Thanks for bringing this back. I worked in a Chrysler dealership for this period but keep forgetting about these MMC cars with Dodge and Plymouth nametags on them. Easy to forget because they were such poor sellers. Joe
that era of car sales must have been tough! I don't have any of them on the blog because they generally are a punchline, like in this example. It would be fascinating to me, to show a selection of the Sunbirds, and Firenzas, and other 80s cars that simply existed - but as an example of specimens of the strange result of smog and insurance, and Detroit not having a clue how to build better than the Asian competition. These are stars at Rad Wood, but don't belong at other car shows... and yet, they would snap necks if they filled a parking lot or alley at ANY cruise because they're anomalies. If any exist, it's a miracle they've escaped rust, crashes, and parts failure that keeps them from running or smogging for legal operation. They aren't in junkyards, they don't have interchangeable parts, and no one collects them
can you share any great car dealership stories? I worked at one for 6 years until covid killed the business, as the photographer, and miss the day to day amusing stuff that happened
Not much to tell. I worked as a schlub in the back. Anyway that's what the owner thought as it was back in the old days when the service department was considered a necessary evil, not a profit center like today. I was the go-to for trans overhauls in addition to other repairs. For a period A-904's were valved so that the trans cooler (and thus lube oil) flow was shut off in Park, so when you start your Volare on a cold morning and walk back into the kitchen to let it warm up there's no lube to the bearings. I built so many of those things I kept a note paper with part numbers to save the parts guys time. I could do two a day and the job paid over 8 hours each. The flip side was some of the cars were so badly built we had to do lots of NVH repairs and couldn't bill the customer, so each tech had their own work-around to get some commission pay. My favorite was "repairing" power steering pump leaks. The book paid an hour to R&R and reseal a P/S pump - way less than it would take, but about the amount of time it took to test drive, repair some rattle and verify the repair, so I noted the 'P/S fluid leak' on the work order for the warranty reimbursement.
oh wow, that 904 park issue - what a design fail! What a horrible engineering oversight! Posting that nugget! I bet there are a lot of intriguing things like that that only mechanics, and some very experienced car guys, have discovered. Sure, it's all obsolete information now, like so many things I learned and knew when I was forced to keep my Challenger, Bee, Demon, and Barracuda running -or be a walking bus riding miserable guy. That was one of the things that I was so happy to be a car guy in regards to, the seat of your pants fixes that give you the working knowledge of how to troubleshoot old car problems. I wish more mechanics from the 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s had written down all the life experience trouble shooting knowledge they had. I find it fascinating. I don't mean Chiltons type trouble shooting, but more of the "when the passenger side tail light of a 75 Firebird won't work, check the _ because some engineer got it screwed up and it went into production." Like your 904 issue! THAT is amazing knowledge of a real problem, that caused a LOT of car owners problems.
Thanks for bringing this back. I worked in a Chrysler dealership for this period but keep forgetting about these MMC cars with Dodge and Plymouth nametags on them. Easy to forget because they were such poor sellers.
ReplyDeleteJoe
that era of car sales must have been tough!
DeleteI don't have any of them on the blog because they generally are a punchline, like in this example.
It would be fascinating to me, to show a selection of the Sunbirds, and Firenzas, and other 80s cars that simply existed - but as an example of specimens of the strange result of smog and insurance, and Detroit not having a clue how to build better than the Asian competition.
These are stars at Rad Wood, but don't belong at other car shows... and yet, they would snap necks if they filled a parking lot or alley at ANY cruise because they're anomalies. If any exist, it's a miracle they've escaped rust, crashes, and parts failure that keeps them from running or smogging for legal operation. They aren't in junkyards, they don't have interchangeable parts, and no one collects them
can you share any great car dealership stories? I worked at one for 6 years until covid killed the business, as the photographer, and miss the day to day amusing stuff that happened
DeleteNot much to tell. I worked as a schlub in the back. Anyway that's what the owner thought as it was back in the old days when the service department was considered a necessary evil, not a profit center like today. I was the go-to for trans overhauls in addition to other repairs. For a period A-904's were valved so that the trans cooler (and thus lube oil) flow was shut off in Park, so when you start your Volare on a cold morning and walk back into the kitchen to let it warm up there's no lube to the bearings. I built so many of those things I kept a note paper with part numbers to save the parts guys time. I could do two a day and the job paid over 8 hours each.
ReplyDeleteThe flip side was some of the cars were so badly built we had to do lots of NVH repairs and couldn't bill the customer, so each tech had their own work-around to get some commission pay. My favorite was "repairing" power steering pump leaks. The book paid an hour to R&R and reseal a P/S pump - way less than it would take, but about the amount of time it took to test drive, repair some rattle and verify the repair, so I noted the 'P/S fluid leak' on the work order for the warranty reimbursement.
oh wow, that 904 park issue - what a design fail! What a horrible engineering oversight! Posting that nugget! I bet there are a lot of intriguing things like that that only mechanics, and some very experienced car guys, have discovered. Sure, it's all obsolete information now, like so many things I learned and knew when I was forced to keep my Challenger, Bee, Demon, and Barracuda running -or be a walking bus riding miserable guy. That was one of the things that I was so happy to be a car guy in regards to, the seat of your pants fixes that give you the working knowledge of how to troubleshoot old car problems.
DeleteI wish more mechanics from the 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s had written down all the life experience trouble shooting knowledge they had. I find it fascinating. I don't mean Chiltons type trouble shooting, but more of the "when the passenger side tail light of a 75 Firebird won't work, check the _ because some engineer got it screwed up and it went into production."
Like your 904 issue! THAT is amazing knowledge of a real problem, that caused a LOT of car owners problems.
What letters do I use to replicate the sound of vomiting?
ReplyDelete