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It's been a bit since you last heard from me, so I'll fill you in on all the Impala-related happenings of the past few months. I had originally planned to replace my door latches and fix my stuck odometer over my Fall break, and if you took a look at the title of this entry, you've probably guessed I was successful. Not only did I repair my odometer and get the front doors to actually close, but I did something I haven't ever done in my entire one and a half years of owning this car: I spent more time driving the Impala than I did fixing it! Thanksgiving break was filled with even more car driving (and exactly zero car fixing). Right now, I'm mid-way through a suspension rebuild, so expect a Winter update detailing that endeavor. You know what time it is. I don't even need to use the tagline.
The front door latches were first on the list. The latch springs had long ago failed, resulting in doors that sometimes came loose while driving down the road. They'd never open all the way, only coming partially unlatched (until that time where I pulled into a parking lot and the passenger door flew open, almost ejecting my friend from the front seat). However, I didn't want to take a chance in case they did decided to fly open on me (again). Fortunately, I was able to obtain a rebuilt set of door latches from Southeast Chevy Parts. I kept my old latches for a future rebuild now that I know how they come apart. The old latches came out with mild persuasion from some PB Blaster and a BFS (like a BFH, but for screwdrivers), and the new latches went back in with even less trouble. I discovered while replacing the driver's side latch that someone had previously removed the latch linkage and reinstalled it backwards, resulting in a malformed rod that didn't want to fit back into the fresh latch I'd installed. Some fiddling and vise gripping later, and I had the linkage removed, straightened, and reinstalled. Other than some adjustments on the passenger side striker (and me putting the driver's side tumbler in upside down at first), the latch installation went without a hitch.
The Impala goes on a hike
Dash install, take II
The next order of business was the stuck odometer that rendered most of my speed indicators useless and created an annoying, flasher-like ticking noise. Cue the flashback sequence! This looks just like the dash rebuild from last year, except with less insulation dust flying everywhere. I completely disassembled the speedometer and pulled the odometer out. As these GM odometers age, and especially if they've been sitting, the plastic wheels on the odometer expand and get stuck on each other, causing the entire assembly to freeze up. Fortunately, I was able to cycle the odometer wheels manually a few times to get the assembly freed up. Don't worry, I put the odometer back to where it stuck, plus the miles I'd driven since then (I didn't drive the car much after that, so it was easy to keep track). With the assembly fixed, it was back in the car, until I realized one of the turn signal gaskets had fallen down and obscured the turn signal light. Then, it was back out for the dash while I made a new gasket and reinstalled it. Time to put the dash back in! Oh look, I broke another bulb. Fortunately, I had more replacements left over from the dash rebuild, so that issue was quickly remedied.
The last order of business was fixing the driver's side rear door latch that never worked from the inside and had since stopped working from the outside. When I first freed up the door, I mangled up the door latch with my crowbar. Fortunately, I was able to pound everything back into shape after taking the latch assembly off the door. Some penetrating oil and grease later, and I was back in business. This was the first time all four doors on the car worked in who knows how long. That was pretty much the end of my mechanical escapades over the Fall semester breaks. I took the car out driving a couple times over Fall break, and I used it for transportation to Thanksgiving dinner and then again for some car spotting videos that David and I filmed later in the week. There's not much else to report, other than me tracking down a replacement trunk pan and my parents graciously driving two hours out of the way on their pseudo-vacation to pick it up for me. It's nice to finally be able to enjoy the car and drive it around some, and I'll continue to work on it Johnny Cash style until it's finished, which we all know that project cars never are!
This could almost be a horror movie scene
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