wealth of knowledge.

Disclamer:  You are taking advice from a Shade Tree Do It Yourselfer. Results may vary!  If this is out of your comfort zone, take it in to be fixed by a pro!

Continue reading »]]> Pictures may be worth a thousand words, but they don’t share the complete tale. And, the complete tale might be a bit wordy, so a brief “Reader’s Digest” version….

1973. The newly-redesigned Monte Carlo was named Motor Trend Car Of The Year … and I was born. Coincidence? Fate? Ironic twist?

Three years later my parents bought a brand new 1976 MC, which started my “love affair” with the model. I quickly began pointing at other MCs, saying “arlo”. Then, six years later, my parents bought a 1981 MC SC (leftover in 1982), which I still have today. For a few short years, it was bliss … 2 Monte Carlos in our family. But, within 2 years, “my” 1976 MC was gone, replaced with a 1982 Chevette. At least the Chevette was RWD.

Eight years later, in the fall of 1992, I started my family of MCs when I purchased my first car, a light green 1979 MC Landau (center of the above photographs), in Indiana, which had a 267 V7 (NOT a misprint!) engine, replaced in 1996 with a 350 V8. The black 1976 MC Landau (2nd from right) followed in December 1998.  Even though I swore I’d never own a black car, I couldn’t resist purchasing this one from the mother of a friend of a friend who was only selling it because it wouldn’t fit in her new townhouse garage. A year later, the aforementioned 1981 MC SC (2nd from left) joined. Three years after that, the 1972 MC (far right) was purchased (March 2002), completing my goal of having one of every generation.  (Though, when I was a kid, my goal was to have at least one of every YEAR of EVERY generation!)  Just over a year later, the 1987 MC LS (far left) came from Ohio, after I decided that I missed my former 1988 MC LS “too much”. I’ve come close to selling one or more of my MCs over the last few years, but so far, none of the current family members are leaving.

That written, my car family has had a few revolving doors, including that 1988 MC LS, and hopefully will have a few more revolving doors, including, but not limited to…
…mid-late 1970s LTD/Thunderbird
…1975 Caprice Classic convertible
…1976 Caprice Classic sedan
…1989 Caprice Classic sedan
…1987 MC SS Aerocoupe
…2011 Dodge Charger.

Right now, though, a “winter warrior” 1979 Caprice Classic sedan completes my car family:

And, yes, that is a MAJOR “Reader’s Digest” version…!

Continue reading »]]> My last post was about the Trailblazer leaving the family.  The Trailblazer had almost been in our family for ten years.

We both come from GM Families.  My wife’s family is a Buick Family, and mine is a Chevrolet Family.  It was natural to look for a GM product that fit our family needs.   We have a seven year old daughter, and plan on not having any more kids.  The Trailblazer was my wife’s nice daily driver and vacation vehicle.   We both work in health care, and live in the country.  A 4wd SUV fit into our life nicely.

We knew we were going to replace the Trailblazer soon, and my wife has been looking at cars, crossovers, and SUVs for about a year.  We first started out looking  at cars.  She had missed driving the Gran Prix that we had before the Trailblazer.  When we started getting really serious, she when back towards a SUV/Crossover.

We narrow the search to the GMC Acadia, or a Chevy Traverse.  The Acadia is far better looking than the Traverse.  Both of them were in our price range as a Front Wheel Drive.  We looked at a few, and priced a few.  We started looking at used ones to see if we could get a AWD in our price range.  That is when we stumbled on to a used GMC Terrain, and took it for a test drive.

We had looked at the Equinox and Terrains but only in passing.  We like the ideal of having the third row of the Acadia, but we took the Terrain for test drive.  The used Terrain drove nice, and had more room than we expected.  We did some research and found we could get a new AWD Terrain with a Sun Roof, Heated Seats, and nicely appointed for the cost of  FWD Acadia.

GM decided to top off my points on the GM Card, so a new Terrain was in our future.  We went to Auffenberg GMC in Carbondale, and they were able to find us a Terrain that was option like we were looking for.   We bought a Black 2012 SLE-2 Terrain.  Auffenberg was easy to deal with, and I was highly satisfied.

A new chrome grill is in the future of the Terrain.

We bought the AWD model with 2.4L I-4 VVT.  I test drove both the V6 and the four.  I didn’t see a reason to move to the V6.  We are not towing with the Terrain, and we both like the ideal of  20/29 MPG of the four.  We are currently getting 25 MPG with our driving styles.  The old Trailblazer would get 18 MPG, so this is big setup up for us.  We were in the Smokie mountains, and I was surprised how well travel up and down the steep side roads.   I wouldn’t shy anybody from buying theh 2.4L I-4 unless you are wanting to tow.  I was on the fence, but I am a believer in the VVT. My only wish for the AWD system is a switch to  turn the system on manually.  We haven’t had a snow yet to test the Terrain out.  When we do I will do an update.

I like the touch screen in the dash, but my wife doesn’t.  She is worried about what it will look like in ten years.  Everything is laid out nicely, but there are a few misses.

Why would you not have the cruise control set button on the turn signal shaft?  It has been there since the 80s.  I know it is on the steering wheel, but it going to be a hard habit to break.

The center stack  is a bit to far forward for me.  I find myself having to lean forward to make changes to the radio.  I do like the layout and looks for the stack.  The usb connection and the power plugs are in great places.

You must like the color red.  Everything glows red at night.  It makes me feel the Terrain was going to be Pontiac until they closed.  I like the red, but it may be over the top for some people.

The back seat has much more room than our Trailblazer did.  The doors are wider and easier to get in and out of.  The seat will travel foward, but I don’ t see us ever moving the seat.

I would rather have the seat fold flat instead of moving back and forth.  The angle isn’t bad, but it could be flat.

We lost a bit of room in the back cargo area compared to the Trailblazer. We didn’t have a problem packing for a mini vacation, and had plenty of room for everything.

Overall, the Terrain is fitting our needs nicely.  The Terrain rides great, and is easy on the back on long trips.  We love the extra gas mileage.  This will be a long term relationship, and so far so good.

Continue reading »]]> We see them coming down the road towards us … vehicles decorated for the Holidays.

Over the last few years, I’ve seen more cars decorated, more than I remember seeing as a kid. I’m not sure if it is just because I’m NOTICING more now, or if, indeed, more people are decorating their mode of transportation. Either way, it’s an easy way to bring the warmth and spirit of one’s home decor with wherever one drives. In many cases, it’ll bring a smile to other motorists, too.

Some, though, scoff at the idea of decorating a car. They say it is too gaudy or too distracting. I suppose that depends on the type of decoration(s)….

I’d guess the most-seen style of decoration is the wreath on the front grill. I’ve also seen cars with strands of those small lights outside and/or inside. I’ve seen icicles hung from the rear view mirror. I’ve seen a brown pickup with a red nose on the grill and “antlers” on the roof.

I’ve even decorated my cars with garland…

My 1979 MC & former 1988 MC LS, circa 1996/1997:

My 1976 & 1979 MCs, 1999:

My 1979 Caprice Classic sedan, 2010:

So … what decorations have you seen? Do you decorate your vehicle(s)?

Continue reading »]]>

In 2003, we traded our 99 Grand Prix for a off lease 2002 Trailblazer.  We knew that we wanted an SUV at the time.  We looked at the Chevrolet Tahoes, but my wife didn’t like driving my truck because of size, and felt the Tahoe would be harder to drive, and park than my truck.  The Chevrolet Trailblazer was a good size, and it would pull our pop up camper that we had at the time.  We made the deal and kept the TB for nine years.

The Trailblazer started showing it’s age this year.  We replaced the radiator this past spring, and had to replace the switch that controls the four wheel drive a few years back.   Other than a few maintenance item it has been a solid SUV.  After a 130,000 miles, we just start getting a little leery of driving it on long trips. I has never stranded us anywhere, but we felt it was time for the it to find a new home.

We normally take the Trailblazer on vacation with us.  The TB has been to the Gulf Coast twice, Smokie Mountains three times, Orlando, New England, and a bunch of shorter vacations.   It was always a pleasure to take on vacation.  There was enough room to put all of our stuff in the back for a weeks worth of fun.  We only have one child, and I am sure if we had a second one there would be plenty of room for their stuff too.  When pulled our pop up camper in the Ozark Mountains in Missouri, and never had an issue pulling up and down the steep hills.

Some didn’t care for the sea of gray on the dash.  I will admit there was a bunch of gray, but most of the dash was laid out well.  My wife really liked the number of gauges on the dash.  She never like idiot lights in other cars.  There are three cup holder in the center console which were very handy.  I never did care for the seats.  They were not horrid, but could have been much better.

The Vortec 4200 was a great motor.  The motor always had plenty of power.   The motor growled until it warmed up in the cold weather, and the noise took some getting use to.  You couldn’t ask for a better vehicle to drive in the ice and snow.  The Trailblazer would run circles around my Z-71 Silverado.  The Auto four wheel option was nice on patchy ice packed roads.  We both work in health care, and we made it into work everyday in the winter weather.  We would average 18 to 20 mpg with the TB.  I will be nice to have a vehicle that gets better mileage.

The Saturday after Thanksgiving was the last day that we owned the Trailblazer.  My wife said “The TB was part of the family.”  The Trailblazer took Sarah home from the hospital when she was born. It has been with us for nine of the fourteen years we have been married. She almost cried at the dealership when we handed the keys over.  My wife knows that the TBs life is going to go down hill from this point.  We both hope that it goes to a good home, and is taken care of.  The old Trailblazer will be missed, but we now have a replacement.  We can only hope that it treats us just as well.  I will have a post about it soon.  I will tell you that it is a GM product.