Dino Saga 061126 _ Rentals and Tail Lights

Dino Saga 061126 _ Rentals and Tail Lights

Worst part of fixing a Dino is getting a tolerable rental. Airport is only 2 miles away so have everyone to choose from. Picked Enterprise after finding that airport location had lowest rates of all majors including all off-airport locations. You only get this info when you reserve on Web. Go Figure! I refuse to drive large cars if I have a choice so took a pot-luck compact. Ford Focus lasted 4 days. Car drove me nuts. The ultimate Nanny car. Dead steering, body roll, too sensitive brakes. Those I could have lived with but: Steering wheel was contoured to force your thumbs to slide down off the wheel. Arms had to be supported by shoulders alone. Terrible on long drive. Seat belt warning too loud and irritating. Fool armrest blocks seat belt locking and release. Open the door with the car not in Park and a klaxon goes off. All doors lock when car goes in gear; and never unlock! You are always locked out. Arrrrrgh.

Took car back, good folks at the desk said that I was not first to complain. No problem to exchange. Got a Mazda 3 hatchback. Nice little car. Great ergonomics, seat belt warning is a subtle chime, beautiful instrument cluster, tach and lots of good info, good wheel, great shift gate running a 5 speed automatic with a full manual override. You can shift sequentially up or down if you want. Be a great transmission for a sporty car if lever was right up by wheel. As it is, it is too far away to be really useful. Very good tires too, 205/50R17. I can live with this one for a week or two.

Visit the Dino every day and it is coming along splendidly. All the big dings have been fixed, preliminary sanding of old clear coat is done and the first coat of primer is on. Probably be ready for blue by the end of the week. Might even be done.

I’ve been working on all the pieces I pulled before letting the car go. Tail lights were a mess. Pulled reflectors off of lenses and figured I could probably save things. One gasket was gone, one was broken and the other two had acted as water traps. Decided to make my own gaskets out of 3/16” vinyl spline material. Ran 1/32” stainless wire inside spline to hold shape. Left gap at bottom so water could drain. Also put hole in bottom of lens for same reason. Removed rust from reflectors and brushed on conversion coat. Spray can enamel went on next and then I burnished on pieces of 2” wide aluminum reflective tape. Not as good as original mirror surface but far better than what was there. Glued reflectors to lenses with clear silicone RTV. Spline gasket will go between lens and body. Chrome retaining rings will ride directly on lenses. Had to replace a couple of the screws on the retaining rings. Rusted through. Ground some chrome off the inside and soft soldered new screws in place. Should be just fine. No discoloration on the outside. Shortened all screws just to make life easier going back on. Originals were ½” longer than necessary.

Looking forward to next week.

John
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Cut my teeth on Alfas. 1200 Spyder, 1600 Spyder, 1600 Sprint Speciale with all the cams, Webers, etc. Loved them; kept the SS 19 years, drove it every day. Traded it in on the Dino and was cured for life. I drive my wife's minivan to go skiing or to cary a sheet of plywood. Rent cars occasionally on trips or to fix Dino. Window shop cars occasionally. Nothing is right but I learn the latest fashions. Will just keep helping the shop along and make do till they are done.

John