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    Why are previous owners the way they are?

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    bandit trans am
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    • Bandit
      Bandit last edited by Bandit

      The previous owner of my Trans Am cut out the parking brake system for some reason and threw out some impossible to find but entirely necessary brake caliper brackets. The only source I can find right now short of buying a parts car is a website selling reproductions for $85 + $20 shipping for these tiny 2in long brackets. If I had a fab shop and tools I could make them in an hour.

      08f0a736-96d5-4161-90b1-e67b161ad1ff-image.png

      They're the brackets that hold that spring in place. I dont have a spring either but that can't be as difficult to find right? The PO was a redneck named Missy who painted the car purple in her backyard and sold the car to me to buy a 4th gen V6 camaro with t-tops because she couldnt afford gas for the 2nd gens V8 but still....

      1981 Pontiac Trans Am
      2019 GMC Canyon

      Snuze Bloody-the-resident-LandRover-apologist nermal phenotyp dogisbadob 6 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 6
      • Snuze
        Snuze @Bandit last edited by

        @bandit said in Why are previous owners the way they are?:

        The previous owner of my Trans Am cut out the parking brake system for some reason and threw out some impossible to find but entirely necessary brake caliper brackets....

        ...The PO was a redneck named Missy who painted the car purple in her backyard and sold the car to me to buy a 4th gen V6 camaro with t-tops because she couldnt afford gas for the 2nd gens V8 but still....

        Story checks out.

        2018 Terrain Denali
        2012 Cruze LT
        1987 245 DL "Jankvagn"

        Bandit 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 14
        • Bloody-the-resident-LandRover-apologist
          Bloody-the-resident-LandRover-apologist @Bandit last edited by

          @bandit said in Why are previous owners the way they are?:

          The PO was a redneck named Missy who painted the car purple in her backyard and sold the car to me to buy a 4th gen V6 camaro with t-tops because she couldnt afford gas for the 2nd gens V8 but still....

          This whole sentence makes me sad for humanity.

          I keep buying Land Rovers because I don't have a problem and I can quit anytime I want.

          Jim Spanfeller is a herb.
          https://www.jimspanfellerisaherb.com/

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 11
          • CobraJoe
            CobraJoe last edited by

            Would it be compatible with a different vehicle that could easily be found in a junk yard? If you could go yoink the parts your self out of a yard, I doubt the total cost would be $5.

            But I have also heard of worse excuses for a brembo big brake conversion....

            '84 Mustang GT Convertible 5 speed
            '21 Challenger R/T 6 Speed

            Bandit 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
            • nermal
              nermal @Bandit last edited by

              @bandit Are we at the point where a 3D printer is as important to have in your toolbox for working on old cars as a 3 ft pipe, a set of extraction sockets, and a nearby Harbor Freight? All are useful for battling the side effects of the common redneck previous owner.

              sony1492 RamblinRover 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 2
              • sony1492
                sony1492 @nermal last edited by

                @nermal can we 3d print metal affordably at home?

                16 Miata, 84 f250 IDI, Locost

                Snuze CobraJoe nermal 3 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 1
                • Snuze
                  Snuze @sony1492 last edited by

                  @sony1492 we are getting closer every day. Someone has a 3D iron printer thats around $10k

                  2018 Terrain Denali
                  2012 Cruze LT
                  1987 245 DL "Jankvagn"

                  just-a-scratch 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 4
                  • CobraJoe
                    CobraJoe @sony1492 last edited by

                    @sony1492 Shapeways can print in Stainless steel, steel/bronze, and Aluminum. And it looks like they can do lost wax casting for a few softer metals too.

                    It's probably not as strong as a stamped steel or welded part, but you can compensate some by making crazy shapes.

                    '84 Mustang GT Convertible 5 speed
                    '21 Challenger R/T 6 Speed

                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 4
                    • Mark Tucker
                      Mark Tucker last edited by

                      My only guess would be that the parking brake was sticking, and removing the bracket (and immediately chucking it in the trash) was the quick "fix" that Missy's boyfriend Randy came up with.

                      Semi-related: We bought our house from an old guy named Ralph who actually helped build it. Whenever I find something done in a half-assed or bizarre way, I mutter "fuckin' Ralph." It's become sort of a running joke between my wife and me: "Honey, I found another fuckin Ralph..."

                      When I'm thinking up a clever way to fix something, it's actually in the back of my head, "Do I want to be thought of as THAT previous owner?"

                      "The previous owner did that; it's been like that since I bought it."

                      Bandit 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 10
                      • Bandit
                        Bandit @CobraJoe last edited by

                        @cobrajoe Only compatible vehicle is a 1979 Cadillac Seville, a car so unpopular I cant even think about what it looks like!

                        1981 Pontiac Trans Am
                        2019 GMC Canyon

                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • RamblinRover
                          RamblinRover @nermal last edited by

                          @nermal said in Why are previous owners the way they are?:

                          @bandit Are we at the point where a 3D printer is as important to have in your toolbox for working on old cars as a 3 ft pipe, a set of extraction sockets, and a nearby Harbor Freight? All are useful for battling the side effects of the common redneck previous owner.

                          I've been holding out for SLS machines to come down to where they're only obscenely expensive compared to a mill as opposed to unimaginably expensive.
                          That way, since I convinced myself I needed a mill and got one, I could also get an SLS, right?

                          I mean, the rationale on the mill is pretty similar - I intend to be in weird cars for a very long time, and sometimes that's going to mean making things.

                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • Bandit
                            Bandit @Mark Tucker last edited by

                            @mark-tucker said in Why are previous owners the way they are?:

                            My only guess would be that the parking brake was sticking, and removing the bracket (and immediately chucking it in the trash) was the quick "fix" that Missy's boyfriend Randy came up with.
                            Semi-related: We bought our house from an old guy named Ralph who actually helped build it. Whenever I find something done in a half-assed or bizarre way, I mutter "fuckin' Ralph." It's become sort of a running joke between my wife and me: "Honey, I found another fuckin Ralph..."
                            When I'm thinking up a clever way to fix something, it's actually in the back of my head, "Do I want to be thought of as THAT previous owner?"

                            That's hilarious. Missy's boyfriend was named Don, he left one of his R&B CD's in the glovebox with his name written in sharpie on it lol

                            1981 Pontiac Trans Am
                            2019 GMC Canyon

                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                            • Bandit
                              Bandit @Snuze last edited by

                              @snuze said in Why are previous owners the way they are?:

                              @bandit said in Why are previous owners the way they are?:

                              The previous owner of my Trans Am cut out the parking brake system for some reason and threw out some impossible to find but entirely necessary brake caliper brackets....

                              ...The PO was a redneck named Missy who painted the car purple in her backyard and sold the car to me to buy a 4th gen V6 camaro with t-tops because she couldnt afford gas for the 2nd gens V8 but still....

                              Story checks out.

                              I cleaned out so many Marlboro boxes and bullet casings when I first got the car...

                              1981 Pontiac Trans Am
                              2019 GMC Canyon

                              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 3
                              • nermal
                                nermal @sony1492 last edited by

                                @sony1492 After doing some quick shopping, I think we are currently at the point where you realistically need a friend that has one in order for it to be affordable. However, much like how the cost of the plastic ones has dropped significantly over the past few years, I think the metal ones will do the same in time.

                                So, not there yet, but it's something to look forward to.

                                sony1492 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • sony1492
                                  sony1492 @nermal last edited by

                                  @nermal someone else mentioned about 10k, that's within the realm of other industrial equipment a shop would have. I think if they got as low as 5k it would seem like a reasonable investment for any custom shop along with their tube benders etc

                                  16 Miata, 84 f250 IDI, Locost

                                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • just-a-scratch
                                    just-a-scratch @Snuze last edited by

                                    @snuze 3D printer for iron coming in around $10k bodes well for the future. Imagine a future where you could have decent printed parts in mild steel, aluminum, and plastics with equipment costs of a couple thousand dollars. I almost wouldn't want a mill anymore.

                                    Snuze 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                    • Italia
                                      Italia last edited by

                                      Looks pretty easy to fab out of steel

                                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                      • Snuze
                                        Snuze @just-a-scratch last edited by

                                        @just-a-scratch Agree, to a point. Additive manufacturing is definitely going to up the game, but it doesn't completely replace the need for subtractive manufacturing, especially for simple things. For example, turning down round parts on a lathe will generally always be faster and easier than printing them. Also, 3D print resolution isn't often great, so I imagine traditional machining will still be necessary to finish surfaces. I think frankly 3D metal printing is just going to be another arrow in the quiver, but it will be a very powerful arrow.

                                        2018 Terrain Denali
                                        2012 Cruze LT
                                        1987 245 DL "Jankvagn"

                                        just-a-scratch 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
                                        • phenotyp
                                          phenotyp @Bandit last edited by

                                          @bandit alt text

                                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
                                          • just-a-scratch
                                            just-a-scratch @Snuze last edited by

                                            @snuze Yup. Printers are almost a replacement for machining, but not quite. A great many things can be printed, but there seem some real limitations to the method. I'm not aware of a printer that can match the accuracy of a good mill or lathe with decent tooling. And for accuracy and surface finish, precision grinders are really hard to beat. If you consider the material limitations of a printer and compare to machining operations, well sometimes you just need the properties of Hastelloy and the printer won't do it.

                                            For the home gamer though, a printer does a whole lot of what would be needed. The few things you can't do on a printer are probably best left to the professionals. It won't quite stop me from wanting the pro tools though. Close, but not quite.

                                            Snuze 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                            • dogisbadob
                                              dogisbadob @Bandit last edited by

                                              @bandit said in Why are previous owners the way they are?:

                                              The previous owner of my Trans Am cut out the parking brake system for some reason and threw out some impossible to find but entirely necessary brake caliper brackets. The only source I can find right now short of buying a parts car is a website selling reproductions for $85 + $20 shipping for these tiny 2in long brackets. If I had a fab shop and tools I could make them in an hour.

                                              08f0a736-96d5-4161-90b1-e67b161ad1ff-image.png

                                              They're the brackets that hold that spring in place. I dont have a spring either but that can't be as difficult to find right? The PO was a redneck named Missy who painted the car purple in her backyard and sold the car to me to buy a 4th gen V6 camaro with t-tops because she couldnt afford gas for the 2nd gens V8 but still....

                                              Florida?

                                              Bandit 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                              • Snuze
                                                Snuze @just-a-scratch last edited by

                                                @just-a-scratch I 100% agree. I'm still trying to finish up some things in my garage (need electrical inspection, hook up my air compressor, and then hang some cabinets). But once all that's done, I'm going to start looking for a mill-lathe combo machine. I don't need anything fancy or with a huge throw, but I think it would be good to have to make small parts and whatnot.

                                                2018 Terrain Denali
                                                2012 Cruze LT
                                                1987 245 DL "Jankvagn"

                                                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                                • Bandit
                                                  Bandit @dogisbadob last edited by

                                                  @dogisbadob Kentucky, so basically the same thing

                                                  1981 Pontiac Trans Am
                                                  2019 GMC Canyon

                                                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                                  • BaconSandwich
                                                    BaconSandwich last edited by

                                                    Time to channel your inner Project Binky, and try fabricating one?

                                                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                                    • Urambo Tauro
                                                      Urambo Tauro @Bandit last edited by

                                                      @bandit Aargh, that's so frustrating. I can understand cutting a seized parking brake cable in a pinch, but there are ways of disabling a parking brake without ruining it for the next owner!

                                                      Reminds me of the time I was helping my sister do ball-joints on her Explorer, and found that somebody had gutted the parking brakes. No shoes, no hardware, nothing. Of course, being an automatic, she had never tried to use them, but still...

                                                      1995 Mustang GT
                                                      1998 Wrangler Sport

                                                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
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