<VV> professional repair

[airvair at earthlink.net]

You are exactly right, Bryan. Corvairs are easy to work on and fun, too.
You just have to know what you're doing and do it properly.

I once took my '67 to a Chevrolet garage to have the dreaded Boyne turn
signal switch replaced (that's the one that is notorious for breaking the
plastic paws off). The only reason I did so was because I didn't have a
steering wheel puller. What I found when I got the car back was the he had
cut off the plug (on a brand new part!) and spliced it together after
stuffing the wires thru the column. What a schlocko job!

So I looked in the repair manual, and sure enough, that's what it said to
do. I went to my (independent) garage man and convinced him to loan me his
steering wheel puller, then bought another turn signal switch, and took the
column apart myself. I replaced the spliced assembly with the good one, and
did it the way the factory had done it when they assembled the column new. 

I learned real quick that not only do "professional" GM-licensed and
trained mechanics sometimes do bad repairs, but that the factory repair
manuals are sometimes not right as well. Don't always trust others, even if
they are "supposed" to be the "official" mechanic. So when I do a job, I am
the only one I trust to be right. And I do it RIGHT! I make sure of that,
before I even tackle the job.

-Mark

> [Original Message]
> From: Bryan Blackwell <bryan at skiblack.com>
> Subject: Re: <VV> professional repair
>
> I think one of the key things is - everybody does brakes.  Not everyone
has done a column, so even though it is easier, it's not considered
"normal", and therefore is "hard".
>
> A brief story.  Back when, I needed ball joints done on my '65.  Since
this was a "hard" job, I took it to a local Corvair specialist.  Turns out
he pressed the lowers in only halfway, so when I hit a pothole, the car
went way out of alignment.  I took it to a local shop and had it fixed, but
after that I've never bought the "you have to take it to a professional"
argument.  They can, and do, screw things up too.
>
> As long as you are careful, use the shop manuals, and ask questions if
something doesn't go together smoothly, I would say there isn't a repair
job on a Corvair that can't be done by an owner.  That's what our local
chapter is all about.  That's also what this list is for.  Now, if you
don't have time, tools, or inclination, and have a shop to go to that you
trust, by all means do so.  But I don't buy "you have to take it to a
professional".  More like "it has to be done in a serious manner".
>
> --Bryan
>
> On Feb 27, 2010, at 1:41 AM, Frank DuVal wrote:
>
> > Everyone seems to work on 
> > brakes. Lots to go wrong with this job. And a lot at stake. What more 
> > important system on the car is there? I put a proper brake overhaul as  
> > more difficult than a column change, with more to go wrong and result
in 
> > an unsafe car. But everybody does it.
>