My investment
The one thing that has held value for me during this recession is my 1969 Malibu convertible. Last time I checked, its value had risen once again. It's never gone down the entire time I've owned it.
I keep it in a storage garage out in the suburbs. Costs $100 a month for rental. But that keeps it out of the weather. I once owned a '69 Camaro and let it sit outside all its years. It slowly deteriorated. When I got it in 1982, the interior was perfect. When I sold it in '03, every piece of plastic in the interior was faded or cracked from sitting in the sun. Plus, there was rust and faded paint. So, to me, the storage is worth it, even though I'll never recoup that cost.
I finally got the convertible out of mothballs this weekend. It hadn't been driven anywhere but around the block by the storage garage since '08. There were a couple nitpick items that kept me from driving it last year. I had the insurance downgraded late in '08 when I put it away for the fall, and it stayed in storage all last year. I finally decided to get after it this year. When it warmed up this January, I replaced the brakes and tried to fix the oil leak on the valve covers on the engine. The brake job went well, but the leak persisted.
Last week I decided to order some new valve covers. After paying for the special order in advance, on a whim I went out to the garage to try something. There's a PCV valve in the valve cover, and I pulled it out to see if it was stuck. Sprayed a little solution in it and freed it up. Guess what? No more leak. I had spent much time and money on gaskets and sealer- every time to no avail. I don't know what made me think of the PCV... something from my memory banks from working in the auto business all those years kicked in. It's a simple little part. The PCV allows engine fumes to be recycled and used to burn off in the carburetor. If those fumes can't pass through the PCV, they force their way out somewhere else. Pressure was building up and escaping through the valve cover.
So I had to go back to the parts store and explain that I'd fixed it already and no longer needed the special-order valve covers. Too late. They already had them in. To their credit, they gave me a refund, but I had to pay for return shipping. I was okay with that. By eating $10 in shipping, I at least got the $110 back.
Now the car no longer leaks. The brakes work great. I got the chrome all shined up yesterday, and today I need to clean the windows and wax the paint job, plus fix a few lights that are burnt out.
Yes, folks, when times are down, invest in precious metal. Just need to keep after it.
That's okay, though. I like to tinker.
I keep it in a storage garage out in the suburbs. Costs $100 a month for rental. But that keeps it out of the weather. I once owned a '69 Camaro and let it sit outside all its years. It slowly deteriorated. When I got it in 1982, the interior was perfect. When I sold it in '03, every piece of plastic in the interior was faded or cracked from sitting in the sun. Plus, there was rust and faded paint. So, to me, the storage is worth it, even though I'll never recoup that cost.
I finally got the convertible out of mothballs this weekend. It hadn't been driven anywhere but around the block by the storage garage since '08. There were a couple nitpick items that kept me from driving it last year. I had the insurance downgraded late in '08 when I put it away for the fall, and it stayed in storage all last year. I finally decided to get after it this year. When it warmed up this January, I replaced the brakes and tried to fix the oil leak on the valve covers on the engine. The brake job went well, but the leak persisted.
Last week I decided to order some new valve covers. After paying for the special order in advance, on a whim I went out to the garage to try something. There's a PCV valve in the valve cover, and I pulled it out to see if it was stuck. Sprayed a little solution in it and freed it up. Guess what? No more leak. I had spent much time and money on gaskets and sealer- every time to no avail. I don't know what made me think of the PCV... something from my memory banks from working in the auto business all those years kicked in. It's a simple little part. The PCV allows engine fumes to be recycled and used to burn off in the carburetor. If those fumes can't pass through the PCV, they force their way out somewhere else. Pressure was building up and escaping through the valve cover.
So I had to go back to the parts store and explain that I'd fixed it already and no longer needed the special-order valve covers. Too late. They already had them in. To their credit, they gave me a refund, but I had to pay for return shipping. I was okay with that. By eating $10 in shipping, I at least got the $110 back.
Now the car no longer leaks. The brakes work great. I got the chrome all shined up yesterday, and today I need to clean the windows and wax the paint job, plus fix a few lights that are burnt out.
Yes, folks, when times are down, invest in precious metal. Just need to keep after it.
That's okay, though. I like to tinker.