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'98
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This was the year my car hit 100,000...
I was driving past Hennessy Pontiac. I glanced at the new car they had out front. It was the new Firehawk. I wanted to stop and see it, but I was running late. I looked at my speed and noticed the odometer rolling over to 100,000 just as I passed by the new RED Firehawk. The next day I went to see the Firehawk, but it was gone. The dealer said it was only there for a day waiting for the customer to pick it up.
Spooky...Is that cool or what?!
This year I had to face the idea of getting rid of my car for good...
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The Year of Mechanical Problems:
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I had 2 blown head gaskets...
I had my horseback riding instructor�s fianc� take a look. He found that my temperature sensor was bad. The car had run hot without me knowing it. Now I faced a total top end rebuild. He saw the timing chain gears were almost worn out as well. And both exhaust manifolds were leaking. By the time he was done finding problems (mostly caused by shoddy mechanics cutting corners), the price would be over $2,000, to safely get me on the road again. He said it was probably not worth much more than that on a trade in.
He wanted me to sell it and get a new car.
He made me promise to sleep on the idea. I slept on it...
I woke up with a sick feeling in my heart with the thought of never driving my bird again. I had to keep the car. I did not care how, but I would manage the money.
I told him to fix my car...
9 months later, I was still waiting for him to complete the work. Luckily, I had access to a spare car during this time. He and I had a huge fight about it. He threw the car back together & managed to drop a piece of head gasket in the engine by accident.
(Yeah, right)
A few days later the bottom end blew. The piece of gasket blocked an oil bearing and spun a rod.
I took it to the dealership this time. I could not afford to wait another 9 months. I went to Terry Cullen Chevrolet. They had the GM good wrench service plus with a warranty. They had to replace a rod and bearing along with the crankshaft.
I was tempted to replace the whole engine with a larger V-6 or a V-8. They informed me that I would have to replace too much (Transmission, alternator, computer brain, and misc. other parts).
Like an idiot, I kept my engine.
(little did I know that the 3.4L in the 93-95 Camaros and Birds was a direct short block swap)
They got it running and not 6 mo. later my alternator went and the transmission followed.
Not long to follow was the fuel injectors.
Why is there no time travel?
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HOME PAGE
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DIRECTORY FOR RAIF'S HISTORY SITE
01 Site Overview
02 (1987) Options and window sticker...
03 (1989) Stock pics...
04 (1990) Bottom Accent color changed to Black, Enkei rims, & Tint
05 (1992) Wreck & Added 2 amps
06 (1994) Changer, Alarm, Taillights painted red, Emblems Modified
07 (1998) Engine�s top end rebuilt <<<
08 (1999) Major mods began...Misc. trim, exterior lights, & Alpine head unit
09 (2000) Journal of events
10 (pre July 2001) Journal of events
11 (post July 2001) Journal of events
12 (pre March 2002) Journal of events
13 (March 2002) Pensacola Fiasco
14 (post March 2002) Journal of events
15 Grey and Black Interior
16 Old Sub box
17 Cop Stories
18 Old 2.25 Inch Exhaust
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