Dumb, no stupid things PO's have done to you

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73c20jim

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Jun 11, 2018
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Location
Tombstone, AZ
First Name
Jim
Truck Year
1973, 1973
Truck Model
C20 2WD Custom Deluxe. C10 2WD Base Model
Engine Size
350 CID 195/260 HP Goodwrench crate, 400 CID 2bbl
I'll start.

To install an aftermarket Grant steering wheel, you get a new horn button and spring that twists and snaps into the horn contact cam. He broke the horn contact cam where the horn button and spring snaps in, soooo.... he glued them together.

Luckily the glue didn't hold so good so it came apart easily. The horn contact cam was trash

A new aftermarket horn button and spring costs $20 and I spent enough money so for on stupid fixes, so I filed off the glue on the horn button and spring and got it together with a new horn contact cam.

PLEASE SHARE your PO's technical expertise.

I just read about the foam spare tire well.

Picture soon
 

bucket

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Aug 3, 2010
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Location
Usually not in Ohio
First Name
Andy
Truck Year
'77, '78, '79, '84, '88
Truck Model
K5 thru K30
Engine Size
350-454
There's been quite a few stupid hack fixes, but what bothers me the most is when they spray paint the whole car/truck with gray primer. It doesn't fix anything, it just looks ugly and collects dirt and finger prints like crazy. And yet I still buy them, lol.
 

Goldie Driver

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Location
Houston, Texas
First Name
Britt
Truck Year
1980
Truck Model
GMC K1500 Suburban
Engine Size
350
Dunno if it was a PO or a so called mechanic, but..

This is NOT the high beam indicator wire .


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And, was it too much to buy new bulb holders?
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Not pictured- half the original screws must have fallen of the workbench, so whatever was handy went in ...

SMH :grd:
 

yevgenievich

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Mar 1, 2014
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Location
Texas
First Name
Viktor
Truck Year
sad
Truck Model
very sad
Engine Size
less sad
Transmission works fine in all gears... 5th grinds a bit, rear seal blown and half of fluid is gone. Transmission should be fine... 3/4 clutches are gone. Ttansmission came out of a working truck.... 3/4 clutches are bad. Transmission shifted fine before motor locked up...2nd gear barely works. And yet, I seem to keep trusting these previous owners...
I could not sell neither of the above before disclosing problems.

But there was one positive, transmission blown, does not move... Drove it up on the trailer and then daily drove for a week before taking it apart
 

foamypirate

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Jul 30, 2010
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Location
Central TX
First Name
Jake (Mr. Wilson)
Truck Year
1980
Truck Model
El Camino, baby!
Engine Size
5.3L/4L60E
P-PO welded side steps TO THE FRAME. Oh, except the front, where they used the cab mount bolt, so it wobbled all over the place because it was hanging from a rubber bushing.

Rattle canned red oxide primer over everything...poorly.
 

1987 GMC Jimmy

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Location
Mississippi
First Name
Jesse
Truck Year
1987
Truck Model
V1500 Jimmy
Engine Size
350
I’ve been pretty lucky. Besides the PO screwing with steering column stuff that was over their head, nothing too serious. Now previous MECHANICS have given me way more headaches than previous owners. Radio harness hackery, half assed R134a conversions, sloppy engine installations, stealing/leaving too loose/forgetting bolts, nuts, etc. There are some real ding dongs working on automobiles “professionally.”
 

da_raabi

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Aug 7, 2013
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Location
FloriDUH
First Name
Adam
Truck Year
1986
Truck Model
c30
Engine Size
454
All I am going to say is... tan textured rock-like paint. Engine bay. Interior plastics. EVERYTHING.

I will NEVER buy a can of that stuff. EVER.
 

Crispy

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Apr 5, 2017
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Location
Carbon County, Pennsyltucky
First Name
Chris
Truck Year
1989
Truck Model
Suburban V1500
Engine Size
5.7
I'm looking at buying an '81 short box 4x4.
PO says the interior is good...
Well look at the pics and see what he did to the dash... stupid ***...

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-view-details.html?adId=1371415247&requestSource=b

Do us a favor and save that square.

Spaghetti wiring really pisses me off. No use of relays or fuses. Bought an 80 Trans Am with a mild 400 in it. PO wanted an electric fuel pump. So he mounted it to the inner fender and ran a toggle switch from the battery to the interior. :biggun:
 

78C10BigTen

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Apr 12, 2017
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Location
pennsylvannia
First Name
Ted
Truck Year
1978
Truck Model
C10 BIG TEN
Engine Size
350
Only thing ive found that the po did was to keep hiw wife from putting gas in the non working tank he took off the fill hose (still doesnt have one) and stuffed a gatorade cap in the fill neck to keep the gas nozzle from going in.
 

shiftpro

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Aug 31, 2012
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Location
BC Canada
First Name
shiftpro
Truck Year
73-87
Truck Model
1500, 2500, 3500
Engine Size
350, 383, 454, 496!
Do us a favor and save that square.

I'll do my best. Problem is truck is in Calgary about 8 hrs of sporty driving IN THE OFF SEASON. That means after Sept 1st...
Right now with all the tourists out there... minimum 10 hr drive.
Also the owner is not being clear about how capable it is to drive back home, so I'm thinking it's trailer special. Looks like he tried to mount Ford mirrors so I need to be prepared to find other stupid **** for sure.
Shorty frames are getting rare around here...
 

oldman

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Oct 16, 2017
Posts
136
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86
Location
north fla
First Name
Ken
Truck Year
1985
Truck Model
silverado 1500
Engine Size
350
bought a 85 that last owner installed cutouts after the mufflers .....wtf is the purpose lol
 

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