Filthy, filthy hands

Gertrude has been my daily driver for a couple of weeks now.  I am getting used to honks, smiles and waves as I am out and about.  I hope that as I continue to fix up the Fairmont both mechanically and aesthetically, these reactions will tend more towards "that's a cool vintage wagon" and less towards "uh, is that an actual Pinto?"  (Finding replacement badges has become a priority.)

You see, I'm still working on convincing folks that Gertrude and me are a good idea.  Mom and hubby and Sam all see the logic in a user-serviceable vehicle; hubby says his boss took some convincing but after financial analysis sees the practicality of the Ford Fairmont.  We're still working on some of our Ham radio friends.

For Gertrude is practical to a fault.  No frills.  No radio, manual windows, and as I discovered today, conical wheel bearings that do not require a hub puller to be serviced.  You just...pop 'em out.

Photo by Chris McClenney.  Another big shout-out to Sam for walking me through the process!

Packing wheel bearings has got to be the greasiest automotive activity you can do.  I haven't done it in sixteen years but it's just like I remembered.  My cuticles are soft and supple, and Gertrude's handling is much improved to boot.  I hadn't thought new wheel bearings and brake pads would make that much difference, but they did, and now my brakes are quiet as mice.  A pea-sized hole in the exhaust pipe directly under the driver's seat gives me a pleasant rumble to listen to, so radio or no, Gertrude is making beautiful music of her own.

I have a kit to patch the exhaust pinhole, but I really like the sound.  It won't wake the neighbors, and reminds me I am driving one of the last "real" cars ever made.