catch-up
head gasket and assorted oddities to reach factory-spec for a needs-nothing ~120k X.
replace lights all-around, face-lift style. One Depo LED AE DOA (left outside), awaiting replacement after ahem much back-and-forth conversation from ebay seller and abandonment by my body-guy that couldn't figure out how to install 'em (needed ballasts as I believed that it had xenons, not so much).
Word for wise, buy them HERE on XOutpost! ! !
Real nice painted under-oilpan plate installed by said body-man after an obvious misunderstanding as I thought I was buying,painting,installing the skid plate seen in many pictures here. It is unique, for the people that ever get to see it -and remove it, so they can actually work on the engine. If you need a true skid plate, I can provide the part number, though I recommend you skip painting it. I am comforted in knowing that should my wife need to drive through earthquake rubble on her way to the grocery store, the lower engine can not be harmed. and I will probably skip RE-painting it should that occur.
4.8i exhaust, delivered ~50 days after it was paid for (here) with a nice bent hanger. Fortunately the shop had no problems installing it. and it looks goo-ood, as opposed to that crap that Bavaria put on to show everyone that you bought the cheap model.
calipers cleaned and painted as the rust on the ol' bastids could be seen from 20 feet. (more cheap-model effect?)
meguirs x 2 (still not happy, signed up for detailing clinic).
conti snows will be ordered as soon as I hear back about the OZ rims with the odd 29mm offset that I'm likin'..
Last of the $2.4k work, tie-rod ends etc. next paycheck.. then done and hibernate
we did get to drive it through all of this and it has been a very pleasant vehicle, for the most part.. exhaust seems to have tamed the take-up issues in 1st gear, though it is probably just us getting used to it.. coincidence is hard to ignore though.. she just seems much happier throughout the range with the 4.8 exhaust. I'm embarrassed to say I rev-limited 1st gear today running from a stop light right turn, testing 93-octane gas. Sure wish they had seen fit to include -at least- the 3.2 variation of the big six. but, hey, I am getting a solid 21mpg, so how can I complain? (only ever got 22mpg from my e12 2.8 @ only ONE-and-a-half tons)
(trying to decide if I should post pics with my HID outside, AE center headlights. They are somewhat singular, heheh.)
__________________
carpe` cevesi
knf
01 topaz e53 3i 5m 120k mi
=
$9.7K + $2.4K when seller says "needs nothing" (131K)
Drew Cary: I love driving stewpid in hella thunderstorms.. I roll stop-signs.. get pulled over, the high-school cop says, "Do you know why I pulled you over?"
I say, "Sure.. do you know why I did it?"
2012 Election: Congress has determined that government beatings of all taxpayers must continue until morale has improved
Gone: '67 Galaxie LTD 2D aqua, 72 Pinto, 76 Elite, e12 track.. long road