(long story, but true. I'm very greatful.)
2am in the morning. Middle of no where in NorCal. 87' Grand National with with maybe 22k miles at the time on the clock. She won't start. Fuel pump not kicking on. Not a good feeling.
Along comes a T-Type 86' Regal. Cocaine White. Gold Wire wheels. Hydro'ed out. Chromed out to the teeth. tucked n rolled guts. 3 Vatos jump out, wife beater and dickied down. Pretty excited to see a Grand National. You know what I'm thinking. Dudes ask what's the problem. I tell the my fuel pump is not kicking on. After them checking out what they could see of the car and talking to them for about 20 minutes as I called around to local 24hr shops and hearing the outrageous pricing. They offer up a tow, said they lived like 3 exits down and they had a garage full of tools I could use. I said "F" it. Whats the worst that could happen? Maggie isn't going no where's she can't even run. I already called my Girl told here my location that the Navi-system gave me. I gotta die someday. Plus they seemed cool.
Hydro's are handy.. Dude backs up his Regal pancakes the back bumper about 2 inches off the ground.. ties a kevlar strap he convienently had in the trunk to the back of his car and front of mines. Away we went. 3 exits later we pull up to a house with like 4 G-Bodies littered everywhere in different stages of repair. People still outside. Yeah. 2am.
Dude opens up his garage.. big ol' snap-on box. Engine on a stand. Another mint looking 86' T-Type under a tarp. They jump behind Maggie taking off their shirts to not touch the paint and push her in after disconnecting her, systematically.. almost as if they were waiting for me.
After meeting everyone and tell them the story how I lived in Alaska and I shipped it to Seattle and drove her down. N them checking the car out and amazed at the mileage.. He offers his shop and everything in it to me. Said I could crash there and work on it in the AM.
I amazed at all of this obliged. Thanked him for everything spent the rest of the night talking and drinking Coronas. These guys are really G-Body fans.
Next morning I awaken on some couch to some lil mexican dude starting at me about 5 years old. The smell in the house was awesome.. We ate it was the best breakfast. Man.
I go out to the garage & Maggie's covered. I'm like oh sh*t what did they steal. She was fine. I start snooping around. Fuel Pump not working could mean.. No Power.. so I start looking into the wiring. APPARENTLY THE GENIUS WHO OWNED THE CAR BEFORE ME... routed the wiring with no loom, no tie downs or correct connectors. He wired it over the axle on the rear left fender.. the wiring was rubbing and grounding out. After rewiring the entire fuel pump relays and all, I found out the fuel Pump was trashed.
Dude had a new Walbro 255lph fuel pump just sitting there on a shelf. This whole time I never had to go to the parts store.. for the relays.. the wiring... the pump...nothing. He even gave me a good idea as to what he does to kill the fuel pump.. He installed a remote switch in the line, hidden under the car in the frame rail.
After wrenching the whole day and dropping the tank and wiring. It was time to eat again, they had a big ol BBQ going. By this time all his homies were back and drinking beer. The carne' asada was great. These guys treated me like a old friend of theirs and were the most helpful & friendly I've ever seen.
I started Maggie up after we ate.. and they clapped. LOL.. thats cool as sh*t. Dude says pull it out and I'll have a lil dude wash it up for you. I was like no way man you've done too much. He insisted. She was clean n shiney and running again. My belly was full. I started to say my Good Bye's. Asked how much he wanted for everything. He got this look on his face of insult. He said the only thing he'd charge me was to stay another night and cruise with him and his homies. We rolled to Chino, CA. Single file in all our glory. Parked on the strip and just hung out. It was pretty cool being around all these lower riders bouncing around everywhere.. There was alot of old school muscle out there also. Very very impressive. It's fun to be around car guys, period. No matter what they drive.. Honda's to Mustang's.
The next morning.. They cruised me out to the highway, hydro's going like if it was a farewell to a old friend. Man.
To Chango in Red Bluff, Califas. Dude I owe you a few. The Palamino Club was fun. Your Homies were the coolest I've ever met. Your love for these cars is great one. Your hospitality was greater. I made some good friends. Thanks for everything.
Luis
2am in the morning. Middle of no where in NorCal. 87' Grand National with with maybe 22k miles at the time on the clock. She won't start. Fuel pump not kicking on. Not a good feeling.
Along comes a T-Type 86' Regal. Cocaine White. Gold Wire wheels. Hydro'ed out. Chromed out to the teeth. tucked n rolled guts. 3 Vatos jump out, wife beater and dickied down. Pretty excited to see a Grand National. You know what I'm thinking. Dudes ask what's the problem. I tell the my fuel pump is not kicking on. After them checking out what they could see of the car and talking to them for about 20 minutes as I called around to local 24hr shops and hearing the outrageous pricing. They offer up a tow, said they lived like 3 exits down and they had a garage full of tools I could use. I said "F" it. Whats the worst that could happen? Maggie isn't going no where's she can't even run. I already called my Girl told here my location that the Navi-system gave me. I gotta die someday. Plus they seemed cool.
Hydro's are handy.. Dude backs up his Regal pancakes the back bumper about 2 inches off the ground.. ties a kevlar strap he convienently had in the trunk to the back of his car and front of mines. Away we went. 3 exits later we pull up to a house with like 4 G-Bodies littered everywhere in different stages of repair. People still outside. Yeah. 2am.
Dude opens up his garage.. big ol' snap-on box. Engine on a stand. Another mint looking 86' T-Type under a tarp. They jump behind Maggie taking off their shirts to not touch the paint and push her in after disconnecting her, systematically.. almost as if they were waiting for me.
After meeting everyone and tell them the story how I lived in Alaska and I shipped it to Seattle and drove her down. N them checking the car out and amazed at the mileage.. He offers his shop and everything in it to me. Said I could crash there and work on it in the AM.
I amazed at all of this obliged. Thanked him for everything spent the rest of the night talking and drinking Coronas. These guys are really G-Body fans.
Next morning I awaken on some couch to some lil mexican dude starting at me about 5 years old. The smell in the house was awesome.. We ate it was the best breakfast. Man.
I go out to the garage & Maggie's covered. I'm like oh sh*t what did they steal. She was fine. I start snooping around. Fuel Pump not working could mean.. No Power.. so I start looking into the wiring. APPARENTLY THE GENIUS WHO OWNED THE CAR BEFORE ME... routed the wiring with no loom, no tie downs or correct connectors. He wired it over the axle on the rear left fender.. the wiring was rubbing and grounding out. After rewiring the entire fuel pump relays and all, I found out the fuel Pump was trashed.
Dude had a new Walbro 255lph fuel pump just sitting there on a shelf. This whole time I never had to go to the parts store.. for the relays.. the wiring... the pump...nothing. He even gave me a good idea as to what he does to kill the fuel pump.. He installed a remote switch in the line, hidden under the car in the frame rail.
After wrenching the whole day and dropping the tank and wiring. It was time to eat again, they had a big ol BBQ going. By this time all his homies were back and drinking beer. The carne' asada was great. These guys treated me like a old friend of theirs and were the most helpful & friendly I've ever seen.
I started Maggie up after we ate.. and they clapped. LOL.. thats cool as sh*t. Dude says pull it out and I'll have a lil dude wash it up for you. I was like no way man you've done too much. He insisted. She was clean n shiney and running again. My belly was full. I started to say my Good Bye's. Asked how much he wanted for everything. He got this look on his face of insult. He said the only thing he'd charge me was to stay another night and cruise with him and his homies. We rolled to Chino, CA. Single file in all our glory. Parked on the strip and just hung out. It was pretty cool being around all these lower riders bouncing around everywhere.. There was alot of old school muscle out there also. Very very impressive. It's fun to be around car guys, period. No matter what they drive.. Honda's to Mustang's.
The next morning.. They cruised me out to the highway, hydro's going like if it was a farewell to a old friend. Man.
To Chango in Red Bluff, Califas. Dude I owe you a few. The Palamino Club was fun. Your Homies were the coolest I've ever met. Your love for these cars is great one. Your hospitality was greater. I made some good friends. Thanks for everything.
Luis
