Yellow Rose Is Outta Commission

[YellowRose]

Temporarily.. My buddy, Rich and I were working on her the other day, fixing the fuel gauge, and replacing worn out knobs and a few other things. We were also having problems with keeping a charge on the battery. It has been drained who knows how many times, by them leaving the doors open, while working on it over the last year or so. Even though I have the Start Lock on it and told them to disconnect the battery from the wiring while working on the car. Rich put his battery checker on it and said it was shot. The indicator went straight to zero as soon as he put a load on it. I bought the battery from Autozone in Houston, when Rich and I were driving back from Mississippi when I bought the car in November of 2007. That is when the car went dead on us on the west side of Houston in 5pm traffic. That was 2 years, and 11 months ago. I bought a new battery from Autozone back then. Autozone gave me a new battery just like it at no cost to me. That warranty paid off.

We had the fuel gauge indicating properly finally, when, later on, all of a sudden it went dead! The temperature gauge was still working, so that told us the CVR unit was still working, but Rich checked the voltage out to be sure all was alright with it. 12v into it, a fluctuating 1-6v out. He did all the proper checks, checked his grounds, etc. He checked voltages to the gauge and they all checked out. Except that the fuel gauge itself had proper voltage at the connector going to the connection point on the fuel gauge, but the fuel gauge itself was not seeing it. Rich says the fuel gauge part has gone out on it. I am sending it back to Bird Nest to get it fixed. I am going to miss this weekends car show I was planning on going to. When I get that gauge back, we will put it back in and Rich is going to install a windshield washer on the car. Not the Rube Goldbird one that Ford put on them back then. An electric one.

[Anders]

One way to keep some power in the battery is to disconnect the dome light. At least as long as she is at the shop.

[YellowRose]

Yellow Rose Is Outta Commission

Hi Anders! Well, if they had followed instructions and just turned the knob a few turns on the Start Lock, there would not be any power going to anywhere in the car. No, instead, they did not follow instructions, dimpled my hood, put parts in backwards, nearly set the car on fire, and finally ran my beloved Tbird into the back of a F250 pick up truck. I don't do business there anymore... And the guys at the paint shop I think also forgot to unscrew that knob also, although I told them several times.. Oh well, I got a new battery out of it for free. I have always heard that batteries only last, on the average of 2 1/2 -3 years anyway. So that one was probably going to go pretty soon anyway. They probably shortened its life some.

[Anders]

I would think a few times before I took Rose to ANY shop in the future. The records so far is depressing reading...

[YellowRose]

Yellow Rose Is Outta Commission

I am a good example why a person with no mechanical ability should probably not own a classic car! But I have learned a lot from helping with, or watching the work being done on Rose. This Forum has taught me tons of things that I have stored away. There were a few good things that did come out of using that shop. They paid for any damages, they paid for a radiator re-core and 6 bladed fan blade. They re-wired my dash panel at their expense, and some other things that would have cost me out of my own pocket. I am looking at another shop that is said to have a lot of experience in repairing old classic cars. My mechanic has been a buddy of mine for decades and was weaned on these old cars, and he is very good, but he no longer has his auto repair shop. So he has no lift to put it on to look or work underneath it. In the last year or so, he has restored two old pick up trucks, using a buddies shop. He traded for the space. He rebuilt both from scratch, one for his buddy and one for him.

[Coral]

I suggest buying a rotisserie and just run Rose up onto it so she can just sit there looking down upon her gathering audience, like the Queen she is.... obviously the various garages and down time has affected her thoughts on staying on the road...

[YellowRose]

Yellow Rose Is Outta Commission

Hi Cathie! That might be a good idea! I will miss this weekend's show, but I should have her back on the road again to drive to LaGrange for the "Flyin" & "BBQ" there in November. It will give me a chance to really show her off to a lot of other Tbird and classic car owners. Plus, I hope, maybe give me a chance to get some pictures of her next to a P-51 or other warbird! I love airplanes! Cathie, swim by more often! We miss you! Send me an email or PM and let me know how you are doing!

[Guest]

Ray
Sorry to hear about your problems,but maybe you need a week off to rest up for your next show, I hope you have a LaGrange in Texas but if you are going to LaGrange Ky Look me up when you come to town
Bob

[Yellowbird]

Ray,
Sorry for all of your trouble. It's a shame that you have to double, triple no, quadruple check out places and people and keep a watchful eye on the shops you use. I'm thankful that you are a man of patience. Otherwise, I think I would have had to drive down and get you out of the county jail a few times.
By the way I hope to come to LaGrange. Being an airplane nut I think Rose would look stunning next to a P-51. The question would be will Rose or the P-51 have the most shiny components?

Leonard

[scumdog]

. Oh well, I got a new battery out of it for free. I have always heard that batteries only last, on the average of 2 1/2 -3 years anyway. So that one was probably going to go pretty soon anyway. They probably shortened its life some.

It must be the Texas heat Ray - I get 8+ years out of most of my batteries in my hot-rod F100, Harleys etc. Wifes Harley Sportster 1200 is a '97 and it's second battery since new was in '08

[YellowRose]

Yellow Rose Is Outta Commission

Either it is the Texas heat or they don't make batteries like they used to! Yup, Bob, there is a LaGrange in Texas also. About an hour and half drive or so east of here off I-10. I see that Leonard is going to shoot for that event also. Hopefully, he will be bringing Yellowbird! If so, we will have two Yellow Birds to show off, at least! Yes, Leonard, if I was an impatient or excitable man, I would probably be in jail for bodily assault over that crash of my Tbird! There is a lot of shiny metal on a P-51, so I might have some stiff competition with it, if it is there again. I hope to make this one!