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I am over-reacting, which I admit is one of my many weaknesses.
AND.....I suppose I should listen to my wife, who correctly pointed out that my bumper covers are shot anyway, and I am already waiting my turn to go into the body shop to have both of them replaced.
BUT STILL!!!
My car is under cover in the driveway, and THIS is what. awaited me when I got home a little while ago........
Don't feel bad. Mine's been shedding these pieces for about the last 30 years it's been sitting in the garage waiting for me to put the engine and transmission back in. That's the NOS bumper cover sitting at the top.
It started back in the mid-90s when the engine acted like it had a rev limiter on it at about 3,500 RPM. And at the same time I noticed that I was getting a little bit of coolant in the oil. So I decided since it had 72,000 mi on it, (I am the original owner) to pull the engine and figure it out and rebuild it. Did I mentioned that I autocrossed it for about six or seven years in the late '70s. It was also my daily driver. We found three small micro cracks in the block between the #3 and #5 lifters. Had the block bored 0.030" over and aligned bored. Squared up and cleaned the heads and had the valves ground. Since I had to replace the pistons anyway, I put in 11:1 TRW pistons which with my heads should give me about a 10:1 CR. Put in a slightly stouter roller cam and roller tipped rocker arms while I was in the neighborhood.
After I got the whole engine put back together, I decided to rebuild the rear suspension. Got that done and said might as well do the front while I got the engine out which gives you a lot more room to work. Then I picked up this big project at work that took the next several years of lots of hours. About that time then grandkids came along and were old enough to play soccer. That seemed to take an inordinate amount of time with practices and games and out of town tournaments.
Now that all the grandkids are out of school, I'm hoping that frees up enough time to get back to work on it. Never found anything in the ignition system that would cause the rev limiter effect. I did check the cam because I had heard that SBC engines tended to have a tendency to wear lobes down. Not sure how that would cause the problem though. The rear lobes did appear to be about 0.010 to 0.020 worn down. Guess I'll find out when I get it fired up someday.
Did I mention that I have a slight distraction now that I have a 2023 HTC Stingray sitting next to it that I got about a year ago after waiting two years to order it?
Looks like post traumatic racing syndrome to me...
Wow! Never did that occur to me but MAYBE!! My poor old Vette couldn't handle the stress of three power launches in a row without overstressing already brittle bumper covers!! I think you're onto something!
Don't feel bad. Mine's been shedding these pieces for about the last 30 years it's been sitting in the garage waiting for me to put the engine and transmission back in. That's the NOS bumper cover sitting at the top.
This DOES make me feel a little better, knowing I'm not alone! But I'm hoping to get my new covers on sooner rather than later! (Maybe I shouldn't be driving the car until then!)
It started back in the mid-90s when the engine acted like it had a rev limiter on it at about 3,500 RPM. And at the same time I noticed that I was getting a little bit of coolant in the oil. So I decided since it had 72,000 mi on it, (I am the original owner) to pull the engine and figure it out and rebuild it. Did I mentioned that I autocrossed it for about six or seven years in the late '70s. It was also my daily driver. We found three small micro cracks in the block between the #3 and #5 lifters. Had the block bored 0.030" over and aligned bored. Squared up and cleaned the heads and had the valves ground. Since I had to replace the pistons anyway, I put in 11:1 TRW pistons which with my heads should give me about a 10:1 CR. Put in a slightly stouter roller cam and roller tipped rocker arms while I was in the neighborhood.
After I got the whole engine put back together, I decided to rebuild the rear suspension. Got that done and said might as well do the front while I got the engine out which gives you a lot more room to work. Then I picked up this big project at work that took the next several years of lots of hours. About that time then grandkids came along and were old enough to play soccer. That seemed to take an inordinate amount of time with practices and games and out of town tournaments.
Now that all the grandkids are out of school, I'm hoping that frees up enough time to get back to work on it. Never found anything in the ignition system that would cause the rev limiter effect. I did check the cam because I had heard that SBC engines tended to have a tendency to wear lobes down. Not sure how that would cause the problem though. The rear lobes did appear to be about 0.010 to 0.020 worn down. Guess I'll find out when I get it fired up someday.
Did I mention that I have a slight distraction now that I have a 2023 HTC Stingray sitting next to it that I got about a year ago after waiting two years to order it?
THAT, my friend, sounds like a story I can be almost envious of!!! (Actually I don't think it's "almost"...I AM envious!)
UGHHHHHH!! I came home to THIS??
